Since June 16 I have been writing 750 words or more each day on the web site 750words.com. The reasoning behind the site is that if you commit to writing each and every day, preferably in the morning, you can free your mind, pick up the writing habit, and move toward writing substantive material. The site is fun. There are contests and challenges to spur you on. I have written for 94 straight days. My goals is to finish the September challenge and have my name written on the Wall of Fame, rather than on the Wall of Shame and break 100 days of daily writing. What do I write? Some of it is deep, insightful prose. Some of it is stream of consciousness garbage but I’m doing it. The challenge is real and it makes me feel good to meet it. So far, it hasn’t made me a better writer, or a more willing writer. Actually, there are days that I deeply resent having to write those 750 words. Days when pure idiocy streams forth. Days that I wonder why I’m doing this to myself. However, the rewards are that I set myself a challenge that I am meeting. I think setting goals, whatever they are, and meeting them is particularly useful for people in their sixties. It sharpens the brain, gets the adrenoline going, and builds confidence. Though I don’t think I’ll keep this up after I meet my goals, it has been a useful exercise even though I don’t think I’m a better writer because of it.

Categories: observations