We're now into September (we're almost a week into September; gah) and that means that I'm getting up towards the pointy end of the deadline for this book about Adelaide. It's time to get serious. Actually I was already pretty serious, but it's time to get more serious.
To that end, I'm hoping that making a public commitment en blog to a daily minimum of work on the book, a commitment that will shame me into actually doing it.
So here it is: starting today, and working around the regular four novels a week reviewing gig, I must also do a minimum of either (a) writing 500 words or (b) two hours of work (writing, researching, self-editing, faffing around with the biliography) per day. Whichever comes first. Or both.
And not just during the working week but every day. 7/7. It works like flexitime: I can save up for a day off, or make up time afterwards. If the latter, it has to be within that working week. I'll use the appropriate blog to report back, and to shame myself publicly if need be. Perhaps the best place for updates is the readin' and writin' blog; with any luck they might spur me on to keep that a bit more alive.
(You thought this post was going to be about Relationships, didn't you. Hah, sucked in. I'm too old for that sort of malarkey. Talking about them publicly, or indeed at all, I mean. Nobody is too old for having them.)
UPDATE, 10.05 pm: three and a half hours' worth of reading/research/restructuring/faffing, which included writing 357 words. The question is, how long can I keep it up?
Best of luck with it. I can't imagine anyone I'd rather have writing the book on Adelaide. Looking forward to it, immensely.
ReplyDeletePhilby
Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI have vague memories of you saying something about 'relationships' during a tute on Robyn Davidson's Tracks, but now I can't remember exactly what it was.
ReplyDeleteJust as well!
ReplyDeleteProbably something about the photographer who kept flying in for National Geographic.
Unless you mean something personal, in which case, what a truly shocking lapse in one's teaching.
I recommend star charts.
ReplyDeleteDeborah, that's a lovely idea. I'll probably end up spending time on stars that I should be spending on the book, but still, it'd be far more interesting to read/look at.
ReplyDeleteExcept that you've probably used all the best star ideas already!
A flower chart then. Or a cat chart.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, instead of setting a minimum time period a day, I set myself a maximum. I find it tends to concentrate the mind a bit better.
ReplyDelete