My 100000 Word Summer

An Update

I have one week left of this Summer-long project, and it is definitely starting to feel a lot more like Autumn, with October beckoning around the corner.

I’ve found myself missing a number of writing days lately, partly down to illness and partly down to self-sabotage. The thing with being a writer is that there is no one there to set me deadlines and chase me, to get me to hit that word count.

It’s all down to me. I set the rules. I set the deadlines, and I am the one responsible for motivating myself.

On the days when I’ve written, I can at least say that I don’t feel like a failure. I can feel like I’ve actually achieved something, and for the most part, I like what I’ve written on those days (Muriel’s screaming and comments are resolutely ignored).

My word count currently sits at 94,260, so I think, as long as I can stay on track, I should be able to hit my target.

In doing this project, I have actually learned quite a lot:

Firstly, that writing, even if it’s only for a measly ten minutes a day, lifts my mood. It makes me feel as if I’ve achieved something, and sometimes, that’s just enough to keep me from despair.

Secondly, that writing is a lonely craft and that I have to discipline myself. No one is going to sit me down and make me write — that job falls to me alone.

And, thirdly, that it is important that my goals are somewhat flexible, and that I should revisit, review, and revise them accordingly, rather that continuing to press forward with a goal that is unreachable.

So, as I head into this final week, I plan to write every day, and to strive to get these last few thousand words on the page 🙂

See you on the other side…