Second At-Home Writing Retreat of 2020: A View from the Midweek

I am not naturally a motivated person. 

It's true.

I'm not particularly ambitious, driven, and am, in fact, rather lazy. I'd rather read than write, and I'm most happy with my writings when they're done and I can read them.

I also like the grass on the other side of the fence - and my muse (Warren Peace) joins me in that view.

When I'm at work, Warren nudges me with great ideas for that next chapter in the novel. And I think, "Oh, I can't for the weekend until I can work on that."

But when I get to the weekend, or even when I have a wonderful opportunity to take not one, but two (so far) writing retreats in a calendar year, Warren keeps tapping me on the shoulder and saying, "Hey, wouldn't this make a great story for The Herald-News?" and "You really need to schedule this and this source?" etc.

Still, like most people, I do have goals and projects I'd like to accomplish. Unlike most people, I'm inclined to do none of them.

So I'm always parent and child and employer and employee to myself.

And I'm a fairly whiny child.

This is why I lay out the plan. And then I make myself do it. 

But making myself do it is always challenging because it doesn't matter what the activity is or how much I enjoy it, a more enticing one is always beckoning from the horizon.

Fortunately, my parent and employee don't let me slack off too much.

To keep me on track this week, neither one will let me get away with, "Oh, I'll just and see where I wind up." Nope, I have a schedule. And it's sitting at the left side of the keyboard.

On work days, I have a list with my daily and weekly must-do items sitting in the same place. I can't miss seeing it.

On fiction writing days, I have something similar.

For the record, I'm somewhat behind schedule. 

I had a great Friday night into Monday morning. Then Monday went slightly sidewise. I had a few non-writing things to address, and that particular chapter proved to be quite troublesome.

I came into Tuesday super tired and super behind. But through the miracle of coffee, perseverance, two minor kitty naps in the desk chair, and God mostly, I am heading in the direction of getting caught up.

Today I'm more rested, hopeful, and motivated.

I'm stressing the "hopeful."