Thursday, May 1, 2014

Day 22 - Why I Haven't Listed A Goal

Last week Elizabeth had a great point on Mystery Writing is Murder; Sometimes it's better to keep your focus on today.  On right now.

That's a very zen sort of idea, but it is so true.

And that is actually why I have not gone back to ROW80 or even set up this current project as another novel dare.  The problem is that I really need to focus on TODAY every day.  Not a larger goal or progress toward it.  Not what I did or did not do yesterday.  Not what I must get done for tomorrow.

That is part of why I haven't stated any kind of goal.

But... I do have goals.

I want to get The Man Who Stepped Up done by this fall, and also work on my 26 Story Challenge, and finish the three short Game Story novellas, and all sorts of other stories....  I was going to list them out but really, I don't want to depress myself by thinking about what I haven't done.  Nor do I want to distract myself by thinking about fall.  Or next month even.

The real goal is today's goal, which is:  To make the best and most of today.

I don't always succeed at this, and it's not something that works for everyone, or even worked for me at every stage of my life.  But I find that every day I do it, I get more done in the day than when I'm thinking about tomorrow.

It can be a great thing for anyone, no matter what your style is.  Every once in a while, stop and consider this:  What could I accomplish today if I really set my mind to it?


Today's Progress: About 600 words on In Flight.  I think I have my hook for making the introduction to the kitchen more active.  However, I changed what a minor character did to get fired, and that changes the tone of a few other things.  Now debating: should I ameliorate just how bad of an employee she is?  At first I thought I should, but now I'm thinking that it might be good to make the heroine more self-conscious when she has to let her co-workers down later. 


Eating, Watching, Reading:

Asparagus stir-fry, with minced ginger and garlic, and just enough oyster sauce to enrich the flavor, but not enough to be the main flavor of the dish.  Also some crispy spicy chicken from the freezer.

Watched last week's episode of Castle. (Hulu has a delay in the free episode watching.)  Still reading Murder Must Advertise.

See you in the funny papers.

2 comments:

Lee McAulay said...

Happy May Day! Good luck with your goals, whatever they are. My own have been s-l-o-w this year, mainly edits. Still, must use Zen habits to make progress.

The Daring Novelist said...

Thanks, Lee. Keep on keepin' on.