New Day, New Words: Day 2 of the Challenge

Welcome to the second day of the December Writing Challenge. So many of you got off to a great start yesterday, either writing new words or editing some old ones. But this is a fresh day, which means it’s time to do it again. Because isn’t that what writing is, after all? The one-day-at-a-time accumulation of words on the page, building and shaping — sometimes tearing down and rebuilding — the story or essay, novel or work of nonfiction that you’ve decided to write.

If you haven’t already read Anne Lamott’s brilliant book on writing, Bird by Bird, I highly recommend it, but the (extremely) condensed version is just this: Take it day by day, a little bit at a time. Don’t get bogged down in overall word counts or series arcs or the need to self-promote. Yes, those things need attention in their own time, but none of it means anything if you don’t first commit yourself to the building blocks. Sit down, open your computer file or your notebook, and write. A little today, a little tomorrow, a little the next day. On and on, letting the words flow or, sometimes, no doubt, giving them a push. Look at your day and pick a time to write and then schedule everything else around it. Now get to work.