Declaration of deadline

So. I’m a bit weird.

Like I don’t like even numbers. So I count stuff. Like I can have one cocktail (which anyone who knows me knows would never happen) or three but not two. And if I have one cocktail of something and then two of the something else I may have to have another one of the one I’ve had two of to make it three and count it one and three. Not four.  (Until I get drunk and lose count). And my tattoos – I have four and one that’s been covered up but I still have five tattoos. Until the day I get the next one, then I won’t count the cover-up any longer. But still have five tattoos.  And one covered up. Five and one. On top of this, I don’t like order – I find what I need and make sense in chaos. And I’m a little obsessive compulsive. Like last year I went from the idea of running 500k in a year to piling up 1503k. Because I got completely obsessed with seeing the kilometers increase.

And what’s this got to do with writing? you ask.

Well, I’ve set a goal to finish the first draft of my novel by September 10 2013. This is not an arbitrary date picked out of one of my fabulous hats – oh no! This is the last day of my planned writing retreat and also the last day before I’m getting locked in the office to play with the REF for three+ months. I reckon there’ll be no time for writing then, but second drafting should be ok.

But how am I going to do this? I guess I'm hoping I'll be able to trick my little obsessive brain into overdrive and for every day I write, or for every 1000 words or for whatever it’ll take the obsession to finish this one step closer to just that. But the tricking of the brain is difficult. I’ve tried to get obsessed with running again because right now I don’t quite have the flat stomach of last summer .And despite my strong adverse reaction to the idea of spending lots of time at work, 11-13 hour days are sneaking back in. So I'm slightly worried about how to turn the obsession on. Which is why I figured blogging about it might help. Or not. At least it will fuel my procrastination - because I need more of that for sure. Although I’d like to think a structured one but alas not always). 

So it’s going well so far [she said sarcastically]. I’ve spent the evening running and then writing this blog post in between a bunch of work emails. Never mind I have a deadline to send a chapter which is not quite finish to my mentor (another incentive which has worked well so far) tomorrow. Please brain, let the obsessive compulsive need to add more words kick in!