After my last post, which one of my wonderful friends dubbed my semi annual soul searching, I began to revisit why I continually disappoint myself when it comes to my writing. Thankfully, this friend also gave me some fantastic outside input with regards to my habits and lifestyle and how that could have a definite effect on my writing. In retrospect I should have seen this a lot sooner, but better late than never I suppose!

You see, I find I work better at night. My creativity is flowing freely and the days events have culminated into a relaxing evening ripe for writing. This is somewhat of an issue though, as both my lovely girlfriend and I work days. This means my social life exists pretty much after dinner, which also means any time I try and allocate for writing will eventually be interrupted. Every time I have failed before, the routine breaks. Work gets in the way. Social events take precedence. I go to bed early. I have needed a consistant block of writing time for a long time.

The worst part of everything is, I’ve ignored this advice because I hate mornings. Hate, HATE mornings. I love to sleep in, the thought of getting up early simply nauseated me, especially coming off night shift less than six months ago. But every writer out there has said: Set aside some proper writing time, an hour a day, uninterrupted, early in the morning is best.

What do they know right?

Here I am now, after revisiting my grand total words for this blog last year. I have written over one hundred and six thousand words. That is thirty thousand more words than the first Harry Potter! That is almost three times The Chronicles of Narnia’s The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe! What do I have to show for it? Not a lot, many short stories I suppose. But to consider I only did that over less than 100 posts? Madness!

Effectively, I have made the decision to take a single story and try to bring it to completion. Considering I already have a sweet cover for Jefferson and the Magician’s Curse, I’m going with that one. Also, I have begun waking before the sun, at five in the morning. I have set aside this hour each day to write, plan and research for my story. This first week will be the hardest. I can jump straight up out of bed, I can get to my desk, but I’ll be damned if I say I am awake yet. The only good news about this time of day is no other rational person will interrupt my writing!

So, for my 100th post! For the future of my writing! And finally to prove I can finish a novel! I hereby promise to myself and to any out there who read this, I will complete this story. I will type at least a thousand words a day until it is complete!

I may also take up drinking coffee!

I may also develop narcolepsy!

I will give myself until August 21st to complete this story! One hundred and forty mornings, One thousand words a day, One hundred thousand word target, with forty days for revision. Wish me luck!