Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Lucy Dawkins : my (small press) writing day


So, here’s the thing: I have no typical writing day, as I have no typical day, because I travel a lot (I model)… But this is me last Friday:

I am in London, UK. I wake 7.30am and start my exercises right away: stretches and squats, planks and stands – nothing too adventurous. There’s a gym at the hotel, but I’m flying back to the US tomorrow, so it isn’t worth getting to know. For one day, a hotel room floor is ok, if cramped.

I shower and dress and coffee. I check my phone. Message from my agent: Two more castings confirmed for June. That’s good. I do some writing before heading to the shoot, but it’s bad.

I pack a bag and leave, stopping for breakfast at a funny little café, a block from the hotel. I order scrambled eggs. I eat about half. The coffee is better. I jot down a few poem ideas, alliterations and acrostics, bits of palindromes…

I arrive at the studio 10.00am and spend an hour in hair and makeup. I scroll Instagram and Twitter. I chat with stylists and the other models. I daydream pieces of poetry. I’m dressed. Then the shoot begins.

I don’t know how much of a poet I am, but I’ve always loved playing with words. And it’s a good way to pass time otherwise spent waiting around – which there’s a lot of, in this business.

About a month back, I looked for an online space to exercise my wordiness. I thought I would open another Instagram account, separate from my modeling (confession: ‘Lucy Dawkins’ is a pen name). That didn’t work out. Then I found Twitter, which has these great poetry prompt accounts, and some fabulous poets too. I’m pleased I have discovered that world.

The shoot drags, but that’s never so bad when the clothes are comfy. I have a good amount of time undisturbed, and I write, among other bits and pieces, this palindrome: Slate me robots to bore metals.

I’m out by 2:30pm, and now have only an hour before resuming a fitting, begun yesterday, for an upcoming show. After a brief panic, I make it in time and everything runs ok.

I’m back at the hotel by 6.00pm for a long call with my agent. After that, I meet friends for dinner, but get back for an early night. I’m too tired to write. I sleep well, catch an early flight, and begin another atypical writing day…


Lucy Dawkins is a British-American gadabout, poetess and model, aspiring toward worldliness and wordiness. She has a leaflet out by Penteract Press and tweets her poems @lucykdawkins.

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