Is it February 4th as I’m typing this? Maybe.
Accountability makes a hell of a difference in productivity. I know, it seems sort of obvious, but it’s also pretty easy to forget when you’re also incredibly used to going at everything on your own. January was easily my most “productive” creative month in a long time. Seems a little contradictory to be productively creative, but when you work a 9-5 (7-7 on days I have to still physically be in an office) that has nothing to do with the stuff you actually want to do, you have to schedule and plan every bit of extra time you have.
I was watching a studio vlog from one of the visual artists I like on YouTube, and they said something like how they can’t create on a schedule and that it has to feel organic and in the moment. It’s something I definitely wish I had the luxury for. But for now, I’ll settle for 6 hours a day on the weekends at the Starbucks were they’ve started to learn my order and don’t judge me too harshly for sipping one drink for most of that time. It is red velvet loaf season after all.
So, using the 2023 goals I set, it’s time for a “did we accomplish anything” round up!
1) Making Time for writing/Reading
At the start of the month, I felt sort of silly going to the bank to take out money to “pay” myself to write. Every time I shared a blog post, or spent time writing, or finished a book, I’d slip a two dollar bill into an envelope. Why 2 dollars? Honestly, it was mostly because I think 2 dollar bills are cool. And I’m on a budget.
By the end of the month, I had around fifty dollars, which went immediately to my 2023 Barnes and Noble membership and picking up the books for my February reading list. It felt really cool to buy them with money I got FOR putting work in to work on my craft.
2) Read 10 new books this year
When I wrote this one in my physical planner, I initially wrote 20 down and that felt really daunting. But! I did finish 2 books in the month of January. One of them I DID start in 2022 (that review should be up next week and OOF). But, it still counts.
Taking the time to sit down and write up my feelings and opinions about the works also ended up being pretty helpful. Years of AP English and accelerated reading programs really get into your head.
Not included there though are the massive amounts of fanfiction I’ve been consuming lately. Mostly because there’s too much of it. And the idea of the exercise of reading published works is to see what IS publishable and what sells. Much as I love reading AUs of the Silly Pirate Show That Gives Me Too Many Feelings or The One Where The Bard is The Best Character, they don’t make this list. I WILL give you recommendations though.
3) Write more nonsense
This ties directly into that fanfiction bit. Writing just to write has been really refreshing. Not having to worry or fuss over being perfect or anything. Just words coming out, with a base already in something that I don’t have to worry over. Being an over-thinking, over-designing, high-fantasy sort of writer, I tend to get lost in the weeds. What does this magic system need? Would this tree grow in this place? It’s sort of nice to have all that already answered to a degree.
Also, I tend to write a lot of male characters in my works, so it’s been interesting to write as Masendra. And totally play WoW for research. No other reason.
All in all, I’m pretty pleased with myself for keeping up with my goals so far this year. Did you set any 2023 targets? I’d love to hear about them!
Macabress Manuscripts 