The last twelve months have taught me a lot about myself and my writing habits. I write best while drinking my first cup of coffee in the morning. This occurs long before regular interruptions of the day begin. I need quiet solitude, with only the irritation of a headstrong little dog to bother me while keeping my feet warm. Needing space for my thoughts to flow, I love this time of day.
I’ve tried writing at other times of day to identify my creative zone. Over the years, I’ve learned 3:00 AM is even better. That crazy hour being too much even for me, it’s become a habit to leave my journal on my nightstand for those inspirational moments that awaken me from a dead sleep. If you are contemplating a blogging future, try writing at different times of the day and use what works for you.
Last year was full of firsts for me, all rich with details about which to write. I’m hoping this year will be the same. Writing my first book, the opportunities to learn about self publishing has been overwhelming. Online, one can find many webinars about various subjects in the field of writing. From contests, to blog sites, everything needed to start is available at your computer screen.
I find myself swamped at times, and decided I needed to try something new to better organize my days. Well aware that there is more than ample time for everything I would like to do, I picked out categories that were necessary parts of any day. Sleep. Personal time. Writing time. Friends and family. Household and garden chores. Time for spiritual growth.
Drawing a pie chart with 12 slices, each one represented two hours. With a little thought, I created a picture of what my day could be. Juggling hours here and there, a balance came into view. Something for which I’ve been searching but have yet to find. A balanced day. Once the big picture was more visual my scheduling became easier.
In my second year, when sitting down to write, I envision inspiration and creativity. Writing with a purpose, I intend to write myself a salary this year. Calm and relaxed, I want to entertain and inspire my readers, giving them the best product I can produce. I’d love to work at least 20 hours a week. Right now, I write about 14 hours a week, so there’s room for improvement. I also want to have some down time over the weekend to rejuvenate. Following a loose schedule, my job as a writer should fit into a balanced life.
Through the next twelve months, I’ll consider myself successful if I publish at least 340 blog pieces, along with my first book, Widow. Research will help me monetize my writing to produce an income. A business plan will organize my financial goals. A weekly writing class guiding elders would make my life bloom even more brightly.
Year One helped me declare that I AM a published writer. Writing IS life, as a very wise 5th grader told me in an essay during my last year as a teacher. Writing is everything interesting, invigorating, and awesome in this world. Stories are everywhere, just waiting to be told. Beauty and tragedy beg detailed discriptions. Readers gotta read. Writers gotta write. Simple as that.