News

First of all, today was my first twenty page day on A LICK OF FROST. Very cool. It’s especially cool when I know I started at nearly two in the afternoon and by six-thirty I had twenty pages. My goal on this book for a minimum is still four pages. Since I’ve been working on it, I’ve had only two four page days. The rest have all been eight, nine, or ten pages. I might have had one eleven page day. You see why years ago I put my minimum page count at eight. I usually hit, or exceed eight pages, but there are days when eight is a burden. Four pages is rarely a burden. So on this book I’ve given myself permission to have bad days. To have those days when you don’t want to work, and the book seems lifeless to you. On those days I know that I can do my four pages and I’m free for the rest of the day. Sometimes I even promise myself a reward for getting those pages. Go to a favorite restaurant for lunch, or to a favorite store. Spend the rest of the afternoon reading someone else’s book in my favorite comfy spot with the dogs curled all around. Anything and everything to get me to sit down at the desk and do the work. Some days, like today I’ll hit a streak and do twenty pages in four hours, or less. But you can’t count on days like this. A day like this is a gift. When setting your own page count per day don’t judge on a good day. Always pick one of your worst days. The number you get on your next to worst day, that’s the one to use as your page count.
Why do I say your next to worst day, and not your very worst day? Because your very worst day is the day you sit at your desk for eight or ten hours and have not a single page to show for your efforts. I’ve had those days. All working writers have those days. Maybe Charles Dickens didn’t have those days. It is reported by guests at a party at his house that he served drinks with one hand and continued to write OLIVER TWIST with the other. Yes, all writers are entitled to hate him just a little for that. I can’t even concentrate on a good conversation in the midst of a large party, let alone keep writing on my current book.