I did stuff this week. I didn't keep track.
Yeah, it's true, these past two weeks have been kind of tough for various reasons, and that impacted what I did and didn't do. But there is a bigger reason that I have nothing to report this week:
I'm not interested in tracking or reporting things any more.
It was really important when I had little time, when I was juggling the day job and other things. I would even go so far as to say it was critical. Tracking and reporting progress was a way of fighting for the time and energy. It was a way to keep things from trickling away.
But now, it's just a boring chore that takes time and mindspace. I just want to get on with doing what I do.
So, what's next? What changes?
I don't know yet.
I'm not sure I'm going to change anything right off the bat. I'll probably shift from being an ROW80 participant to an ROW80 cheerleader. I will continue to post on Wednesdays and Sundays, but not doing a progress update: I'll likely be talking about the direction I'm taking, with the blog,
with writing.
I don't really expect a big change in what I'm doing with the blog, so much as a continued
evolution. It will be more organic, less striving, more just doing. But I'll talk about that later.
In the meantime, I'm still aiming to start regular blogging again around Chinese New Year -- which is in two weeks.
See you in the funny papers.
Daring to live life as a full time writer, with or without success.
8 comments:
Operation Get More Done is a go. Do what's best for you. I agree with your approach. If the check-ins are a chore and you're not getting anything out of them, don't do them. We'll still be there to cheer you on as well. Good luck :)
I've been pondering a similar "no tracking, just get it done" approach. (Which I might have mentioned in a comment before. I already keep poor track of blog comments made...)
What I compared it to is my programming when working on a big project. I don't track number of lines of code (which has always been a stupid metric). I just work my way through the project plan and check stuff off as I get it done. And I've been wondering if I should shift to a similar approach in my writing projects.
Another aspect of my programming projects is that I tend to pull them up and work on them in odd moments. I don't need a block of time. I use what time is handy, even if it's just a few minutes. What prevents me from doing that with my writing is the (albeit minor) overhead of tracking word counts. It's harder to be spontaneous when you have to pay attention to details like starting word count and ending word count (and doing *math*).
So, yeah, I see where you're coming from. Next up, I guess, is actually *trying* that approach... =)
-David
I think you'd be a great ROW80 cheerleader. You've been there in terms of writing fiction, and in terms of blogging. You're now at another stage where some of the regular participants have been for some time (i.e. retired or near-as-dammit). You have experience to share, and to gather.
I chose to be a sponsor this time around, mainly because I found my blog filling up with nothing but ROW80 updates, and I wanted to take the blog in another direction. (It's getting there, slowly.)
And - I chose poor goals last time. Word count is easy for me to mark progress, revision less so.
Maybe your thoughts now are signalling part of the transition between full time work and the next part of your life?
Thanks, Ryan!
David: yeah, it sounds like you're thinking along the same lines. I don't know how it will affect productivity or help with "getting things done" but it feels wholistic, and it just seems right.
Lee: I think you've hit part of the problem for me. It's hard to chose goals that stick with me right any more. I think I want to be more zen about it all -- be in the Now.
Wow. I do envy you, imagine unlimited writing time stretching before you like a long empty highway.
On the other hand, having a very small window of writing time works out for me because I get desperate to get it all out. (Sometimes it makes for a lot more editing, though.)
I'll be watching to see how things change. For sure this is just the beginning of them. :)
Since I don't work "full time" anymore, I tend to work all the time, instead. For me, tracking is important both for maintaining balance and holding myself accountable. I'm really hoping that someday I'll reach that naturally balanced state you described.
Like Kate, I'll be interested to hear your experiences. Have a great time writing this week.
Kate: Yeah, but that unlimited writing time is kind of like unlimited bacon. It looks and sounds lovely, but moderation can work out better....
Kathrese: If I had to make a living at writing, it would be a different thing. (Although I suspect I would track and be accountable for a different category of items.) But that's the thing that is different than expected: writing isn't my living or business, it's my life's work.
I'll be talking about that on Wednesday, though I'm not sure what I'm going to say....
You know, just telling us what you've been up to sounds like a far more interesting update than goal tick-offs and word counts. I understand where you're coming from. I track for my business, but for anything else, I'd rather just get on with it too. Moderation in all things and change the means as needed.
More power to you! :-)
Cheers.
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