New Day, New Plan -- Shootin' for a Realistic Rubric

Best laid plans (insert rest of cliché here) and all that crap. I knew when I started this little experiment that I'd never keep up with a post a day promise, but I had to try. Promissory notes to self are inevitably my downfall. I need to establish some good habits (i.e., get some work done) by finding my rhythm.

Back in the thirties, a very smart woman wrote a book about training yourself to become a prolific writer -- not necessarily a good writer, but a consistent producer of words. Her methods were quite simple. Develop good habits through practice. First, get up each morning and before breakfast, or even that first cup of coffee, sit down and write.

This was the artery unclogging and cobweb clearing -- the stretching that makes you more flexible. She said it didn't matter what you wrote. You just needed to start that engine, get it warmed up and crank out some text. Like an athlete limbering up before a run through the park each morning, you were supposed to sit down to that typewriter or pen and paper and make something happen -- establish that flow of symbols and concepts from your brain to the paper. It didn't matter to her what the subject or how many words comprised the output. Just do it.

That was her first exercise, free flowing stream-of-consciousness writing for however long you wanted to continue it. I tried it and at first, the word count was sparse. I wanted my coffee. It got better when I decided to modify the rules and put the pot on first.

Since this was not for anyone else's perusal, it was pretty easy to relax and not let the internal critic keep up with my fingers on the keys. I found myself writing occasional bits that felt real good. Some I crafted into pieces for a weekly column in a country newspaper. Others became themes to develop later and a couple made it into magazines. I though I was ready to get on with the serious writing thing.

That was just the first exercise. The author's second daily task was a bit more demanding. She admonished us to set aside a time period -- an hour or two -- and a time of day which would become inviolate. Nothing was to interfere with that time period. It was to be for serious writing, writing to a purpose other than exercising the brain and fingers. 

I soon realized that I was not inclined to write seriously every day. It was more my nature to write seriously only on deadline days. So, I never did master the serious set-aside time for writing, and I still prefer to wait until the last possible moment. I guess that's my favorite exercise.

Can I learn some new habits? I guess I will find out. There is a way overdue book I need to write and it needs some sort of kick in the pants to get it going.

I think I need to sleep on it now, maybe ride my bike when it gets light out and return a couple of audio books to the Buda Library.

Keep the rubber side down, as one of my cycling friends is wont to say.