Writing, writing, writing

I talk about it. I read about it. I teach it. I’m happy when I’ve done it. I just don’t have time to do it very often.

With all that in mind and in one of my more active, go-get-’em moments (which I will curse later), I’ve decided to join in with the #DigiWriMo and #AcWriMo movements for the month of November. Because, you know, why not?

I like my job. Really, I do. I get to talk to students about writing in both my classes and at the writing center. It’s invigorating even while it drains my energy at the end of each day. I’m at a teaching-intensive university, which I appreciate. One of the downsides of working at a teaching-intensive institution, though, is that I often feel as though my scholarly self atrophies during the school year: I have more time over the summer and I do make some progress on my projects, of course, but as soon as I get into a summer writing groove, it’s time to focus again on syllabi and preparing for fall courses.

What I need is consistency throughout the year–I need to re-habituate myself to writing regularly during the fall and spring semesters. And that’s where the #DigiWriMo (Month of Digital Writing) and #AcWriMo (Academic Writing Month) initiatives come into play: I’ve publicly declared myself as participating in both of these initiatives as a way to make myself write regularly again (here’s where Catholic guilt comes in handy).

So, what are my goals for the month? Keeping in mind that the crazier/loftier the goals, the better, here is what I want to accomplish this month:

1. Compose a chapter proposal for an edited collection that’s right up my research alley.
2. Revise my 2012 CCCC talk into an article for submission.
3. Post here on my blog 3-4 times a week.
4. Revisit and revise an article based on my MA thesis into an article.
5. (here’s the big one): Revise and submit my book manuscript.

Onward we go…