6 Days to NaNoWriMo

November, National Novel Writing Month, is six days away. This morning I realized that I need to sit a tighter writing schedule to accomplish the NaNoWriMo word count goal in thirty days. Fifteen minutes is the minimum amount of time I need to spend writing each day. I suspect I will need to set aside more time in order to accomplish the minimum word count goal of 1,667 words per day.

Considering the way I have written lately I am adding another fifteen to twenty minutes to that time. I also need to take interruptions into that time; therefore, I am setting aside one hour each day to work on my 2015 NaNoWriMo novel. I intend to break this one hour up into fifteen or twenty minute writing sessions to give myself some time to think about what comes next. It is possible I will write for longer or shorter periods at a time. I usually write for ten or fifteen minutes at a time before I have to get up from the computer for something.

The next thing I need to decide is when to work on the novel. I think sit aside thirty minutes in the morning and thirty minutes in the evening. I may change that in November after I get into the writing process; however, right now that is my NaNoWriMo plan.

A Busy Writing Week Ahead

I have five days to complete a project. I have a Medicare Seminar on Friday. I have to go to the laundromat on Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday. I scheduled two and one-half hours on each of the two laundry days to wash and dry cloths. I scheduled three hours for the seminar. I scheduled two and one-half hours on Monday to go to the bank and then pick up a couple of loaves of free bread if it is available.

That is ten hours away from home and the project. I have six and one-half hours five days a week to work undistracted at home or do business. That is thirty-two and one-half hours a week to work. This week I will have twenty-two and one-half hours left over to complete the project. I am looking forward to see what logs fate or life toss in my path to interfere with completing the project.

I am being completely realistic because I know from experience that stuff happens. It happens at the most inconvenient times, especially when a deadline is approaching. However, I will complete this project this week.

Writing Tools: A Time to Write

An author needs a time to write, period during the day to sit down at the computer and compose a novel, article, short story, essay or poem. Some writers chose a specific time to work, while others take extra seconds, minutes, and hours they can find during the day or the night. Picking a specific time is best, but sometimes this is not possible and you have to take moments away from another activity because a writer must write.

Scheduling a specific time to write is like going out of the house to work every day. If you have a writing schedule then you can schedule a day off and take a break. Scheduling a specific time to write require discipline and emphasizing to the people in your life that this is your job and you are working. It also allows your muse to know when to begin composing your creative effort.

A schedule is good because besides writing time, you can include housekeeping, shopping, etc. on the schedule. When setting the schedule, an author needs to understand and expect interruptions. Sometimes the interruptions are emergencies, but often they are doorbells, telephones, and companions wanting attention.

The author must decide which of these interruptions need handling immediately and which to put off until later. The best way to handle these interruptions is to give them A, B, and C priorities. Once the priorities are established then it is up to the author to respond appropriately to the interruptions.

Saturday Reflections

Jalál (Glory), 13 Jamál (Beauty), 165 B.E. – Saturday, May 10, 2008 about 1:34 PM PDT

The week is ending and a new week will soon begin. I am working from 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM, Monday through Friday. I have less time to do things at now then I did before I start the five day a week schedule. I still have the same amount of work to do at home, I just have less time to do it. In addition to the housework, there is the writing work. Therefore, I have decided to set a daily schedule so that I can keep on top of everything that I need to do.

I have been considering making a schedule for some time now. I did not do it because I did not want to make a schedule that I could not stick to. However, with everything I have to do I am going to make one and see what happens. This is not the first daily schedule I have attempted. One thing I know is that I stress when the changes and chances of life interfere with the schedule.

Items on this weeks schedule

1. Work hours outside of home and driving time
2. Prayer and meditation time
3. Writing time and items I have to work on
4. Appointments
5. Social commitments
6. Nap time
7. Housework

That is everything I am putting on the schedule. I have not worked out the times yet, but I will have those completed today. I am going to post my weekly and daily schedule in the Writing My Spiritual Journey Journal, which I use to bring myself to account.

I Need a Schedule

18 Mashiyyat 164 B.E. - Sunday, October 14, 2007 about 4:14 PM PDT

I'm going to put myself on a schedule in 'Ilm (October 16 to November 3). I can't seem to get everything done in a day so I've decided I have to do two thing prioritize and put myself on a schedule. Prioritizing shouldn't be difficult, but the schedule may be a bit of a problem.

The basic problem is I don't want to stop a job when the appoint time ends. I want to continue until I've finished it. All right with some things (like doing dishes) that's a good idea. If you stop washing dishes before the finished you just have more to do when you come back to the sink and they're more difficult to get clean. However, with other things a break is a good idea.

Writing is one of those "jobs" that taking a break makes sense. Write for the appointed time them stop and go back to it later. If you want to keep an idea book or pen and paper journal with you while you do other chores to jot down ideas then do it. The thing to remember when working on a time schedule is Do Not Complain, no matter how little you get done. complaining takes time and energy both of which can be used to accomplish "chores".

The incidents that caused me to put myself on a time schedule occurred Friday and Saturday, both of which I feel were lost days. Days I didn't get a lot of writing accomplished. I still have to set up my priority list of A, B, and C. C items can be put off if I find I'm running behind and haven't achieved all the writing goals. A items have to be done in a specific 24-hour period and can't be put off. B items are those thing that can be put off if something more important comes up.

Now that I stated my definitions for A, B, and C priorities. I should say something about the time schedule itself. Household chores (despite the fact that my Grandmother did some of them in the middle of the night) are day time jobs. Basically because I don't have enough light in the house to do a good job mopping in the middle of the night. When I mop at night and look at the floor the next day I find places I missed. Most housework is like mopping you need to do it in good light to do a good job.

Writing on the other hand can be done early of a morning and late at night. I use a computer so it has it's own built in light and it doesn't matter if there are appropriately placed lights or not. Then there are the "jobs" a person can multitask. There aren't very many chores that you can multitask well. One job that makes a good multitasking item is laundry. Laundry can be done while the dishes are being washed, while the floor is being mopped and while you're writing.