Day 1 - The Project

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       The purpose for my Project 365 is for me to develop the habit of writing more intentionally.  Toward that goal, I plan to write at least 500 words every day for one year.  In some cases it will be a struggle for me to reach 500 words. In other cases, the goal of 500 words will require that I edit out some of what I write.  There is nothing magic about 500 words; it is just a goal.

       For most of December, I have been warming up for this. Most of the warming up pieces are speeches or other essays I wrote in the past, so the exercise was largely editing the pieces for the new purpose. In many cases, I found whole sections of them that weren’t necessary to the story, so I got experience with what I find the hardest – deleting words that I had written.

       Most of the warming up pieces are complete – complete stories, complete essays, complete thoughts. With Project 365, the pieces won’t read like complete pieces. I hope this doesn’t reduce the readers’ enjoyment. I hope that by providing readers with complete pieces during the warming up phase, I have enticed at least some of you to stick with me, to read what I write and to provide me with feedback.

       Most of the warming up pieces have been more than 500 words. Apparently a five-to-seven minute speech, the target length for most Toastmasters speeches, require around 700 words, at least at the speed I talk.

       What I write will likely fall into the following categories:

      §  Character descriptions,

      §  Scene descriptions,

      §  Conversations,

      §  Essays,

      §  Memories,

      §  Journal entries, or

      §  Exercises from any of many online writing exercise sites.

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       I may even work on the same piece more than once, to improve it, to try out a new idea in response to suggestions from others, or to complete one of the online exercise ideas. For example, one writing exercise involves rewriting a piece from a different person’s viewpoint.  I will explore how my stories would sound if told by one of the other people in them.

       Here is an example of a writing exercise from http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/a-12-day-plan-of-simple-writing-exercise: 

       Day 1:  Write 10 potential book titles of books you’d like to write.

1.     Another Day in Paradise

2.     Someone to Watch Over Me

3.     Death Of an American

4.     Mirror, Mirror

5.     Always a Bridesmaid

6.     Please Pass the Potatoes

7.     Dancing in Yemen

8.     Behind the Closed Door

9.     The Price of Sweaters in Tehran

10. But What About Doha?

       I also plan to use the names and photos of children and staff from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in the pieces I write – a memorial to ensure I remember them. I won’t pretend to write their stories, just to use their names for characters in my stories.

       Because of my experience with Toastmasters, where evaluations from fellow members is a major positive aspect of the learn-by-doing program, I encourage readers to suggest improvements.  If what I write raises questions, ask them. If what I write doesn’t make sense, tell me. Use the Comments block below to share your thoughts. I will use your comments to improve my writing.