I just moved. It took two weeks, during which I did very little writing. Sorry about that!

I love my new apartment, though. I now have an office and I’m pretty excited. Finally, a place to write after all the cafes are closed!

The trick is to get writing and keep writing each day.

I am currently sitting with my writers’ group in Shoreline listening to everyone talk about their writing habits for “getting things done.” Everyone has a different thing that works for them. Some people write 6 hours on Saturday and 6 on Sunday. Some people write an hour after work during the week. Some people write a page a day. It really just depends.

I write as much as I can. I think about writing everyday. I don’t always work on my book, but I am always working on something. I find that on a weekend, if I have the time and if I am focused, I can write for 6 hours or more at a time (until I have to break for food). On weekdays I write for about two hours. 1500 words or three pages double spaced is a good day’s work. I often spend a little time editing before I start writing, but sometimes that can drag on and be hazardous to my productivity. I write best when I go to a cafe or library between 6 and 9pm on weekdays.

I also have spurts of disciplined writing and non-disciplined writing. Lately, I haven’t been that disciplined where my book is concerned, in part because of upheavals like changes in my job and in my residence, and in part because I have been stuck, uninspired, or frustrated that my characters won’t do what I want them to do. But I have been writing. I just wrote something else instead.

I won’t finish my novel by my birthday at this rate. I now hope to finish by June. My new motivator? A writer’s conference. Also, since I now have the space, I shall reward myself by getting kittens.