Uh ...

Kinda like my weight loss, the past week didn't go quite as planned. I definitely got a fair amount of writing done but my system of documenting was a complete fail. And by "system of documenting" I mean "scribbling down word counts for various things on Post-It notes and random pieces of paper."

I could go through the web, work, and story stuff I did and try to figure it out but I'd rather focus on the coming week instead. I'll use a Google Doc spreadsheet to quickly record things and make sense of it. Numbers will help me see how I'm doing and focus on the discipline of getting it done despite the distractions of single-parent duties, working on the house in prep for my birthday party, etc.

So week one is a big ???. I'll keep up better this week!

Writing Accountability

Kinda like I did with my weightloss blog, I'm using this as a way to keep my goals visible and myself accountable without cluttering up my main website with stuff that no one cares about most of the time. Anyone who wants to cheer me on can follow. It'll be pretty simple and mostly plain old numbers. I will post my writing goals and what I actually hit.

My writing tools will be Scrivener (mostly) or Google Docs (if I'm writing on my tablet and wireless keyboard or someone else's computer). These keep it easy to track my word count and have automated backups built in.

Back in the days that I shared office space with Deity and/or Demigod James M. Ward (that's a nerd-joke there for those who don't get it) he said that one should always be a able to pull off a 3,000 word writing day regardless of what else is going on. Some of my other writers friends, like Matt Forbeck and Ed Greenwood breeze through 8K writing days without breaking a sweat as if the room is filled with aerosolized Starbucks and crystal meth.

So I'm starting with the Jim Ward 3K goal each day, 5 days a week: So 15,000 words minimum per week for now with catch-up and bonus time on the weekends as needed. I have a great Writing Grotto finally setup in my bedroom so I can work in privacy, a private office I try to do at least 3 days a week in located in Marietta, and have my trusty MacBook and tablet/keyboard combo where I can turn any coffee shop or corner into a writing tool. I hope by the spring to crank it up to 5K a day. But one step at a time.

I can do this.

I've done incredible writing marathons in the past and pulled off some major miracles when sweating deadlines. But the last couple of years have killed any kind of consistency, trying to be a single Dad and crank up a business and travel a lot and do a bunch of things.

The word count goals will be split between my game and non-game writing roughly evenly. I'll just post some no-nonsense stats on what I'm doing and keep the push on Getting Shit Done. I'll also be using the Pomodoro method to help keep my productivity high and take some short walking breaks.

Wish me luck, cheer me on, and kick my ass. I appreciate the support!