From the Writer's Desk - March Wrap-up

March was an...interesting month. We'll go with interesting. I got a promotion at the day job. That brings more money in, which should lighten the financial stress enough to free my brain to do what it needs to do, which is write. But with the new job and a new boss (at the same time) means I'm doing double the work. I'm also working more hours. Which negates the whole extra money less stress part. For now.

At the end of March, technically, the middle. My birthday is on the 17th - St. Patrick's Day. That was the deadline I set to get Behind the Masque done, at least the first draft. It didn't happen. I knew at the beginning of the month it probably wasn't going to happen because of everything happening at work. But, on my birthday I decided I was going to write on my lunch period. Instead of cross-stitch. Which is relaxing, but not helping me get my book written.

My goal is always to write 15-minutes a day. I'm trying to re-establish my writing routine. Which is very hard when you've been away from it for any length of time. Writing at lunch gives 15-30 minutes to write. I write long-hand. Scribbling notes in the side and in my writing journal for things I need to take of or deal with when I go back to do revisions.

This weekend I finally transcribed my hand-written pages into typed pages. Doing some revising as I went, including adding an entire scene. It works for me. For now. Writing processes evolve over time and with need.

By The Numbers:

Goal --

15 minutes a day for 31 days (average should be 250 words per 15 minutes)
* 31 writing days
* 465 minutes or 7.75 hours
* 7,750 words

Actual:

* 7 writing days
* 285 minutes or 4.75 hours
* 3,702 words
 
I would really like to be at 1,000 words a day, which would put me at about 90,000 words for the first quarter. But, I didn't make it.

Quarterly Numbers:

Goals:
 
* 90 Writing days
* 1,350 minutes or 22.5 hours
* 22,500 words (ideally, 90,000)

Actual:

* 19 writing days
* 17 hours
* 12,065


It works. Not where I want to be, but I'm getting there.

Blessings,
Simone.