stick to a writing schedule

Just for March 2007, I’m ‘transferring’ my entries about this goal to ‘Write 100 words every day’... see my goal list.

i’m in the mfa creative writing program at ubc. by default, i’m on some sort of schedule. okay, i’m not. but i’m writing. and that’s the point, isn’t it?

Recently, I have been working on a children’s story for a competition. Entering competitions is a great way of making yourself write more.

Still, I have struggled to find the motivation to stick my bum on a seat and get the first draft done.

I have found a solution. Rather than spend a morning at home with all the usual distractions, I went to my library.

I discovered that my local library (pictured) has an internet cafe and, as a member, I can use it for free. However, all sessions are strictly timed. So at the weekend, I booked a timed session, and wrote my first draft online using Google’s internet word processor www.writely.com. The timer, which counts down in the corner of the screen, was a great way of making sure I kept working.

With five minutes to go before they cut my connection, I finished a first draft!

Setting targets is a good way of sticking to a writing schedule, and having ‘false’ targets imposed with a timed internet session is a great way of kick-starting yourself. This is particularly useful when doing first drafts, where it’s all about getting the story on the page without worrying about the details just yet.

Now I just need to edit…!

yeah, i suck with this. but i’m going to get my ass kicked in the fall when i start the mfa program at ubc, so i better get used to having a schedule. i’ve also decided to scrap the goal of getting a draft of my first book done by the time i start school-that’s just not going to happen. but saying that takes a lot of pressure off. truth is, i still work at it-and what’s an mfa program for if not to be given time and instruction on writing a book?

there are three projects i must absolutely finish before school starts, or i’m dead, so those are a priority as well. then when school starts, strict scheduling is a must, especially with having to teach a writing class twice a week—and oh yeah, kids to take care of! god help me.

i think i will enter some writing contests—that might get me motivated to do more writing. either that, or get me sidetracked from the real project that i need to focus on!

now that i’ve organized my writings, i can get inspired and do that proposal i owe the agent i’ve been talking to. and then continue with my manuscript. monday—we will see.

my editing job is almost done, so i think i’ll be able to get back to writing this week! finally! i need to get my proposal done and off to the agent too….i think that will help me get back on track.

of course, i think it’s hard to stick to a writing schedule when you got two little ones, ages 1 and 2. but that’s still not a good enough excuse! but it is an excuse for why my entries might sound incomplete sometimes—oh wait, gotta change a poopy diaper…

ever since we got back to vancouver, i’ve been really bad about writing, other than journal writing every morning, and recently I started doing my “Poem of the Day” ( http://www.livejournal.com/users/podbrandy/ ) ...but i’ll be good…soon.

Well, I haven’t been on 43 Things in a while. The reason? I have been sticking to my writing schedule, working on the novel that has been hanging over my head for the past four years. And yes, I almost have a draft! So far, it’s 71500 words. Not the heft of Gone With the Wind, but still longer than The Bell Jar and Less Than Zero. Not that size matters…