Month 11 in Review

It amazes me how little I can write when I’m busy and just trying to keep up with the basics. This is slightly surprising to me, considering I love writing. But I’m thinking that I’m also learning  a critical lesson through this practice that could serve me well if I’m ever paid to write full-time.

My lesson: I need to structure my schedule to ensure that I’m making time to write as my top priority if I’m actually going to be successful at the first step of writing–getting words on the page.

Obviously my good intentions to get back into the rhythm of writing did not go as well as I had desired. Amid Christmas, helping host a conference, being part of a bridal party–in which I endured rooftop wedding photos in 30-degree weather–and going on a much needed cleaning spree, I shouldn’t be surprised by the number of entries I actually churned out and posted.

And at one point, I think I opted for sleeping instead of writing about seven days in a row…

So there isn’t too much to say this month, in retrospect other than:

Stories I like:

• Cataclysm
• Yeasayer

Stories I’d like to expand:

• Cataclysm-Two girlfriends running a business while trying to successfully run their lives feels like prime real estate for a novella focusing on these young women who want it all, but seem to find their hands not as full as they desire.
• Yeasayer-The idea of holding out hope for the impossible is all-too familiar to me, but I’d like to explore that in the sibling relationship when the stakes are a little higher. In my mind this would be a short story spanning one to three years.

What I observed this month:

As I stated earlier, the fact that I’m easily persuaded not to write simply by the lure of the possibility of sleeping a full eight hours might be something I need to take into account more seriously in the future. Other than that, I’d say I need to write consistently and get the words out if I’m going to back up my words with real action and make writing my priority.