This summer, I started writing again.
I joined a writing group online, then participated in a peer group, and have joined several additional writing groups. I've been listening to podcasts on writing and have been talking myself through the steps needed to write the Great American Novel... or maybe just a non-fiction book centered around my travels around the Bluegrass State.... or then there's that thought that a book discussing primitive healthcare and midwifery in Eastern Kentucky would be fun to research..
While I'm not completely settled on WHAT I plan to write, I've been focusing on the habit of, well, getting in the habit of writing. If you follow me here, on this blog, you know I've been publishing at least on Tuesdays and Sundays. I've been "writing" more on Instagram, journaling my thoughts more intentionally there. I've also been starting my day "journaling" for 10 minutes, and closing it out with getting some words down toward said novel above. In July, I had a goal of 750 words a day, and while I didn't write every day, I did write some. In August, I increased it to 1000 words and joined a couple of accountability groups on Facebook. Knowing I needed to go log on and post my word count, or my progress, did give me some inspiration...
Until this week. Thursday and Friday I slept late, so no morning journaling. Thursday night I was exhausted, and last night I started working on editing some questions for a textbook company that I do as a job on the side (I decided that it did, in fact, count as writing).
When I saw the Five Minute Friday word was accountability, I thought, "Well this is perfect." I lack self-discipline. It's one reason why it's so much easier for me to sit on the couch than to walk my 2 miles every day, even though I usually enjoy the walk once I get started.
I don't usually do this kind of thing with my writing and I'm not sure I'll get a response but that's ok. If you enjoy what you read here, could you leave me a comment? Either here on the blog or on my Facebook page, and would you partner with me by asking me about my writing every now and again? It's greatly appreciated!
What do you need an accountability partner for? How might I help you with that?
Linking up for Five Minute Friday, a community that writes for five minutes on one topic and shares. I may have cheated this week because a. it's Saturday and b. I wrote for longer than five minutes.
Consistency is tough. Cheers to you for being honest about the struggle! Check-in groups are *so* helpful - glad you're part of some!
ReplyDeleteI had a tough time with this too! Maybe I'll skip this week but I committed to myself mostly to participate. So, I jumped in to look at accountability from the backside...of things accomplished.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, I hear you! I have so many good intentions... Thanks for being so honest about your struggle and congrats for keeping on keeping on!
ReplyDelete'Accountability' is a scary word; I think it must be connected somehow to childhood insecurities and feeling judged/ diminished/ somehow 'less than' when someone (even someone to whom I have given permission!) asks, 'How's it going with (whatever)?'...and I have not been on point with the whatever. Ouchie. I think I need to do some soul searching on the why of that...
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