Wednesday, October 16, 2013

The holiday made me do it!

This past Monday was Columbus Day in the US and it's got my schedule all goofed up. As a result, I missed posting a workshop yesterday as my brain considered it a Monday. Tonight my daughter said something to me about tomorrow being Thursday already and the truth hit me.

I missed posting a workshop yesterday.

So, for those of you getting ready for NaNoWriMo...getting your pencils sharpened? Your laptops charged? A writer's group near me is preparing by having a party for all participating. Of course, they're having said party the weekend BEFORE the craziness starts so all the writers can be well-rested for November 1st.

It's a good idea, actually, to start clearing your calendar for the thirty days of November, if you haven't already done so. And clearing the writing space you intend to use. I tell myself I write best in a dust-free environment, but that's really just and excuse to put off sitting down and writing sometimes. Vaccuuming, dusting, straightening...all those usually mundane chores suddenly become fun and entertaining when used as a procrastination tool.

So your assignment this week is to clean. Seriously. Clean your apartment, clean your house, clean your birdcages, litter boxes and wastebaskets. Do the cleaning now so you can put off doing it for the entire month of November. Make that window sparkle and blow the dust out of your keyboard. Wash the curtains, mop the floors, change your bedsheets (okay, you might want to do that last one more than once between now and November 1st!).

As my mother used to say, "A clean house makes for a clean mind." I think she was talking about dirty thoughts, but I prefer to think of clean as meaning centered and ready to work. :)

So go clean. Write notes to yourself about stories as you clean. Maybe stories about cleaning? Cleaners? Housekeepers? Maids?

See!?! ANY activity can lead to writing ideas!

Play safe and get ready!
Diana

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