I just posted on Threads about how I’m struggling to get myself to write. Not write in general, but work on my book. I don’t think I have writer’s block, because I know where the story is going and have even been working out scenarios in my mind to carry the plot forward from where I left off. It’s just a matter of getting myself to actually sit down and put pen to paper, or fingers to keys, I guess. I don’t imagine I’m the only one who struggles with this. Unfortunately, no one has replied to my post with a magic bullet for my problem. No one’s replied at all, to be honest, which makes me sad. But while I was waiting, one of the things I was doing to stall instead of writing was looking up blog post ideas. One of them caught my eye, giving me a blog topic and a way to motivate myself to get my butt in gear and finish this stupid book at the same time. I mean, I’m 20,000 word away from finishing, maximum. Maybe even just 15k. And I’m perfectly capable of writing 2000 words a day, easily.

The topic suggestion was to set myself a ten-day challenge and then announce it on my blog. By doing that, I kind of force myself to meet the challenge or face the humiliation of publicly announcing that I didn’t do it. Well, public in that anyone who reads this post will know, which is only public technically. I think about six people actually read this, though I may be being a little optimistic with that number. At any rate, I have decided to do it. I’m giving myself a challenge and I’m announcing it for the first time right here.

By ten days from today, January 31, I will have either written 20,000 words on my work-in-progress, or I will have completed the rough draft, whichever comes first. So, by Monday, February 10, I will have either added 20,000 words to my manuscript, which currently stands at just over 59,000 words, or, more likely, I will have finished the manuscript. If it wraps up nicely at less than 80,000 words, that’s fine. Books in my genre generally fall between 60k and 80k, so I’ll be right where I should be.

Check back here from time to time over the next ten days to hear how I’m doing. Feel free to write me notes of encouragement. Or, if it becomes clear I’m trying to renege on it, feel free to taunt me all you want. I hate being taunted, so it will definitely motivate me to get off the dime.