ROW80 Round 3: Final Check-In

My original Bird By Bird bracelet.
With gratitude to Anne Lamott.

I fell behind in this final lap, adding 1,947 words to my manuscript when my goal was 3,500. But considering how busy this past week has been, I'm not going to beat myself up for writing "only" two thousand words.

And more important, I have kept up with the lectures and homework in Kelly Stone's online writing course. I cannot recommend this class highly enough. In our latest assignment, we were asked to research the habits, traits, attitudes and behaviors of an author (or authors) we admire, create a list of these, and then turn them into "I" statements. My role model, of course, is Anne Lamott; I found a lot of great information about her work ethic, her attitude towards first drafts and rejection, and the importance she places on daily writing practice. Check out this article, for example, if you are in need of encouragement for finding time to lead a meaningful, creative life. As a result of my research, I came up with the following "I" statements.

• I live my life with intention, choosing to spend the majority of my time engaged in truly meaningful, creative pursuits as opposed to merely keeping busy.

• I understand that rejection is part of the writing process. I do not allow fear of rejection to prevent me from writing or submitting my work to agents and editors.

• I am a disciplined writer who gets my first drafts on paper quickly, without judgment. 

• I am a persistent writer who is willing to revise my manuscripts until they are the best they can be.

• I am a hardworking writer who includes time to write in my daily schedule, dedicating a minimum of two hours a day seven days a week to my craft, with a daily minimum goal of 500 words.

I have printed these out and tacked them to the bulletin board which hangs above my writing desk, where I can see them every day and impress them into my subconscious mind. Which puts me in a pretty good place to start Round 4. New York Times Bestseller List, here I come!