In a previous life, I was an Administrative Assistant. Give me a spreadsheet, and I can make data sing. I’m also obsessive. So it was just a matter of time before I started putting my word counts on a spreadsheet.
In March, I started tracking not just the words I write, but also the words I work with. Which proved to be enlightening. For a while now, I’ve had a theory about why I don’t write as much as I’d like to. My spreadsheet finally proved it.
Eighty percent of the words I deal with every day are somebody else’s. Only three percent were my own creative writing. Three lousy percent.
Every morning (at least most mornings), the first thing I do after waking is write in my journal. I’ve learned that keeping a journal is vital to my mental and emotional health. It’s where I blow off steam, where I process things, where I gripe and complain, where I indulge my insecurity and my ego, and where I take some time to take care of myself.
After my journal, it’s rush rush rush. Get the kids fed. Get lunches made. Prep dinner. Go to work. Go to meetings. Go to doctor’s appointments. Read other people’s words. By the end of the day, I have nothing left for my own words.
So for April, I’m trying something new. I’m waking up an hour earlier. Writing in my journal still comes first, but immediately after that, it’s now time for my words.
In the two days since I put this into practice, I have already increased my personal word count by 500 words over my personal word count for the entire month of March.
My overall word count is still dominated by other people’s words. That may never change, because that’s what I do for a living. I used to wrangle data from nine to five and work with words in my free time. Now I wrangle words from nine to five and work with data in my free time. But now I’m getting my own words in first.
Have you learned anything from tracking your words? How is your #writingstreak going? If you haven’t already, join us on Facebook or Twitter and share your successes with your own #writingstreak.
Hey Kim
Sorry I haven’t been here for awhile… and am coming in late on this post!
Good for you for getting up earlier to write! Now THAT is dedication.
I’ve been writing a little more lately, but I haven’t tracked my words a whole lot. I like your pie chart O:) I think if my sister were a writer, she would be all over doing spreadsheets/word-tracking.
Well, I hope that writing is still going at a good pace for you. Take care!
Hi Beth! No apologies necessary here. Thanks for stopping by! I honestly haven’t been as good about making time for my writing this month. I started out with a bang, then fizzled out. But that’s how it goes some times. Finding the balance between writing, family, work, self, life, etc. can be difficult. We’re all works in progress.