Commit to a Writing Date: Day 3 of the Challenge

Holiday_coffee_writing

Welcome to day 3 of the December Writing Challenge! Whether you’ve written the previous two days or you’re just joining us, it’s an important day of the writing week because it’s Thursday. What makes Thursday so special? Well, it tends to be the last day of the week before weekend brain starts to set in and lure you away from your good intentions. So not only are you going to write today, but you’re going to plan ahead so the weekend doesn’t interfere with all your good work.

As crazy as a work day can be during this time of the year, weekends blow them out of the water. Between shopping for gifts, holiday parties, your kids’ recitals and concerts and Nutcracker performances, and decking the halls, it can seem like you don’t have a minute to spare. That makes it even more important to schedule some time for yourself, specifically time to write.

At some point today, take a look at your calendar, whichever one you use to schedule important things, like dentist appointments and business meetings and anniversaries. You’re going to schedule your writing time in for the weekend, and set an alert or reminder on your phone or computer. This is a commitment. It’s a date with yourself to get in your writing time, even if it’s just a half an hour as part of a mid-afternoon coffee break each day.

If you really want to hold yourself to it, team up with a friend (or several) who writes and agree to meet them for a writing sprint. Go to your favorite coffee house or bar and promise to work through a couple of 15-minute writing jags between beverages, or grab lunch and write between your entree and dessert. To change it up a bit, have each writer participating bring a short prompt, and take turns setting the writing topic for the sprint.

December weekends fill up quickly, and no doubt you already have a few commitments on your calendar. Just make sure your writing doesn’t get pushed to the side. Take the time for yourself, and get those words out. Happy writing!