Day 9 (Sunday)
Total Word Count: 10, 631 (I wrote 1836)
How Long I Wrote: Just over an hour
What Else I Did:
Got up around 8:30am, had breakfast with the lovely Deb Hill (I was at her house in Sarnia), talked writing and publishing, drove home from Sarnia (two hours), sang my little heart out to Whitney Houston, The Walkervilles and various disco songs, got home, hugged the kids and the hubby, unpacked, did some laundry, finished prepping final workshop class on personal narrative, wrote, went to aunt’s house for late, large lunch with family, got home around 9pm, got the kids ready for bed, read with kids, fell fast asleep.
Day 10 (Monday)
Total Word Count: 10, 631
How Long I Wrote: 0 Minutes
What Else I Did:
Got up around 7am, made kid’s lunches, made coffee, got stuff ready for my day, got the kids up (they DID NOT want to get up. hello monday.), rushed around, managed to get the kids to school on time, got coffee at Tim’s, went to Massey for final class on personal narrative (it. was. awesome.), chatted with the teacher, came home, answered emails, did banking, ate lunch, did a load of laundry, tidied house, made some calls, mailed some stuff, picked up kids at 2:30pm, helped Jett with his Math homework (isn’t that hilarious?!), made dinner, helped Jett get ready for football practice, cleared the table, did the dishes, made home-made poppies for us, took Miller to Michaels (art store – she was so happy), came home around 9pm (yikes!), got kids ready for bed, went to sleep.
Day 11 (Tuesday – Remembrance Day)
Total Word Count: 11,340 (I wrote 709)
How Long I Wrote: 20 Minutes
What Else I Did:
Got up at 7am, took a shower, got kids up, made lunches, signed agendas, brought kids to school, went to work, worked ’till 2pm, went to get kids…oh…took Miller to art class, hung out with Jett, and…I can’t remember! I didn’t write and I can’t remember why or what else I did…but I didn’t write.
Day 12 (Wednesday)
Total Word Count: 11, 340
How Long I Wrote: 0 Minutes
What Else I Did:
Usual morning routine, went to work 8:30am – 2:00pm, picked up kids after school (plus two friends!), hung out with kids, made dinner, baked cookies, Jett had drum lessons, I had a singing lesson (my first one ever!), got kids ready for bed, edited chapters for writer I mentor, prepped novel chapters to read to students at the kid’s elementary school (grade 7/8s), read with kids, fell asleep.
Overall, I’m feeling fine in terms of output even though I don’t work on my novel every day, but the reality is that I just can’t work on my novel everyday. And that’s completely ok. I think about it every day. I talk about it every day, and I know I’ll finish it and that’s the goal. I mean, it’s taken two days to finish this post!
I still have to transcribe my interview with Chris Hadfield for goodness sake! I’ll get there. One day at a time. One word at a time. I’ll get there.
VANESSA SHIELDS, writer 