This summer I have signed up for a virtual summer writing camp called “Teachers Write.” I know – it probably sounds silly right. I mean, I am a freelance writer. I get paid to write. I shouldn’t struggle with writing. But I do when it comes to myself. I can be handed a writing assignment with a list of contacts, a sentence or two of what to cover and create a 1,700 word article. Yet, I can’t get my own (book) ideas to go from my head to my computer screen.
As a homeschooling mom, I don’t get my time to write for myself. If I have a writing assignment, I do what ever it takes to make the time. If I want to write for myself, it gets pushed aside. I have been teaching my son for three years now. He just finished second grade, and I’m so proud of his progress this year. This past year, I also taught writing classes within our homeschool co-op. It was a wonderful time teaching homeschool kids who come together for two eight-week sessions through the school year. The best part is that my real-life friend Pamela taught an art class that coincided with the writing class for the second half of the year. The kids created their stories through words and pictures. It was amazing!
Today is the start of camp. And the first “assignment.”
Make a writing plan for your summer and for your school year.
What you found that you might be able to cut out of your schedule or cut back on to make time to write. Now that school is done for us, I should have more time to write. But having the time and taking the time are two different things. I need to set an alarm in my phone to remind me to write each day. Or maybe I can only watch shows on on Netflix if I write first.
When you’ll be writing each day & for how long. I have a hard time setting a time limit for writing. Maybe it will only be five minutes one day. Another day it may be 20 minutes. Some days I might struggle with writing. Another day the words may just flow. I just want to write. As long as I write even if it is just one sentence at a time. I have been thinking more on making an editorial calendar for my blog as well.
Where you’ll usually write. My office. My kitchen table. My outdoor patio. I’m not stuck to only writing in one place. As long as I have a laptop or an iPad, I can write. I can’t write with pencil/pen and paper. Well, I can. I choose not to write that way. I should start to carry a pad of paper around with me for those times I think of things but don’t have some sort of device with me. I will have to think on that more.
Who you told about your plans.
I guess by sharing on my blog, I’m sharing with the world. It is sort of like posting my dailymile exercise posts on facebook and twitter. Someone will see them. Someone will hold me accountable. Someone, I hope, will ask “why haven’t you posted any workouts lately?” Is it too much to hope the same thing happens if I slack with blog postings and writing?
And now to make it all happen!