What A One Week Book Challenge Taught Me

Where have I been? Lost in the land of procrastination until one of the writing chapters I belong to through the RWA held a Book In A Week challenge or BIAW. The manuscript I had been dragging my legs on already had about 30,000 words. I saw the BIAW as the perfect way to charge back into it and get something done. It was my intention to possibly write enough to finish the rough draft so that I could move on to the first round of editing. So I joined in and sent my word count goal for the week to the writer who was so wonderful to offer this challenge. I chose to write 1000 words a day or 7000 words total. I have to say having this wonderful group of ladies to answer to worked for me. I knew with my crazy schedule I would need to attack those daily goals first thing in the morning for fear it would not get done. And for more than half of those days I did it.

There I planted myself at my computer first thing each morning, knocking out not only the 1000 words but a little bit extra each day. Then came the final two days and I stalled. One of those days I felt so guilty not to be able to report back to my 'sisters in writing' that I ended up writing my 1000 words close to midnight. But the last day I found myself drowning in errands, housework, children who needed to go here and there and a fatigue that I can thank menopause for. I caved and on that very last day I just didn't make it. A big fat zero.

On the upside I learned a few new things about myself. I found out that even though I am a 'stay at home' mom, being 'at home' doesn't mean I have oodles of time to wait for the muse. For me, the best way to get those words on paper was to make it the first thing on my 'to do' list each day. I could be a morning person after all! Second, I learned that I was much more productive when I had a deadline, specific goal or some kind of accountability.

So here I am, several weeks after the conclusion of the first BIAW I ever took part in and I'm trying to get back into the swing of my story. Another lesson I learned? If I don't write every day I lose momentum and motivation both. Slowly I am working my way back to a morning routine...but I'm counting down the days to the next BIAW because this time I'm going to set the bar even higher....and there will no zeros for me!