Anthony Trollope's Daily Routine

Anthony Trollope wrote 47 novels, including the Barsetshire and Palliser series, while holding a senior job at the Post Office. His writing routine ran on a watch. He put it in front of him and asked 250 words of himself every quarter of an hour.

In An Autobiography he explained that an old groom, paid £5 a year extra, brought him coffee so he was at his table by 5:30 AM throughout his years at Waltham Cross. He spent the first 30 minutes rereading the day before's work, wrote for 3 hours, then dressed for breakfast and went to the Post Office. Afternoons ended with whist at the Garrick Club before dinner. In winter he rode to hounds at least twice a week, and on those days he was out of the door early and hunting all day.

It suits anyone with a day job and a book in them. If you keep waiting for a free weekend that never comes, 3 hours before breakfast is a smaller thing to find.

You get a book written in hours nobody else wants and a word count you can measure. He reckoned the habit could produce 3 novels a year. To start, set a timer tomorrow and ask 250 words of yourself in 15 minutes. The Post Office hours, meals, bedtime, Sundays and the hunting days' timings are our estimates.