Of Schedules, Writing and Real Life Integration.

It has been an interesting month. I have been adjusting to having more time, less anxiety and attempting to organise my time. NaNaWriMo has been a great impetus to get back into the habit of daily writing. I have discovered that my comfortable limit of pushing myself (if that makes sense) is 1000-1500 words per day. If I aim for 1800 words more than a few days in a row, I crash and burn. Thus was born a three-day migraine (helped along by some finishing up paperwork on the ex-day job.)

NaNoWriMo Day 23 was a write off.
Day 24: was more productive; I pushed through the remnants of the migraine and managed the first words since Friday. 1214 added to chapter 13 today. I took a well deserved break, dosed up on painkillers and watched some Miss Marple. I won’t make the 50,000 word ‘win’ but will attempt to finish the first draft manuscript (just over 15,000 words). There is still hope.
Day 25-26: I wrote my way through a lingering migraine and somehow managed roughly 1000 words a day. I shan’t read these words until I start rewrites, as I shudder to think what crap issued forth under the influence of prescribed painkillers.

NaNoWriMo word count. Day 26:
Total Words- first draft:  

By my calculations, I have lost about a week of writing time (and a possible 7,000 words). I can live with this. I was spurred to make an effort to organise my day. Somehow I have to fit in the following, possibly in this vague order:

• breakfast


• empty/fill and run dishwasher


• water the garden if it will be over 30 degrees C (and I forgot the night before)


• See what is happening in the world of social media -


• catchup on podcasts, read web articles on writing, blogs etc


• 10am- 2pm writing


• Don’t forget to have lunch and try to get up and move around every hour (I have set a reminder)


• school pickup


• a load (or two) of clothes washing


• some gardening (depending on heat)


• possibly more writing in the evening or before dinner


• dinner


• Downtime. Family time. Catch up on fave tv show taped. On Wednesday I get some more writing in at the Writers’ Race.


• Don’t forget to water the garden if next day over 30 deg C. I try to water the vege and fruit tree pots every 2-3 days so they will not dry out.


• Sleep.

That is not too much to ask of myself, is it?

The Department of Curiosities – Manuscript Word Progress: (83.32% first draft)
At 1st draft only:
Revised Words: 
Total Words:  

Of Schedules, Writing and Real Life Integration.