Daily Writing Goals

When my son was an infant, I would set us up on the couch with him in my left arm and my lap top on the cushion to my right. While he slept or ate or wiggled, I would type. Back in those days, I could get 3 k words, easy. What else did I have to do? (Well, cooking, cleaning, yard work, but what did that matter compared to creating new worlds?)

Then, as children tend to do, my son got older. I could still get a decent amount of words in once he turned one. When that second birthday hit, he was more playful, so I went down to 2 k words a day. Then, I got a job and he turned three. My word output went down to 1 k a day, which I did at night once the kiddo was in bed.

And then he turned four. Four-year-olds are exhausting, yo. I go to bed at 9-o-clock when he does and have no time to write on the weekends. My goal, which was once 3 k a day, has dwindled to 500 a day. But let me tell you, I am proud when I reach that goal, because it is hard won.

I'm still writing. I'm still plodding along. But I am glad I haven't traded time with my kiddo. He won't be little forever, and the words will still be there.

What are your goals for each day, and how have they changed over the years?