What day is today? How is it still February, and why isn’t it Spring yet? I don’t care what the calendar says—February is always the longest month of the year. Deciding how to dress is an impossible guessing game when it rains on Wednesday and dumps six inches of snow on Thursday. Today we are back to freezing rain and 40-degree temperatures, with a forecast of 25-degrees and more snow tomorrow.

The entire month is either frigid, almost warm, a soggy, slushy, foot-soaking mess, or an icy slipping hazard. The one unifying constant is the gray and gloomy overcast skies that give way to darkness before dinnertime. Everyone is cranky, short, and a bit anti-social—even the characters in my story. Still, I light a candle, turn on every light, and write anyway.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Today has been a frantic, hairy, chaotic, topsy-turvy day filled with the backlog of things I neglected during my DIY Writing Retreat. My weekend results were a mixed bag, but I did better than if I had not set my focus on writing. I’m putting the results in the win column.

Even with the day’s unending parade of distractions, I still plan on finding a few minutes for writing. How about you?

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Writing is never as simple as it should be. Just sit down, pick up a pen and scribble words on a page, or open your document and type. I discovered a few things that helped me, and maybe they will help you set up your writing retreat.

An at-home Writing Retreat requires a mind shift. My standard weekend routine focuses on completing chores and errands over any actual writing. I cleared the decks and eliminated as many of my weekend responsibilities as possible. I set a clear expectation for the result I wanted to achieve, and I devised some non-negotiable boundaries.

Next, I prepped my office. I decluttered, deep cleaned, and put away evidence of any projects other than the one that was my focus for this retreat. As I cleaned and rearranged the space, I imagined how I would present my office if my best friend were joining me for my retreat.

The next step was creating a writing retreat itinerary and posting it at the office door. I highlighted my writing session hours by adding skull and crossbones images that helped reinforce the “Do Not Disturb” sign.

Unlike the last time I attempted a DIY Writing retreat, I remembered to include breaks. I found out the hard way that writing for two hours straight was not a good idea. During my retreat writing sessions, I left my phone in another room, disconnected the wireless, and got to work.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday I was ready to engage all engines for my DIY Writing Retreat. But, as I sat at my desk and attempted writing session #1, I discovered I wasn’t as prepared as I thought. Perhaps my reptilian brain was looking for every excuse it could find to delay the actual writing, or maybe I assumed writing my story would be easy.

Here are the items I found I needed to keep my butt in the seat and my fingers on the keyboard:

• A Space Heater—It is sub-zero outside. The wind is howling and pounding against the northern walls of my office. The whole house creaks and shakes from the wind, and the cold draft makes me shiver. My space heater creates a small buffer against the onslaught.
• A Lap Throw—An added layer keeps me cozy and inhibits my desire to expose myself to the cold.
• Fingerless Gloves—Warm fingers produce more writing than frozen appendages.
• A Cup Warmer—Nothing derails a train of thought like a sip of cold coffee.
• Phone Set on Airplane Mode—This needs no explanation.
• A Timer—Playing “Beat the Clock” is surprisingly motivational.
• Headphones—Blocking out extraneous household noises is a must. If something falls, and you are wearing headphones, did it make a sound?
• Good lighting—Writing in the dark results in eyestrain.
• Last but not least — A great incentive to reward your writing milestones. The treat doesn’t need to be anything extravagant. A piece of dark chocolate, a glass of wine, or a long soak in the tub can help you reach your goals.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It never fails. Despite your best intentions and significant evidence to the contrary, you sit down to write, and negative thoughts encroach on your mind. Where does the insidious self-doubt come from? I’m afraid you might have encountered the same questions that plague me.

• What if this doesn’t work?
• What if I can’t find the words?
• What if I write a cardboard character?
• What if I make wrong decisions?
• What if I can’t do justice to the vision in my head?
• What if I have plot holes the size of Texas?
• What if they hate it?
• What if I hate it?
• What if I’m a crappy writer?
• What if it turns out terrible?

And we spiral into a pit of imagined scenarios. At the bottom, we smother our creativity under a thick blanket of imposter syndrome, and our daemons urge us to walk away. You are much safer eating a gallon of cookie dough ice cream and binge-watching the latest must-see tv series. Aren’t we?

But wait a minute — what if it turns out fine? Maybe I can write one sentence. Yes, maybe everything will turn out fine.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Winter is not yet finished with us, and it plans to unleash a storm filled with a significant amount of snow this afternoon. Predictions suggest anywhere from 1 to 6 inches of the fluffy stuff, along with gusting winds, to make things interesting. Last night, old man winter lashed us with torrents of freezing rain — it was “a dark and stormy night.”

Old man winter does not perturb me with his threats since I’m looking forward to cocooning inside and indulging in a DIY Writing Retreat. In the kitchen, I’ve stockpiled snacks and easy to assemble meals. The pantry contains extra coffee, and tea, while the wine fridge holds my favorite bottle (or two) of Chianti. I’ve finished my weekly household chores and done my utmost to mitigate the myriad of pesky distractions that often derail my well-laid plans.

My muse received an elaborately engraved invitation, requesting her presence at my intimate soiree. I believe I piqued her interest, and perhaps she will attend. Time will tell. If she doesn’t visit, she will force me to write without her input. Knowing how much she enjoys meddling, I doubt she will stay away.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

“As long as you know I am waiting, take your time flowers of the spring.” — Yukio Mishima

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

How is your progress on your 2022 writing goals? I began the year filled with excitement, determination, and hopeful expectation for great things to happen, and then they didn’t. While I write every day, my word count is lackluster and falls far beneath my expectations. Everything I had hoped to accomplish resembles pie in the sky dreaming, but l might have an explanation for what happened.

The holidays were a very productive time, filled with hustle, bustle, and a slew of items checked off my To-Do list. One thing I didn’t finish was my fall seed planting. A few plants I want to nurture this year require stratification.

In horticulture, mother nature’s natural winter conditions provide the cold exposure many seed species must experience before germination occurs. These seeds require an embryonic dormancy phase and will not sprout until they break their dormancy. A gardener can pre-treat seeds by placing them in a dark container in a refrigerator. The simulated winter helps “break dormancy” and allows it to germinate. The time required in cold storage depends on the variety, but 4-6 weeks is sufficient for most seeds.

Last week, words started creeping into my daily routine. The conditions my seeds needed are similar to what my creative brain seems to have wanted. Who knew writers also required stratification?

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Who was St. Valentine? There are at least three different theories and even more speculation on the identity of the “real” Valentine. No matter the story, the unifying element is that they were all martyrs who died on February 14. What a lovely beginning to a day dedicated to love.

Most of us hope to receive a gift of candy, flowers, or a sweet sentiment on a pretty card, but from the 1840s to the 1950s, you risked receiving a vinegar valentine. These cards contained an insulting poem or illustration and were often sent anonymously, so the recipient was left guessing who disliked them. The insult reached new levels when the sender posted their horrible sentiment C.O.D., which forced the unsuspecting to pay the postage for the insult. One year, the Chicago post office refused to deliver 25,000 Valentine’s Day Cards since they were deemed “overly indecent.” Thankfully, the practice has gone the way of the dinosaur.

In honor of this crazy, mixed-up day, here is a poem for you:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue.

I’m bad at gardening,

And even worse at poetry.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Everywhere I turn, people keep asking me if I will watch the Super Bowl this evening. I smile, utter a strategically non-committal answer, and encourage them to tell me all about their plans. The truth is, I don’t have a clue what teams are playing, but I am still looking forward to the game. Or rather, I am looking forward to everyone being distracted by the game. I have planned copious amounts of self-serve snacks and a fridge full of beverages. I have no intention of watching, but I intend to take advantage of several hours of uninterrupted writing. I hope the game goes into overtime.

Did you write yesterday? Are you writing today, or watching the game?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer