Yesterday I tackled an unpleasant task. I find the best way to complete a required chore you despise is to put your head down, focus your attention on the job and get it done. So, that is what I did. I read, dismissing almost everything else until I finished the entire 468 pages of a book of suggested reading for the course I am taking. There is nothing about this story that captures my attention. While other people rave, it leaves me underwhelmed. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but if this book were on my “for fun” list, I would not have finished it. Now at least, I can discuss the story intelligently. Every book we read teaches us something, even if that something is a lesson on how you don’t want to write.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 340 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday seemed like Déjà vu. It was Monday all over again, with minor alterations. The positive for the day was that I created time to indulge in my current read. Reading is my preferred method for escaping reality, but this author’s writing style is challenging. Many sentences have an awkward construction that pulls me away from the story as I re-read passages to untangle their meaning. Given a choice, I would put it down and mark it as DNF. But my instructor included it as suggested reading for the class I am taking, and so, I persevere.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 459 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday the 9 to 5 consumed every ounce of energy in my body while I attempted to coax a migraine to leave me alone. Convincing your head to stop throbbing and your ears to depressurize while you shade your eyes from every light source that threatens to burn your retinas is a challenge. Thankfully, the day was overcast and gloomy, and the temperature remained moderate. With the scattered rain showers and the breeze, it almost felt cold.

Then I found a YouTube channel featuring low-tone Tibetan Bowls. I love wind chimes, but the high-pitched tinkling of most chimes grate on my nerves. The deeper sounds that resonate and linger before they fade, I find much more soothing. I turned the volume down and let the vibrations flow over and around me. They lulled me to sleep. When I woke, I discovered the migraine had evaporated with the last chime of the bowls.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 611 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I was determined to indulge myself and sleep in as long as I wanted. Unfortunately, my body had other ideas, and at 6:00 A.M. my eyes popped open. This scenario was unsatisfactory, and I forced myself back to sleep. By 7:30, I woke again. But this time, sleep eluded me, and at 8:00, I admitted defeat and climbed out of bed.

A long list of household chores means I never lack things to do, but the constant, unrelenting rain kept me to indoor tasks. My gardening projects can wait for a less damp day. My painter returned at noon to check the previous day’s touch-ups and re-hang the doors he painted. The walls, the ceiling, and the trim work are a study of perfection. Let’s see how long it lasts. By late afternoon, I wished somebody had listened to me when I told them the go back to sleep. I grabbed my current read (which is slow going), curled into my favorite chair, and with the rain gently tapping on the window, I just might have taken a nap. Vindication.

This week promises a succession of early mornings, late nights, and a plethora of challenges. Nothing new in that department, and my weekly scheduling session should help avoid any earth-shattering debacles. Putting on my best “adulting” hat, I sternly told myself there would be no reading in bed until the wee hours of the morning if I knew what was good for me. Adolescent me is obstinate and likes to push boundaries while whining “just one more page.”

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 473 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I spent most of my day with the painter. He returned to paint four doors and complete touchup work around the house where other trades had gotten a little careless. Oops. Most people wouldn’t notice, but to me, those blemishes, streaks, and marks stuck out like sore thumbs and created a constant source of irritation. My painter is an artist, a professional, and a stickler for making everything look flawless. He identified and corrected areas even I missed. He will be here later today to re-hang the doors and make sure we didn’t miss a single spot. Whoa, Mama, he is a dream come true.

When I wasn’t knee-deep in paint discussions, like which color we applied which surface, and the merits of flat, matte, satin, and semi-gloss finishes, I made every attempt to study my story, get my bearings, and organized files. I also decided to re-examine some of my working methods and my routines. It’s funny but what worked last week is cumbersome, ineffective, and unproductive this week. So, I am turning my calendar upside down, adopting new procedures, and rescheduling my daily tasks. We will see if these modifications prove effective, and if not, I will change them until they suit my needs.

I always remember my number one priority. My core habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 294 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It is an odd feeling when your daily act of juggling multiple projects, coordinating schedules, and organizing a million tiny details while monitoring a looming deadline suddenly ends. It is the day we all waited for with great anticipation.  But when it arrived and the celebrations ended, what remained was a void and an important question. What now?

Never fear because I have an idea that has gnawed at me, demanding time and attention I could not give. Yesterday I cleared the runway, dusted off my notes, rummaged around and found forgotten files filled with story fragments, and dug out my plotting guidelines. Before the paint is dry on the house project, I plan to start my next epic journey. I have thousands of words to read to determine what I have written and which parts only exist in my head. I know the story has morphed and grown since I last played with it. The sections I have written belong to book two. The storyline of book one insisted it must be first, and I can’t even imagine wrangling the villain’s dastardly deeds in book three.

When I said epic, it was not a metaphor. This behemoth wants to be a multiple book series, and I question if I am up to the task. But if I can handle this remodel, I am game to attempt a trilogy for starters. I need spreadsheets, family trees, character profiles, maps, plots, and sub-plots, and an entire list of things I don’t even know I need. I can’t get ahead of myself. First things must come first.

I remembered my number one priority. My habits are strong, and writing a little every day is my secret weapon. Yesterday I wrote 383 words.

Did you write yesterday?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer