It is now 8:19 pm CST, December 25, 2007. As a sort of Christmas present to myself as well as New Year’s resolution, I have decided to get serious about this writing thing. I will write 500 words a day and this time next year re-evaluate my status as an author. For too long I’ve wanted to be a writer and but did nothing about it unless I forced myself to take a creative writing class. Well, now I’ve decided to shit or get off the pot. I am either a writer or not, right? And writers write, right? So here I am.
It would be less than honest if I didn’t divulge that I am also “in between jobs” right now. So perhaps the idea for this blog was born out of boredom. Or maybe just the kind of soul-searching that usually accompanies the stark-raving fear of unemployment. Whatever the reason, this is my project for the next year.
Some of you may say, “Hey Paul, isn’t 500 words a little on the light side? I mean come on, be a man – commit to 2,000 words a day.” To which I say, “Hey, Jerkwad, you can make the rules when you decide to go on your own Journey of Self. Jerk.”
The thing is, 500 words is more than most (non-writerly-type) people write in a day (I’m not talking about writing emails for work or whatever – I mean writing just to write) but it’s a benchmark that is do-able and I won’t get nervous about trying to meet my deadline or frustrated if I don’t type 2,000 words. So 500 it is.
The purpose of this blog is to keep me honest. You people have to keep on my ass. I know I can do this but I also know I have a tendency to be lazy. Email me often and ask me if I’ve kept to my resolution. Make me tell you about what I’ve been writing. I might not always let you read daily notes and early drafts but I can tell you what I’m working on.
So there you go. This should be fun. Thanks for giving a crap.
