Procrastination and a Mutinous Muse

Every year in May, I join the ranks of authors at the Romance Writers of Australia in a race to write 50, 000 words in thirty days. I had good intentions. Yes, I did. My muse, on the other hand, had other ideas. So my May challenge went something like this …

Day 1:

Muse: You’re going to work today.

Me: I have no choice. It’s a work today.

Muse: Huh. Okay then, I’ll stay home and drink wine.

Day 2:

Me: So, are we going to write today?

Muse (shrugs): Maybe.

Me: 1600 words?

Muse: I’ll give you 1476.

Day 3:

Me: Can’t write today. Work and an MTAA launch tonight.

Muse: I’ll forgive you. It’s Craig Lowndes. Ain’t nobody gonna say no to that.

Day 4:

Me: Great night last night. Let’s write!

Muse: Glad you had fun without me. Was he nice?

Me (sighs): Yes. He hugged me, touched my arm. I’m never going to wash it again.

Muse: Great! I’ll give you 1590 words.

Me: Cheers.

Day 5:

Me: Work day

Muse: Go then.

Day 6 & 7:

Muse: We writing this weekend?

Me: Nope. It’s V8’s at Barbagallo

Muse: Garth Tander?

Me: Yep.

Muse: Ain’t nobody gonna say no to that!

Day 9:

Me: Only 967 words?

Muse: I gave you Garth Tander, Craig Lowndes, Greg Murphy, Roger Penske … need I say more?

Me: I guess not.

Day 11:

Me: We’re almost half way. Can I have some words?

Muse: I’ll give you 654.

Me: They’re getting less. Are you punishing me?

Muse (stretches out on the couch): Zzzzzz

Day 13:

Me: 789 words. Total count: 5476/50000. We need more. We’re not even close to target.

Muse: Talk to the hand.

Day 16:

Me: 649 words on the WIP, numerous email responses and a work-related ad for the winter. Total count: 6125/50000. Current WIP now at 18916. I’d hoped to be around the halfway mark by now.

Muse: Stay at home and write then.

Me: Can’t. Day job. It’s how you stay alive.

Muse: Pffft. Pass the wine and chocolate.

Day 18:

Me: A dismal 198 words today. Ridonculous! We can do better than that.

Muse (in a chocolate coma): Maybe if you can get your characters to stop dancing around each other …

Me: That’s your job. Inspire me.

Muse: I’m off to Fiji …

Day 21:

Me: Today’s achievement – I made soup. (No, this photo was the stew my husband made. You don’t want to see what the soup looked like)

Day 25:

Muse: Your edits for Secrets are here!

Me: But I want to work on Heart.

Muse: Too bad. Edits first, write later. And by the way, if you don’t stay off Facebook, you’ll never get anything written or edited.

 

Running total: 6323/50, 000

To be continued ….