I’ve mentioned before I’m motivationally challenged (I can hear the snickers from those who know me). I can’t help myself. Something else always seems more interesting/pressing/easy to do. If I have house work to do, I’d rather write; if I have writing to do, I’ll find housework to fill my time. Today is a prime example. I planned to exercise, get my hair colored (damn gray hairs), feed the kids, give them something to do (hello Crayola 3D chalk I bought on clearance last summer – it works too), then spend the afternoon writing. It is now late afternoon, with dinner time rapidly approaching and I’m just starting to write today’s blog (so forgive me if there are typos). We had to stop at the bank, post office, restaurant, and gas station (I’m starting to sound like a Richard Scarry book – soon Lowly the Worm will hop across the page – points if you have any idea what I’m writing about). Once home, I had to walk the dog, untangle the dog from her leash, test the invisible fence (that’s a whole other story), start a sprinkler, untangle the dog again, and mediate several small fights over who gets which chalk tool.
But now that I’m writing, I’m focused; I have a deadline. The words flow fast and furious. I’ve always worked better on a deadline; when there is a fixed goal in mind like writing a blog in two hours, painting a room in a day, or spreading the Himalayan size mulch pile in the flower beds over the weekend.
I’m giving myself deadlines with fitness too. I’ve decided I want to run (more of a slow plod) a mile, non-stop, by the end of the summer. For those much fitter than I, this probably doesn’t sound difficult; but I am not engineered for running. I’ve always envied the willowy running figures dashing through town, shoes barely touching the ground like the winged feet of Hermes, the Greek messenger for the gods. These runners seem propelled by an unseen force, pushing them through the air with little resistance or difficulty. They look like they could run for hours (and probably do) as easy as a stroll in the park. I am not one of these runners. I am not aerodynamic and I do not dash anywhere; my figure more accurately resembles a favorite grandma. When I run, I move like I’m neck-deep in cold molasses and a T-Rex would run in fear from the ground shaking as I pass. Bottom line: for me to run a mile without pausing is huge. I’ll keep you posted…
When writing, many authors use self-imposed deadlines too. Published authors have the added benefit of an editor breathing down their neck for the newest draft (now that would be effective motivation). They may aim to write a minimum of 2000 words a day, or spend set hours writing with no interruptions. One author forces herself to write five minutes every day, no exception. I like this one. You can always find five minutes and if you get a grove going, you can keep right on going. Unfortunately, with children so willing to distract me, I need a more concrete deadline with achievable daily goals.
So, dear reader, I want to finish my first draft by Labor Day. To meet the date, I need to avoid revising previous chapters with new ideas and themes. If I let myself, I’d spend forever writing and revising. I need my deadline, just like with a college term paper. With a deadline, I’ll stay up late to finish, I’ll find activities to distract my kids so I can write, I’ll skip shopping (and spending money I don’t need to spend). My goal is to write 75,000 words for my first draft. To accomplish this in the remaining 11 weeks before Labor Day, I’ll need to write about 600 words per day, seven days a week.
Six hundred words a day, I can do that. Six hundred words is the length of a blog. I just need to keep Lowly the worm from distracting me.
June 14 Word Count = 31,222
