OK. New year--make that new DECADE--is here. Over at the Textnovel Divas blog I went on and on about how I am going to make this MY decade.
All talk, no action, so to speak.
Affirmations are good, but without consequences, bribery, and a list of what is expected of me, I'm not going to get too far.
Enter the best Yule gift I've ever had. Well, maybe not, but right now, it's at the top.
Deborah Blake, author of pagan non-fiction, my writing group pal, and all-around fantastic friend gave me NO PLOT? NO PROBLEM: Novel Writing Kit.
There are gold stars involved!!!!
As fantastic as that is, it did something I haven't been able to do for months. It got my hubby and I together for a 90 minute conversation about where I was going with my writing, what had to be done, and how I'm going to do it.
NPNP (Novel Writing Kit) is written by Chris Baty. That should ring a few (alarm) bells with some of you. He was the guy who came up with NANOWRIMO. Well, with this lovely kit, I am going to start my very own 31 day writing extravaganza. In the end, I hope to have finished a novel and perhaps a few short stories.
The kit comes with some great stuff. Like I said, gold stars to put on a large poster of your progress (it's hanging in front of me right now!), daily inspiration cards, a coupon book for family to threaten you with if you don't make word count, a contract you sign with a witness, and more. We took the coupon book thing a step ahead and created a sheet of 7 horrible things that will happen to me if I don't make daily word count. Things like NO INTERNET FOR 24 HOURS and TAKING THE GARBAGE TO THE CURB (big deal, you say? Well, at my house, we measure my driveway in ACRES). Of course, if I DO make my word count, I get things like a 20 minute foot rub and no cooking for a whole day.
Sounds good so far. I've got incentive and a cooperative husband (I didn't bother trying to communicate with the toddlers. They will have to just go with the flow). Now, the Battle Plan.
See, I procrastinate. A lot. Ask any of my high school teachers and they will roll their eyes at you and comment that sure, I got things done, EVENTUALLY. I waste 5 minutes, 10 minutes here and there just wandering around, knowing that I am supposed to be doing something...It all adds up.
So I made a chore chart, broken up by hour. It starts at 7 am and ends at 10 pm. Hubby and I went over the things that need to get done and when I will have my hours for writing. I filled out the chart, giving myself plenty of empty spaces for catching up on writing, housecleaning, and doctor appointments. Now I know what I can get done, and he knows what to expect while I start this crazy writing ride.
For the next 31 days, I am the Commander in Chief of my everyday life.
Wish me luck!
Oh, what will I be working on? Well, it may be cheating, but I'm going to continue with the beginning of a novel I have entered in the Textnovel contest entitled WICKED ENCHANTMENT. I know, I know, I should start something new, but I have so little written (only 3000 words) that I figure it will be okay to fudge just a little. I will not be counting those 3000 words! Tomorrow, with the help of my charts and progress poster, I will put my battle plan in action!
ONWARD, HO!
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