Welcome to 2013! Or at least January 9, 2013. Have you made
your resolutions yet? I have and I’ve broken one already. Everyone gets three
guesses which one and the first two guesses don’t count.
The ever-mighty thorn in the side word count is my first
problem. (If you guessed exercise, I’m still going but it’s running a close
second.) I’m trying to find a happy medium between what I can achieve on my
days off and what I can write the days I work.
I know there are many writers out there who work full-time
and write but my situation is a bit different: I work 12 hours shifts and I
work at night. Three days a week, I go
into work at 7pm and leave at 7:30am if I’m lucky.
The simple answer might be: just wake up an hour earlier and
write then. I’ve been doing that but my word count still varies unless I use
Write or Die. This program is great for first drafts but not when I'm editing.
My initial goal was to write 1K on the days between work. When I started, I
could barely get in 200 words each time. Instead of getting frustrated and
abandoning the resolution, I revised the resolution to 500 words.
As the proverb goes: If
you don’t succeed at first, try try again.
Over a week into 2013 and I've almost doubled my word count on work days.
Why am I doing all of this? Because I know once I am
published I will most likely continue to work as a nurse and I need to have a
consistent routine. And I would think it
will help me in the future when I’m published. I may not hit the mark with my
first draft to the editor, so I work again on revisions.
It’s not about getting it perfect the first time. It’s about
keeping a positive outlook and reevaluating through the long haul. Yes?
Wishing everyone a 2013 full of positive goals and successes. I'll continue my Bizarro guide to writing next month.
Abbi :-)
Abbi is still on Twitter -- @abbi_wilder -- because she couldn't give it up for 2013. By mid-February, she will be blogging from her new website: www.abbiwilder.com
Abbi, great going with you word count! I'm impressed with you writing consistently. I still find there are days when getting words on the page is just too hard. Now, so long as I write most days, I let myself have a couple of days if I need them that are writing free. Having said that I usually do writing related work on those days.
ReplyDeleteHope your year is a fruitful one!
Good for you! You didn't stop trying just because you broke your resolution.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the word count! I still don't have a fixed writing routine but it all comes together eventually. :-) And after the holiday break it's really hard to do the BICHOK. But I have some characters that are just dying to get their stories told. :-) I really hope 2013 is your year.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Annie. Hope you have a great year, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kaelee.
And, thanks, Jenn. I hope so too. :-)