Checking in, but not checking out

Right up front I'm going to confess that just hours ago I was going to throw in the towel and say "see ya" to all of you. My total output this week was just about what my daily goal was, all due to family and personal issues beyond my control. I hate when things are beyond my control. And next week my dear sister in law is scheduled for a major surgery to correct another major surgery she underwent a year and a half ago. So, yeah, things aren't grand right now in my little world.

But just within the past hour I've decided not to give up. Today is only the 21st of March. That means I have 10 full days before the first of next month. I'm not sure how close I can still come to my goal--and I realize Monday may be a wash since everyone around me is going to be stressed even if I get a writing brainstorm--but progress will be progress. Just 1575 words this week is 1575 words closer to my goal.

It's a question of "how badly do I want it." Right?

Whew! Forgot E-Mail and Password

I'm back! I couldn't get in to JaNo because I couldn't remember how. I have left bread crumbs this time to find my way back in and out.

I've been snowed under with a writing project that has had a few unexpected twists and turns, including writer's block, and as soon as I get that finished (which really HAS to be today) I am back to my real work, which is writing novels.

Notice the use of plural. Novels. Not novel. Because I am going to write more than one. Right after I finish this one.

I'm disappointed with my "progress" this year so far. I've got lots of excuses but not enough gold stars on any calendar. Though I can't recapture that time, I can learn from this experience (can't I?) and accept no excuses. Write first. Make excuses for why I don't get the OTHER stuff done, not for my writing.

Looking for that white hot streak myself. Actually, any kind of streak will do provided it is not a losing streak.

Will try to post and comment more often. We are all moving forward, even if at different speeds.

Good luck! Write much. The more there is, the better it will be even if you throw a third out.

The month is not half over. In fact, it's more than half full.

Honesty Calendar

I am really six-years-old. I will do anything for a gold star. The more stars, the better.

I'm not motivated by public humiliation, the joy of writing, the excitement of finishing a project or even ice cream (since I was going to have some anyway). But -- a gold star. Now you're talking.

My friend Joan reminded me of Honesty Calendars mentioned in Vanessa Grant's Writing Romance book. These are calendars where you keep track of your real progress. Right there, in front of your eyes. It's either encouraging or guilt-inducing. I set the bar quite low so that it's encouraging unless I do absolutely nothing, and then I should feel guilty.

For 2009, I have two Honesty Calendars. One is on my desk for writing paragraphs or pages in my novel, the other is on my wall next to my treadmill for days I walked. I can't stand to see too many blank squares. Today was going to be a blank square on my writing Honesty Calendar. I couldn't stand it.

So I wrote. Not much. But I wrote. I got a gold sticker.

If I keep it up, maybe I'll get a whole novel.

And the best part is, that little piece of writing seems to have brought my excitement and confidence back. Now I'm all set to earn my gold star for tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow I'll even write several chapters.

But the important thing is that I get my gold star.

Walking Not Running - Day Two

After much procrastination, I finally got cranked up and wrote what I'm guessing is Chapter 2 (with holes and much babbling). It's a little too edgy for my intended market but maybe that was lack of oxygen on my part. I wrote 1,562 words while walking 2.4 miles on the treadmill. I hoped to write more but looking at the screen and walking made me slightly seasick. This is a new thing for me. There's really no reason to look at the screen. I'll have to train myself to watch the scene in my head instead. Not sure how accurate this is, but I burned 265 calories, too.

And I got a gold star on my honesty calendars. I'm like a six-year-old. I'll do anything for a gold star. I have calendar for the treadmill, and one for writing. I intend to have a whole page of gold stars this month.

(Notice I don't have a quality calendar -- not measuring that this month.)

I hope the rest of you are hitting your goals and most of all, having fun.

Anne AKA smellshorsey