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 ….
Small Town Fiction 