The Choice is Yours

The 4th of July is just around the corner & I've been thinking a lot about choices. Every day we make choices. Right or left. Take the job or don't. Move or don't. Dance or sing. Eat that cupcake or dont (though that answer is always do!) Write or don't write.

Choices define our time and our passion and once we've made one we usually can't take it back.

My choice this week is to write. Since I am newly moved, currently jobless (& running out of money) and Patricia is on vacation--all I have to do is writing/editing work! Yay me.

This "I want to be a full-time writer" thing is a dream for all of us. But guys, I've only been doing this for three weeks (this is the third) and IT IS HARD. Like, so hard.

For one, you actually have to DO the work. It's really hard for me to do that at home, so I ventured out to Starbucks or Panera (or both) each day last week. I did GOOD work but my budget was NOT happy. (And apparently they frown at you sitting there without buying anything! Go figure.)

For two, when you waste time you feel really bad--and it is SO easy to waste time. I mean, stay up late. Sleep in. Then it's noon before you get out of the house/bed. Plus you have to eat and you didn't watch those shows from last week and you need call your mom...& then the day is almost over and what did you do??

There are other things I could add to this list. So many. But I won't because in the end it all comes back to or choices. That first week I made some bad ones. I slept, unpacked, I don't even remember. But you mess up and you learn and each day is a new day. The second week was better as I split my time between writing and editing an MS for Spencer Hill. These weeks of not working are not by choice. (Someone hire me!) but as my friend reminded me this weekend: how I use them is my choice.

And this week, I am determined to make good choices for my time. Since last week was so good for my writing/editing, I decided that I need to lay the smack down on myself. This week I have to write at least 2k every day. That's writing only! And I have to finish editing this MS by Sunday, which has 200 pages left to go after today. I'm hoping to do 40 pages a day of LINE EDITS. Needless to say this is motivation week.

It seems like a lofty goal when I think about it--but I have nothing else to do. Literally! I have ZERO excuses. Plus, my WIP is in that place where I feel like I can start tying all the ends together and finish it. I'm so close. I know the whole remaining story and I only need to write it!

And I am! I can't wait to Finish this draft. To send it to my betas. To start revising. I truly think I will finish it this week or next week at the latest. And I have to finish edits.

And if you guys see me on twitter, feel free (aka please please please!) ask me how it's going. 2k a day & 40 pages of edits is totally doable. Totally.

We have the freedom to make choices and writing is a choice. How you use your time is a choice. I hope that I have the discipline to accomplish my goal and that you have the joy of making whatever choices you have to make.

 Happy Independence Day!