Writing as a habit: the MetalMagic journey labours on

I'm sure you've all heard about the '21-day rule' when it comes to forming habits. Some suggest that it's the number of repetitions, and not the time involved. Either way, it took me more than a few days to stop reaching for the handle on the right side of the refrigerator because we decided it needed to open into the kitchen. So, what does that have to do with writing?

Well, I was in quite a groove over the summer. I actually spent between 4 and 6 hours per day finishing off the manuscript for MetalMagic, as well as making the final revisions before sending it off to Wheatmark. I suppose, I had made a 'habit' of writing.

So, the question must be asked - what need I do to reestablish a habit of writing now that my summertime routine is all but a memory? Well, I suppose this blog is a start. Although, I have slipped a bit since the first few posts. So, no luck on a continuous series of repetitions, there.

I briefly thought about getting up early in the mornings, before work, to write. But, anyone who knows me will see just how amusing that idea is. I'm about as much a morning person as a vampire. Yes, that's a shameful and strategically-placed keyword. Maybe it'll bring in a few of the younger readers.

Ruling out the mornings, then, I am left with sometime after work. I'm thinking about setting aside an hour or two to begin with , say on a Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evening. And, no, my friends, the Saturday night will not interfere in the least with my social life - birthday parties and trips to the park with the little ones end at nightfall.

I have one other ace up my sleeve - the NHL season starts up in about a week. I already have the regularly alternating two-hour-and-a-bit timeslots booked for the fall and winter. Now, if I could only remember what the rule is about multitasking...