How to Write a Lot

Well, as I said, I attended a workshop about How to Write a Lot yesterday - I almost begrudged the time because I have A LOT of essay-writing on my plate at the moment - but I think that it was a very good 90 minute investment.

The point of the whole thing was basically to set a time - and set goals, limit distractions, and turn off the internal critic - for an hour a day. They also advised sharing your progress with someone - which is something I do anyway ...Steph has been listening to my whining about my progress - or lack thereof - for ages. Sharing on my blog as well seems like it might serve two purposes though - I miss blogging, so it will get me back to doing that regularly - and it may well help me to meet my goal (one hour 5 days/week). So here I am.

I was a good girl today - and a few minutes out to write a blog about it seems like a good reward to me :)

I have been struggling to get started on this damn paper that is due on SUNDAY!!!! I have reams and reams of research. I had to do rather more research than usual for this one, mostly because it is not just the content that I needed to generate ....I'm using an entirely new-to-me research methodology for it as well. So I had to read tons about that research methodolgy, and bunches of papers as examples ...AND all of the other stuff for the actual paper. The other stuff is all there - but it's the process of using this new research methodology - and especially writing it - that had me totally bogged down, stressed out, etc.

So anyway, I had committed to writing for one solid hour every morning ...and it was obvious that this paper, since it is due SUNDAY - was my first priority. Since I was trying a new approach, i decided to move to a new PLACE where I have not yet established bad habits - and to leave my mousie upstairs on my desk when I brought my laptop down to the dining room table. I made a pot of coffee (I often don't bother, because the coffee is downstairs and my desk is upstairs and I am lazy) and sat down to WRITE.

The significance of the lack of mousie is important - I can't do Farmville properly without it - so I have not yet bothered to check my farm (or my cafe, or....). I just wrote. And FINALLY got some real pages WRITTEN. I have enjoyed my hour - got 3 good pages done, drank most of my pot of coffee - and I deserve a sticker.

Unfortunately, at this point, with the paper due so soon, a single focused hour is not really enough - so I shall now return to work.... after the next 3 pages perhaps I will take a time out to check my farm as my reward. But for now, this seems to be working for me, and my pot of coffee is not yet empty, so...

hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go.