Writing About Writing, Again

Can there be too much writing? I think I'm about to find out

So we’re on December 30^th, 2025, and I fear I may have already overstretched myself for 2026. I’ve been mulling over a story line for a new book and have allowed myself to be completely distracted by a whole pile of life that has just insisted I give it some attention. I’ve managed a couple of short stories that I’m quite proud of, including the one that saw me reach the finals of the LISP. Every now and again I’ve had another go at pimping my first novel, sadly to no success. But I’ve not got anywhere near tying down the story for my new novel.

Needing to kick my own ass and get some discipline back in my writing, I signed up for Beth Kempton’s Winter Writing Sanctuary 2025. This will be my third year, and each time I have found them to be exactly what I needed. Calming. Focusing. Not at all about my book but somehow perfect. As I write this, I’m on Day 2, and have already posted my scribbles in the group chat. It is a prerecorded session from Beth, so we can enjoy it in the moments when we can each find a quiet sanctuary and will continue daily until Sunday the 4^th. A lovely and calming start to my new writing year.

Then my winter edition of Mslexia arrived, and the very back page features a full-page ad for the Curtis Brown Creative and their thirty-day writing bootcamp. I’m in, I thought about it for a split second, and signed up straight away. Beth will do the calming welcoming intro to 2026 very nicely, and the CBC can get my ass into gear and help me get this novel started. Beginning on Wednesday 14^th of January I’m in control. There are video lessons or tasks every day, but none of them tied to a time, so I can look forward to getting stuck in just as soon as Rita, my lovely writing shed, is warm enough and her kettle boiled. Plenty of time to get the thinking cap properly on before it starts. Sorted.

I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself. My husband’s recovery is well on the way, and the first of my own operations can’t be too far away. It can’t. But in the meantime, I can make the most of the enforced sitting time and crack on.

And then. Then I had an email from Mia Botha, who runs Deadlines for Writers (DfW). I’m in my second year of writing Twelve Short Stories with Mia, and I do love the discipline that it brings. One prompt each month. A very specific word count. And an unforgivable deadline. Decembers prompt was ‘apple’, exactly 300 words, posted to the group on Wednesday December 3^rd. This email was offering two free live sessions promoting the forthcoming ‘52 Scenes in 52 Weeks’. As the name suggests, this is a year long course but builds on the discipline that I know works for me. Specific prompts to build plots, subplots, antagonists, whatever I’ll need to fire my writing neurons. I’ll also be expected to submit 1,300 – 1,600 words each Wednesday. That’s every single Wednesday, growing my next novel. Of course, I can move faster on my own if I need or want to, but the discipline of submitting something of a quality that others will read and comment on really works for me, so I’m in.

I did actually stop and think about this one for a whole week before making that decision to sign up and pay my first monthly instalment, but I always knew I was going to. And then when I realised what else I got for my money, I totally feel like it’s gonna be worth every penny.

But this is the thing. Each time I look at my diary for January I have a little OMG moment. I’m retired. I’ve been super careful to step away from any real commitments while I’ve been struggling with my health yet just look at how much stuff I have in my diary. Yes, of course I have our ridiculous bin collection timetable in there, and I’m so looking forward to getting back to our Dungeon’s and Dragon’s campaign after Christmas, but this is the potential stress point. What if my operation knocks the entire schedule to pot?

In January, once the CBC Bootcamp kicks in, I’ll have a CBC session or activity every day. On Tuesdays and Sundays I’ll have the DfW 52 live hours plus a live class session once each month and of course the weekly submission. Oh, and I still have our writing group and whatever the next challenge is for that. And I may stupidly have signed up for the NYC 2,000-word challenge over the weekend of 23-25^th. I think I might just have to knock that one on the head, although I do very much appreciate the quality of the feedback I have received from previous stories.

D’you see what I mean about overstretching myself. I can’t imagine I’ll fit the NYC one in, and I may drop out of the CBC if it is feeling a bit too much, but I really am excited at the thought of getting this novel written. I’ve spent the last two days or so in my lovely shed trying to tie down a basic story, basic plot, get ahead so that I can make the most of every minute on the DfW 52. So you might see a little less of me on here. Or I might be so pumped I need to share. Who knows. But bring it on is what I say.

Who knew I could write eh? Bring. It. On.