Snow Time Like Now to Start
When I impulsively started this newsletter last week I thought I’d spend a few minutes each day writing so I could send something out once a week. Then we had a SNOW STORM IN FLORIDA and I’ve spent the past few days building an igloo and heaving snowballs at my kids in between working from home.
But if it wasn’t a snow storm it would’ve been something else that caused me to put off writing. It’s always something.
I threw myself a little failure fiesta and invited all the regulars: Flopping Felicia, Can’t Do It Carl, What Were You Thinking Wanda and Give Up Greg. We ate the delicious salted caramel chocolate chunk cookies from my snow storm baking bonanza and, like all my favorite parties, it didn’t last that long. Because who actually cares if I didn’t write this week?
It’s hard to make a new habit stick! Just ask the floss that has been waiting for me to visit nightly for 39 years.
And, if I’m being honest, I did very little to set myself up for success to actually write. Very little=nothing.
UNTIL NOW! I made a writing plan! Don’t get too excited. I also have a half marathon training plan that’s been hanging on my fridge for two months and I’ve only been running once a week for a race on Feb. 2. But that’s more consistent than I’ve been before I put the training plan up there! And I promise you I would not be running 11 miles on a Sunday in 38degree temps if that stupid little piece of paper didn’t tell me to so that’s at least something.
Will I win the race next week? Literally no way in any sort of hell, frozen or otherwise. Will I feel good crossing the finish line? Hard maybe. But will I run 13.1 miles to the finish line? You betcha.
So what is my writing training plan?
Once a week I’ve scheduled a block of time for writing. For my runners, this is my long run equivalent. It’s the run that has to get done to help you feel confident you will finish the race.
No social media until I’ve written something every morning. Think of this as the shorter runs on the plan. They’re needed for speed and muscle recovery and to build on the overall running ability. Also, social media is garbage and run by giant tool bags so this is a real two birds, one stone kind of goal.
Use prompts. I can usually dear diary word vomit my way into writing something personal but have trouble starting fiction pieces. Like cross training with some Peloton workouts or hot yoga, this will help me get outside my comfort zone and stretch those creative muscles.
So, thats where I am. It’s not the most rigid plan but it’s at least more formed out than a concept of a plan (still too soon for Trump jokes still? Probably.)
Great plan!!