If you work, inspiration will come. If you wait, inspiration will too.
– James Clear
The internet provides multitude ways of finding inspiration and community as a writer. My mode of daily choice has been The London Writers’ Salon Writer’s Hour for the past 15 months. But last November, I signed up for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). You sign up for an account and have a dashboard where you log your daily word count. There was something about seeing my line graph move on a regular basis that I found really motivating. I did not come anywhere near the goal of 50,000 words in a month, but I was inspired to be more consistent. A small win. And small wins are good. So I started logging my word count in Excel.
It also allowed me to see patterns. I’m a slow writer, clocking in an average of 208 words per hour when I do write. I also seem to have a habit of skipping days. Weekends are excusable, I think. But weekdays? C’mon, Callie! Something to work on. I also recently discovered Your Book Year and the Sundance Collab’s Writer’s Cafe.
I write so slowly, I could write with my own blood and not hurt myself.
― Fran Lebowitz
I have no excuses not to write more than I do (lately, though, I’ve published some of my writing on my experience living in Pioneer Square). Even if I am supposed to go back to work in the flesh this week.
I don’t want to. Dreading.
Things That Nourished My Writing: February 16-28.
FOOD
I’ve been wanting to cook through a cookbook for a long time, so started cooking through Dinner in French.
We ate at Revel tonight. Always delicious. And, by the way, Seattle’s latest James Beard winners.
I love love love the sausage pizza at Delancey. I ate there this week, too.
LITERARY
Can “Distraction-Free” Devices Change The Way We Write? by Julian Lucas
Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
MUSIC
Come Back Later by Ian Coss
Siempre Me Quedará by Bebe
PLACES
Occidental Square, one of Seattle’s prettiest parks. I should write here, too.
The homeless encampment on Fourth Avenue between James and Cherry. Those tent dwellers are my neighbors. As much so as all the privileged people who live near us on Queen Anne.