Early morning writing II

Today I completed my first week of early morning writing. It would have been easy to bag it today. I've come down with a cold and don't feel very good. And I did sleep in a little, writing from 6:45 to 7:45 instead of instead of 6 to 7 as I have the other mornings. But it also seemed really important to continue to build momentum by writing first thing, to continue to tell myself that writing and creating are a priority for me and to demonstrate that by making it happen.

Surprisingly, it felt natural to get up and just do my quick morning routine and sit down. I forgot about the tickle in my throat and the irritation in my chest and wrote about Frankie and her sister. It was like I showed up to visit them and it was important to do so.

Several things are coming out of this new practice. First, I did 7 more hours of writing on my novel than I would have otherwise. This has been a busy week of appointments and paid projects and teaching and then not feeling well. I would not have found other single hours or a block of time to write during my days (including the weekend because I did paid projects last Saturday and Sunday) and three nights I taught and the others I was too tired, too worded-out. Editing all day on other people's writing makes it hard to want to write on my own. And I'm not a night person; I get no creative second wind in the evening. So I drafted about 3500 words on the novel that would not have happened otherwise.

Second, I feel in integrity with my intentions. I am committed to being a writer and writers are people who write. Not only did I keep my commitment to do the 7 days but I stepped more fully into my writer self, something on my list of Creative Intentions for 2011.

Third, I've been happier each day. Not only happy about having written, but just lighter, more joyful, more satisfied. This is a big plus.

So I'm committing to doing this for the rest of the Maisel workshop, which goes until January 2. If any of you have decided to try this, let me know what your expereince is like.