As of Wednesday, I’ve resumed participating in a web-group called 750 Words. It’s a site promoting the free-writing of 750 words every day. There are virtual “prizes,” badges, etc., for different levels of participation, which is good for the competitive types. I’m one, but MUCH more so with people I know, so since I don’t know anyone on this site, I’m not motivated to “beat” anyone—those in my Shared Words writing group can attest to how a am about THAT!
I’ve started 750 Words a couple times now, but didn’t keep with it—kind of like blogging. I stopped the first time because I didn’t feel like I was getting anything from it. Last fall I did it during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), plus a couple weeks beyond, and I found it very satisfying and productive. I forgot about it one day last December, then hurried to try to get my words done before midnight, but I didn’t make it. When I lost my 100% participation for that month, I just let it slide, intending to start up again in January, but it never happened. I’ve thought of restarting several other times, but have always remembered a couple days into a new month, and if I wasn’t going to get the whole month, I figured I’d wait for the next one. This time I started toward the end of a month, hoping that by the time the new month starts I’ll be well into the habit and will keep with it. I have a streak of four days so far.
Doing that kind of forced free-writing seems to unlock things for me, in me. It also kind of gives me a jump-start to writing every day, and I think I write more during the rest of the day when I start off with 750 Words. I stopped keeping a journal a couple years ago—I still have NO idea why I stopped, but I haven’t been able to get back to it—but I’m hoping doing the 750 words each day will help get me back into that as well. I miss it, so why don’t I do it again…? Hmmm… At least it will assure that I’m writing EVERY day.
Hopefully the THIRD time WILL be the charm for 750 Words! We’ll see, and I’ll keep you posted. Maybe some of you would even enjoy it. Just do a google search for “750 Words” and you’ll get the site.
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July 13th, 2012 - 6:33 am
Working with you is fascinating to me! You and I are so much the same, and yet so very different on so many levels. For you, having assignments helps to keep you focused. For me, having assignments just gives me something against which to rebel!
I’m also been not as functional lately as I need to be, and I keep setting goals that I don’t reach. That really discourages me, and I beat myself up over it.
A fellow writer, Sue (yes from that fabulous Shared Words group) she told me that she likes to set more goals than she can possibly achieve because it gives her a lot to work toward, and makes her know that she’s not wasting her time. She goes into things knowing, in the back of her mind, that she’s put more on her plate than she can possibly get to. It sounds like a game, or a competition with herself, when she describes it. Perhaps it’s something that I can learn!
July 13th, 2012 - 2:06 pm
Well, Deneen, we need to find a way to help you reach those goals, because I KNOW you’ll feel better once you do. On days when you can’t communicate in the conventional ways, when you can’t interact with others, perhaps you can communicate, with the outside world or the other pieces of yourself, through writing? I’ve never asked about this, (I don’t think), but have you ever tried to “talk” with those other people inside your head through writing? I know it helps me with my “channelling” or whatever you call my interactions with other spirits, whom I may or may not have been at one time. If you haven’t tried it, do, and let me know how it works for you. Maybe you could even do it as part of “750 Words” and you can feel the added accomplishment of completing that.
Sue, along with ALL the Shared Words authors, is brilliant and insightful! What a group to be a part of! And working with you, Deneen, is fascinating to me also, for the reasons you give above, and many more.