Writing time
Let's look at October:
Friday, 15th
R. won't be home until around 2200. I can get in at least a good couple of hours if not more if I start around 1930. Oh! And start moving Internet surfing after all the writing's done.
Saturday, 16th
R.'s on-call until Sunday. I can start writing after a morning workout and brunch. Hmmm. Spending the afternoon and early evening just writing. Sounds good!
Sunday, 17th
R. won't be back until early afternoon. I can put some good writing time until then after a morning workout. Rest of the day and evening will be on housework and "couple" time.
Monday, 18th
Will finally try to get that two hour workout in the evening (kwando followed by step). Forget writing.
Tuesday, 19th
Hmmm. Maybe a good couple of hours (1830-2030) before visiting my friends that evening.
Wednesday, 20th
Nope. R.'s half-day.
Thursday, 21st
Debating about this day and Friday, the 22nd. If I attend a cardio class in the evening, forget it. But if I take the class Friday night, I can put in a good couple of hours at a minimum.
Friday, 22nd
I'll be putting in at least a couple hours regardless if I work out this evening or not (see Thursday, 21st) especially since R.'s on-call and won't be back until Saturday morning.
Saturday, 23rd.
R.'s gonna be wasted from being on-call. Large block of writing time after workout.
Sunday, 24th.
Write after workout.
Monday, 25th
Writing night.
Tuesday, 26th
None. Workout, followed by exhaustion and sleep or visit friends first then collapse into a coma.
Wednesday, 27th
R. start vacation until November 5th. We're going to have to sit down and discuss when I'm writing and not to be disturbed. But no writing this evening as we celebrate.
Thursday, 28th
None. Workout, followed by exhaustion and sleep.
Friday, 29th
Get in some goodly number of hours.
Saturday, 30th
Get in some goodly number of hours. What I need to do is not sleep in no matter how comfortable R.'s body feels in the morn and afternoon.
Sunday, 31st
Get up in no matter how comfortable R.'s body feels and write.
Halloween. Hmmm. Maybe I'll give R. the pleasure in giving out the candies solo for the first time in over two years. Definitely, though, some major writing time.
NaNoWriMo starts at midnight, November 1st. Damn! Can't stay up late to write.
To be continued....
Obstacles (continued)
Days or blocks of time that I can't write:
Wednesday evenings: R.'s half day when we usually go out to eat and have quality "couple" time together. I'm amazed I didn't put this at the top of the list. (I know writers who put writing over their spouses and that's fine. For them: I'll consider doing the same when my writing generates at least our combined gross income for at least three years in a row (see Holly's wonderful article on quitting one's day job to write full-time) and R. acquieces to being second fiddle to words.)
Emergencies: Mom's medical conditions resurfaces. Dad suddenly develops something. R.'s family comes down with something. R. needs emotional comfort. My libido drops below seven days a week. Duh.
Sleep: Well, duh. I already whined about how not getting any (sleep, that is) impacts my writing already.
Still leaves lots of time blocks open. Next: Writing time.
Prepping up
I need to get to speed for NaNoWriMo. No prob with the ideas: I have at least eight. No prob with outlining, either. Six of the eight have good, chapter by chapter and/or scene by scene breakdowns. I can easily generate a new outline for a new idea given a day or weekend.
The main situ will be the wordcount. Participants will need to average 1250 words a day to make the 50,000 word goal. That's approximately five pages a day.
I won't be able to make such an average on a daily basis with my current schedule. I need to develop a schedule now so I'll be able to keep up on a weekly basis. That's 8750 words (35 pages) a week.
First order of business is to get writing. Second is to make such a weekly goal by the 30th (Saturday) of this month. Thus, I won't be in complete shock when I start on November 1st.
Obstacles (well, sorta)
As I stated above, I can't generate five pages a day due to other commitments. I do like to sleep, for example. Thus, I need to determine where are my available major blocks of time (two or more hours). Like a physician, I'm going to start by eliminating those days or blocks of time that I can't write:
Workout evening: When I'm attending a cardio class. Usually every other evening. I'm usually wiped when I get home.
Tuesday night with friends: When I meet CS and GAC. Hmmm. Should I eliminate seeing them at all during November (though see the 2nd, below)?
October 31st: Specifically, the evening hours when the rugrats are continuously ringing the doorbell. (Actually, I enjoy handing out the candies and stand outside the basket of goodies.)
November 2nd: meeting my friends for our monthly book discussion.
November 25th or 26th: During the time we're visiting family.
To be continued....
Need...sleep
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I love my spouse dearly, but this 5-6 hours of sleep regularly doesn't cut it for me. I tried writing--even a page!--last night but the lack of sleep (I need 7 at a minimum for some semblance of consciousness) actually made me dizzy.
Enough. I don't like to whine and don't plan to start now. (That's actually planned for later.) Action to be taken: go to bed at a reasonable time regardless of guilt-trips.
Currently reading
Image found on the Internet and all rights belong to its owner.
Screening Party by Dennis Hensley.
Currently reading
Image found on the Internet and all rights belong to its owner.
Atticus of Rome by Barry Denenberg.
