Saturday, January 10, 2009

accountability

Since today is really accountability day for the week, I'll do my confessing now. As you're probably already sick of hearing (I think this is the third time I've said it in this blog) I started handwriting my daily work, typing it in the next day as my review. But since I kept editing down as I went, my word count has been "little" on an average basis, and my Type A'dness couldn't take it anymore. So, for the past two days my hands went back to the keyboard and I just let the words go. A lot won't be keepers, but it made me get to about 7000 words for the week at this point. I've written a little over 1000 this morning--now I'm going to go have coffee with a friend, and hopefully I'll be so jazzed when I get back that I can write at least 2000 more!

That's my goal, anyway.

But the real reason I posted today is to tell everyone about the best tool I have in my writing arsenal. That tool is really a person--my accountability partner. I live in Oklahoma, she lives in South Carolina, and we met while taking an online class. We've never met face-to-face, but we "talk" every day through email, and I could not accomplish half of what I do every day if she wasn't around for me to toss out ideas to, vent about things I'm irritated about, and share my joy when something goes right. In fact, I wouldn't be in this group without her, as she was the one who found out about JaNo and gave me the means of signing in. Thanks again, Anne!

So, if you want your writing life to improve, I recommend finding an accountability partner of your own. While this JaNo blog helps us this month, a regular partner will help you all the days after JaNo ends.

But you can't have mine! Anne is already taken!

7 comments:

Ceri Hebert said...

7000 is excellent!! And I hope you come back and have a great writing day.

I met an online friend through a group that has nothing to do with writing. She bought one of my books and we started emailing nearly on daily basis. She has been a fantastic help. She has become a crit partner of sorts (she doesn't write, just an avid reader) and now she gets my first draft of everything I write.

She points out what, as a reader, works or doesn't work, she questions things, checks my continuity, and also corrects my grammar and punctuation (she's also a teacher).

She certainly has been a blessing. But she does hate when I count words LOL she just wants me to write write write.

Joanie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Karen said...

Sounds like a great idea. It is not only the encouragement, but the input that can help. Writing in a void is difficult for me.

Marianne Arkins said...

I **used** to have writing partners that I was accountable to, but much has changed the past couple of years, and I really don't any more.

It really does make a difference.

And, you're doing great!

Keri Mikulski said...

What a great idea!! I know just being part of this blog helps my poductivity..

Jen said...

I'm glad you and Anne have a good working relationship. And yes, I agree that support helps immensely. Congratulations on the word count!

edeevee said...

Awwww, you guys ...

First, Charity posts that video that, I dunno, maybe it was supposed to be funny (?) but to me it was stirring and really got my emotions going.

Then Sarita takes back her life through writing -- and reminds me of the time when writing helped save me.

Then Joanie jumps in and salutes her writing partner Anne & I completely lose it -- because the other half of what saved me is my friend and writing partner -- Charity.

It was her and Geek Girls Guide that gave my brain something to other than fret and worry and feel sorry for myself. And, it's been GGG that gave me the means to pay for most of my son's cancer treatment so far.

We might not be that great at holding each other accountable but the idea tossing,irritation venting and ... oh! ... the joy sharing!

I can't imagine my writing -- or my life -- without her.

Oh my, now my eyes have gone leaky again.

p.s. m-email me. i stink at accountability but i love to read your stuff.