I’ve been slipping a bit. I was starting to let my focus gradually slip from making sure that I wrote everyday. I was thinking about that last night as I was settling down to sleep. So this morning I got up, started the coffee, got Jack situated with a morning cartoon, and turned on my PC. I wrote 137 words on the original story I’ve been working on but haven’t shared yet. (It’s going to be awkward to refer to work on things that you don’t otherwise see. So, in honor of one of my favorite movies, Reservoir Dogs, I’ll refer to each item that is worked on outside my blog as a color.) Story Blue now stands at about 1800 words of content and about 650 words of notes and ideas.
Writing 137 words this morning doesn’t feel like much progress. Reviewing what I’d written before starting this post I almost went back to it and kept going. But I had said to myself as I turned on my PC that I wanted to write at least 100 words and write this quick post. At least 100 words- check. Working on a post about the work- in progress.
100 words was important because I need to reinforce this new behavior- writing on a regular basis, preferably everyday. You can Google “write 100 words everyday” and get an exhaustive list of sites devoted to this idea so I’m not covering any new ground here. I’ve also read that it takes about 3 weeks of repetition to make something a daily habit. So my focus is making writing a habit. 100 words took about 5 minutes and that fit easily into my morning schedule. I’m not saying that this is all the writing I do today. I am saying, “I wrote today.”
That’s the sum of my thoughts this morning. As we are working on this transformative process, don’t overcomplicate it or start some elaborate new process that can’t be sustained. (Hopefully it’s “we” at this point. What kind of change are you working towards?) Focus on executing some step that you can start and finish each day. For me, it’s going to be ensuring that I write at least 100 words every day. The morning would be best but sometimes the many responsibilities that I have will make that difficult. So I will just focus on ensuring that I write everyday. 100 words is a small enough piece that I can produce without disrupting my other responsibilities. I can complete that and say, “I accomplished that today.”
And hey- I wrote another 400 words on top of it! Sweet!
[Note: Perfect timing. As I was editing this, Joseph came downstairs to tell me that he was starving. So cue my departure music as I sign off and go to my other responsibilities. But hey- I wrote today! -T]
TMPinSYR 