Best Habit a Writer Needs

They say if you can do the same thing for 30 days it becomes a habit. Every day for 30 days. Now you've got a habit that easy to go to, easy to do. 

So what's the best habit for a writer? Show up. Make a writing time and place and go to it every day. 

Every. Single. Day. 

When I wrote Soul Mates (A different kind of love story) I set a 6 am alarm to get writing time in before that other real job thingy. After a week or two I didn't even need an alarm. I just stumbled out of bed, hit the button on the coffee maker and headed for my desk. Everyday until I typed the words "The End."  

One thing that did was get the book finished. At least the first draft. But considering the other first drafts I had from other creative endeavors this was a pretty clean first draft. I believe that's because I was more focused on my task. It was time to get to work and that's where I went on time.  It also gave a deep satisfaction. Yes, I could finish a book. All it took was a little discipline. 

Do you have to get up at 6 am? No. 

Do you have to set a time to write? Yes, that gets you to the table where your craft begins. 

Stephen King said, in his book On Writing, that he goes to his desk and doesn't get up until he had 10 pages written. Some days he's happily tripping down the road at noon, other day's he's there late until he chokes out those 10 pages. That is discipline and that is why he's such a prolific writer. I highly recommend his book, On Writing, for all writers. 

Okay, you've picked a time to write, now what? 

Set up your desk so you can get right to work and not have to struggle to find a pen, plug in your laptop, or find your reading glasses. Your writing space should be ready when you are. 

Now it doesn't have to be a fancy desk by a beautiful view and your favorite mug. No. It can be a quiet corner in your bedroom, a little nook off the kitchen, or anywhere there's less distractions. King wrote his first book with an old selectric on his knees in a laundry room. Get creative, get a refreshment, and go to work. Okay, you can bring your favorite mug. 

So that's it folks. Most important thing a writer needs is a set time to go to work just like any other job. Show up and get to work. 

You can do it! 

Bad Things, Concentration, Writing.

Bad things happen. Sometimes people you know go bad. Or maybe they were always bad and you just never knew. Sometimes when you meet someone you get that "creeper vibe" right away and you know instantly that they are not to be trusted. Maybe you can't put your finger on it, but you know.

Sometimes the bad is so close to you, you never see it. It hides its darkness and you never see the evil until it jumps out and scares the hell out of everyone around it.

There might have been something bad that we never knew of, so close to us, that we were blindsided. Was it always here, growing beside us, and we never saw it? Is that possible? Something so ugly and evil was hiding so close in someone we loved, how could we never have seen it?

And I still don't believe it. Not yet, not now.

I think writers are investigators. We look beyond face value because we know this is how stories are woven. Nothing is ever how it seems and there are many stories within a story. Sitcoms are routinely written with three story lines. The major line we're concentrating on, then a secondary line that we can see if we look, and the third which is almost a start of another story. Yes, three stories in every sitcom. It's how the great ones are created.

Now the bad has shown up and I'm in a state of disbelief, shock, and a sorrow so deep I can't stop praying it isn't true. That there is more to this story that someone, hopefully the investigators, who should know better than to take something at face value, will discover and send this bad from our lives. I keep repeating, "I don't believe it." and "It can't be true." I feel something is missing from this story that we don't know about and they're not asking the right questions.

It's hard to concentrate. Some things consume your thoughts. I wish the weather was warmer and I could take the dogs for a walk to clear my head. I have small dogs, they freeze quicker than big dogs (because they're closer to the ground?) and they don't like walking in sub-zero weather.

Say a prayer this bad will go away, that its all a terrible mistake and we'll wake up and the nightmare will just go away.

Cat Litter

I have a weird cat. She won't cover anything in her litter box. I have to take the little scooper-rake and cover things up so they don't smell. To make matters worse she won't use the box again if things aren't covered. It's like a punishment for not keeping up on my job. She'll pick a throw rug or towel or piece of clothing left on the floor to use instead. Once she even peed on the dog, but I think that was more of a vengeance thing.
What does cat litter have to do with writing?
Sometimes I'm meaning to get some writing done, but something in my environment isn't perfect and I put it off. I promise myself I'll write today but then I realize the room really needs vacumning so I'll do that first. Or maybe I'll just do a load of laundry or bathe the dog (because of the cat), or after Judge Judy (because the coming attractions looked like something I just can't miss!).
Whatever! It seems like there's something in the litter box that puts me out of the game.
This is my problem.
Now how do I overcome it?
I think when a woman has been a stay-at-home mom it's more difficult. For years while the kids were younger this whole house was my job. Kids grow up, I get an outside job and still everything in the house still seems like my job. It's like having two jobs.
It's hard to overcome or let go so I can get some writing/editing done.
>sigh<

Going Crazy Trying to Mayke it Happen!

I'm up to 54500 words. I have to make 60,000 by the end of the month. I had a bit of a sludge time, semi-stalled, but pushed through it. Now I have to finish so there's not much in my life but writing. And it's all in my head now just itching to get it down on paper.
One thing I need right now is a desk. There are notes all over the place, index cards, printed pages and scribbles that I keep refering back to. I do have that desk, its a big desk/workbench. I love it but it's also the catch-all for paperwork in this house. Do I take the time to clean it off, which will lead to filing, organizing and finding a home for all the left over crap....or just push on. After all cleaning off that pile of stuff will use up precious writing time. And my writing time is precious, I value every moment I get to sit at the keyboard.
Today I hid in my bedroom with Edgar, my laptop, and it was a constant stream of interuptions. Now I have a dinner date with old friends so I'm about to pull my self together and head out...more writing time lost.
Do you ever go crazy trying to find precious time to write?
Ever accept a challenge to make a word count?