Photo by Natalie Collins on Unsplash

I am really enjoying reading Sandra Scofield’s The Last Draft. It feels positive and warm and makes me think I can really do this thing. And it led me to a lightbulb moment. While reading, I realized that I am always trying to rush through the new things I try. I try to grab the highlights and put them to use because I feel like I don’t have time to take things slowly and do them thoroughly.

This is something I’ve known, at least semi-consciously. But today for some reason it became clear and was suddenly right in my face. I need to slow down. I need to do this work with attention and awareness and no rushing. I need to do it like a nice slow stretch in the morning. I need to commit.

So, new goals for the next while. I’m going to actually do the exercises–all of the exercises–in The Last Draft. A little at a time. Actually writing them down in my novel notebook. I’m going to do this as fully as I can and see what I can do for my story. No more rushing. No more feeling like I don’t have enough time–all of these time limits and constraints are things I’ve put on myself. I will take the time it needs. I will see the experiment through to the end. Then I will take the parts that work best for me and move forward. But first I’m going to try all the parts.