Y’all may have noticed I was absent from your inboxes last week. That’s because I’ve been hard at work on my ambitious April stay at home challenge. How’s it going?

Well, I’m not sure exactly. I know, total letdown.

Since I hand write my drafts first, I don’t have a precise way to track word count. I have more of a rough estimate. About three pages in my handwriting is 1,000 words. So given this very mathematical and exact counting system, I have written 10,000 words so far. Woo!

I haven’t typed those words into Scrivener yet to get a correct count for three reasons. One, I’m in the zone. Two, it spoils the magic a little. Three, which goes along with two, it makes the writing feel more like work than fun.

So I’ve been putting off seeing those words typed out, which I likely will do until the end of April. I like handwriting because I can cross things out, scribble all over the pages, draw arrows to phrases I want to add, and write out of order. Can’t contain this writer brain in one typed document. Well, at least not in first draft mode.

We’re about halfway through the challenge, so I should be closer to 15,000. I could look down upon writing a mere 10,000 words, but instead I think it’s amazing. Yeah, I said it. I mean I could have 0 words. So, I’m going to give myself a little kindness, pat myself on the back for writing, and grab a beer tonight at my favorite, completely safe-distanced bar aka my house.

I may be in lounge wear all day, but this brain isn’t lounging. So bad. I knew it as soon as I typed it.

How is your stay at home challenge going? I hope you picked something you needed during this crazy time, whether tackling a productive dream goal, binge watching New Girl again on Netflix, or trying to stay sane while keeping little humans alive. You know my philosophy and it applies now more than ever: you do you.

Let me know what you’ve been up to in April. I’d love to hear updates on your stay at home challenge.

Photo by Ana Tavares