I am working my way through a gift box of Glenmorangie’s 12-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Last week I started with the standard finish bottle, which was about the size of the liquor bottles they sell you on airplanes for a shocking price, or about a shot glass size pour. I prefer whisky neat or with a splash of water. Sadly, the first sample left me unimpressed.

My frugal nature doesn’t allow me to waste anything. So yesterday, I cracked open the second bottle. They labeled this one as “Port Wood Finish,” and it was nothing like its companion. The nose was much nicer, and while the pallet was still too rough for my taste, the finish was almost enjoyable. Are you wondering why I am talking about whisky instead of reporting on my writing results?

Here’s the deal. With the initial bottle, I tallied twice my recent average daily word count. Bottle number two yielded a similar outcome. I’m speculating about whether there is a pattern emerging here. Two experimental samples remain to test my theory.

Working on increasing my daily output, I keep the one item at the top of my list a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 872 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The usual Monday madness descended on my well-planned agenda like a sledgehammer. By 9 am, I wondered how I was ever going to resurrect the crumbled shambles and breathe something resembling productive progress into my master plan. Long hours, determination, and a little lucky archeology let me sift victory from the ruins.

Despite the best obstacles Monday could throw at me, the item at the top of my list remained non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 422 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Sundays are best suited to rest and relaxation, and it fits in perfectly with my revised weekly plan. A little reading was in order, along with a delightful meal. We attach many rituals to Sunday, family dinners in a relaxed atmosphere, and time to breathe and reconnect with our loved ones.

Late in the evening, when the house falls into silence and the family winds down towards sleep, I gather my papers. I sit in my comfy chair with my favorite beverage and reflect on the past week. Working in calm, I contemplate what has passed and consider the path forward. These late nights sessions are imperative for my sanity and my productivity. These small hours are when I sit and create my plan for the coming week.

Regardless of the numerous tasks on my daily schedule, the item at the top of my list is non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 334 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

In the interest of self-preservation, I rearranged my schedule, shifted responsibilities, postponed commitments, and canceled all but one appointment. I marked every newly available hour for one activity — sleep. I rolled out of bed at 9 am, leaving just enough time to freshen up for my 10 am appointment, and by 11:30, I was back snuggling in my bed. My nap lasted until 5 pm, just in time for dinner and an attempt to complete a handful of minor tasks.

Regardless of my energy level, the item sitting at the top of my list was non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 406 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Exhaustion is difficult to overcome, especially when others rely on you for their wellbeing. You can’t just ignore the day job, forgo feeding the family, or let the trash overflow the bin. Well, I suppose you could, but the consequences are not pretty. Besides, the noise emanating from hungry mouths makes sleeping next to impossible. Being and doing everything for everyone backfires when you possess the energy of a floppy rag doll. Lockdowns and social distancing have made asking for outside help more challenging than it once was. The number of items on my schedule marked “no” is growing, so I can direct my focus to the important stuff. Tonight, we are ordering pizza.

Regardless of energy levels, the item sitting at the top of my list is non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 413 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Friday never looked so good. The first Thursday after holiday break feels like it should already be Friday. Nearly there, but not quite. Exhaustion creeps in. The to-do list, while shorter, still seems too long, and I miss my casual holiday afternoons.

My mind floats to my favorite holiday activity where I sit before my blazing fireplace, snuggled in my comfortable leather chair with a thick, engaging book, and a glass of wine while I contemplate a nap. One more day of agony, hard work, commitment, and determination, before I attain my reward of an equally busy weekend. Maybe I will reschedule a few tasks, sleep late, and catch my breath.

Regardless of how tired I am, the item sitting at the top of my list is non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 383 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

This week is proving to be an uphill battle. Returning to the more regulated work week after the holidays always requires adjustments, but dumping new goals onto an already challenging schedule creates unexpected changes. My nights beg me to find four more hours so my body will stop crying its optimal six hours of uninterrupted sleep. More tasks are vying for my attention than can be completed in a single day, and uncompleted responsibilities roll from today’s calendar to the next.

No matter the demands on my time, the item sitting at the top of my list is non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 706 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I tend to be an impatient person, and I want things done yesterday. The flip side of my impatience is I have a deep-seated need and a wholehearted appreciation for finely crafted items oozing perfection that infiltrates everything surrounding it. The dichotomy reveals work thrown together in a slapdash manner struggles to attain the realms of a masterpiece. Those works require attention to detail, a knowing hand, patience, and time.

Our culture values speed, early completion, and packages that arrive before they leave their destinations. Maybe fast shouldn’t be the goal. Homeowners often select “fast-growing” trees so they can boast about a mature landscape. Those plantings don’t establish roots deep enough to weather storms, droughts, and plagues of locusts. The ones capable of surviving those challenges are the slow growers, who develop roots first, creating a foundational anchor for massive future growth.

My momentum is building slowly, like raindrops filling a bucket. Yesterday’s word total of 444 is slightly more than the previous day’s accumulation. Each day we grow a little more, setting a solid habit.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Writing is like driving at night in the fog.
You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
– E. L. Doctorow

We finished our 2020 Daily Writing Challenge last week. I accounted for each writing session, tabulated the results, double-checked, verified, and had my results audited by an independent accounting entity. In other words, they passed my cat’s sniff test. My grand total for 2020 was 98,233 words written.

My results fall short of my 135k target and my 115k actual from 2019. I suppose I could succumb to sadness, discouragement, and consider myself a failure, but I don’t. I’m not one to make excuses for not reaching my stated goals. I can’t help myself with these results. No one disputes the train wreck of events we experienced. World events, pandemics, social upheaval, strange happenings, and having to face the uncertainty of the unknown is enough to upset anyone’s apple cart. Heap on personal challenges and family struggles, and it is astounding I wrote anything.

There is a positive attribute to the mess. We learned to preserve, and we figured out ways to get things done despite the obstacles. I am eager to close the books on the mayhem, but I won’t soon forget the mindset, determination, the surging force of courage, and the resulting self-confidence I developed. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but we rarely face those challenges all lumped into one twelve-month period. I hope 2021 will grant us relief, but I intend to hold tight to these new, hard-won strengths.

What positive writing lessons did you learn?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Starting a new project is exciting. Our dreams beacon and a world of possibilities lie before us. The impossible feels probable. January is a prime time for the masses to set a long list of resolutions, hopeful but inherently flawed attempts at a noble goal — to become the best version of ourselves. In optimistic bliss, we overwhelm ourselves with life-altering changes. We assume we only require willpower strong enough to reach our desired new life. Researchers predict a third of resolutions do not make it past the first month. Social media is already teeming with reports of people who have once again failed.

I prefer to concentrate my focus on minor changes rooted in the reality of where I am today, but those changes move me towards my vision of my ideal self. In this race, I am the tortoise.  I will soon pass exhausted hares lying in the roadside ditch. My word count yesterday amounted to 386 words. Given the day represented a return to my normal schedule after the long holiday break, I take that as a win.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer