The Good Patrons of 750 Words

1 cup

I heard about 750words from a commenter on xoJane; Mandy Stadtmiller wrote a post about doing morning pages and someone mentioned this site. Ever since my college theater professor assigned us to do The Artist’s Way morning pages one semester – and GRADED us on it – I have felt like I really should do them, but could not make myself follow through. I don’t like doing things just because I “should.”

Anyway when I saw this site, I knew it would be a good thing for me. Easy to do, great simple layout, with motivational elements like badges and email nudges – it’s right up my alley. I signed up and wrote that first day and have written every single day since.

It recently occurred to me that I am nearing 50,000 words written here, and that if I had written that amount in a focused way, writing one story, rather than just rambling as I do, I would almost have a first draft of a novel. Wow. That makes the novel I keep talking about writing seem not so insurmountable – at least as far as word count goes!

I’m so thankful for this site and what it has done for me in just two months. It’s a small discipline – just 20 minutes a day usually – but it makes a big difference. When I write in the morning, it clears my head and gives me a feeling of accomplishment right off the bat. Even when I write later in the day, it feels like a gift I’m giving myself; allowing myself that time, even when I’m busy and have other deadlines breathing down my neck, honors my need to write my own words every day. (I write for a living – but for other people.)

Making writing 750 words every day a priority, no matter what else is going on, forces me to make MYSELF a priority – and that makes me a better friend, daughter, mother, girlfriend, writer and person. Not necessarily in that order.

So thank you, Buster and Kellianne!