My critique partner and I are both trying to finish drafts for 1 August. These are self-imposed deadlines, so I guess they’re more like goals than actual deadlines, but every day we check in with each other and give encouragement. We also have two other people in our critique group who are writing away too, but I don’t think they’ve chosen a date for completion.

Anyway, Alexa wrote this interesting blog post about the changes she’s going to make in order to reach her goal. What it made me realize is that I need to make some changes too. I don’t watch TV, but I do read. A LOT. I mean, a LOT. Unlike Alexa, I’m not trying to “fit writing in” around living with a toddler (or two, like Kim is, or a job like Eileen is). Nope. I actually have plenty of time to write, and I pretty much go into my office during the allotted time and try to do it. What is cluttered in my life (aside from my office!), is my mind. There are not enough silences. I don’t really mean literal ones though because it’s nice and quiet when I read. I mean there is a lot of chatter in my mind. And it’s caused by blogs to read, Facebook updates to do, baseball games to listen to, tweets to tweet, books to read.

I realized tonight that I have been walking on my treadmill, but not at all outside. And I haven’t done any knitting in weeks…hard to do with a book in your hand. Why are those two things important? Because they are my breaks from words. And while I strongly believe you must read to be a good writer, you also need to have room in your head for your own words to grow and flourish.

In 2009 and 2010, I read around 100 books each year. This year, I am on pace to read 150, which I thinks is probably about fifty more than I can process in a year and still write well. I’ve listened to the Cubs almost every day since the season started and do you know what? They still suck. But that’s a lot of words thrown at me every day (about 3 hours worth). Is it any wonder there isn’t room for my own words this year?

So, if you email me, and it takes a while for me to get back to you, it’s because I’m taking things slowly. If you recommend a great book, it’ll probably be some time before I get to it because I’m going to try only reading on weekends for a bit. And I’m signing out of Twitter and Facebook, and using this wonderful internet blocker called Freedom a lot more.

I’ll probably check in here occasionally, especially if I have news to share. But if we don’t connect for a while, know that I’m thinking of y’all…silently.