I can hold myself accountable for getting writing in each day. I really can. But I can also let myself get away with checking email, reading blogs, poking around in Facebook, and writing blog posts. This is a problem, friends. And I'm letting myself do it more and more.
Bad, Jolie, bad writer.
I think it sort of parallels myself as a swimmer (although I hope I'm a better writer than a swimmer). I write the same way I get into a pool. The not heated variety, that is. I'm an easer-inner. You know the type. I never just dive in and get it over with. One big plunge and I'm swimming around. No, I ease in and it's the easing that's hard. But once I'm in and moving about...hey, I'm swimming and I'm happy.It's kind of the same with writing. I ease in. I start writing down some wonderings. Start typing out a scene. Then all of sudden, I'm writing and happy. On a sort of writer's high.
But back to that outside accountability. If I let myself putz about too much, sometimes I never fully get into the pool. You know? But I know what's been lacking in my Office Hour world. You know, the one at The Vault. Mallory is GONE! Ever since she left The Vault, no one peers over my shoulder and says, "Whatcha doing? Are you writing? That better not be email I see." I need you, Mallory. With you around, I had no choice but to ease in and get to work.
4 comments:
Jolie, I never knew we were separated at birth. How did this happen? You got the looks and brains and I got the slightly crazed expression and both of us got the putzing around gene?? Well, I would be happy to be a checker-inner for you - I've been cracking the whip rather successfully around here.
Facebook: the ultimate time suck. I get on, and two hours later wonder what the heck I've been doing with my time.
I'm not a writer, but I can totally relate.
Holly - Ah, my long, lost twin. I'm not sure how it happened, but I know what didn't...the brains and beauty part...you've got that in truck loads. But the putz gene-ouch! I did good yesterday-over 3000 words. WooHoo. But will accept any whip cracking you'd like to send my way.
Melissa - Yes. FB, the ultimate time suck and yet somehow so enjoyable.
I would say 3K is pretty unbelievable for cracking the whip, missy! Right now I'm putzing around before I try to beat yesterday. Now I have this huge fantasy knocking around in my head...3 days/week of preschool...5K each day...7 days of preschool left in November...I could conceivably hit 45K words this month, if I were to be completely, insanely productive. I don't think I have 45K worth of material in my head, though I do have an outline. It's the micro level that gets me all in a twist. How's today for you? Is this a new WIP then, since you finished the last? Holy cow, that's dedication.
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