When I started last week I committed to writing 1,000 words per day. I don’t have a perfect record so far but I’ve been making progress. I’ve missed a couple of days and come up short on word count on others due to working more than I usually do.
After a week and a half I’ve added 7,400 words to my novel, not including the first chapter that was written a few months ago. I won’t be giving away much of the plot until I’m ready to publish, but basically it’s a psychological thriller about a group of people trapped in a house by a madman.
Today, I want to talk a little about resistance. If you’ve read Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art (It’s a must-read!), you know about what he calls resistance, which is basically the force which keeps us procrastinating and doubting ourselves when deep down we really want to create. I read The War of Art for the first time a few years ago. As I faced my first day of writing with knots in my stomach, I knew I should read it again.
That Monday morning I was practically shaking as I sat down at my desk to write. What if I put in the effort to write a book for nothing? What if no one reads it? Worse, what if people read it and they hate it? Maybe I’m not talented enough.
Pushing through my doubts, I wrote in my journal for a bit and then got down to business. I wrote 1,000 words of the second chapter of my book and it felt amazing. Today, I had done the work that I was supposed to do and everything was alright. I feel this way every time I add to my word count. I face resistance everyday, and every time I fight it off, it’s worth it.
I’d like to update this blog every Monday. My main priorities are completing the first draft and working my day job, so we’ll see how it all works out. Eventually, I’d like to start a newsletter. If you’re reading this post, thank you! I can’t wait to share more with you.
K. J. Cole 