The good news is, I am doing something every day, so I managed to finish one whole week with at least 15 minutes of writing daily (as a minimum) and some other research/tech related tasks too. The bad news is I’m progressing too slowly.
Yesterday I brought my memory cards and new external hard drive into the office and started backing up photos, in part to search for the photos I need for this photo essay project on New York’s Sikh parade. I had 2019 on my computer, and I found the card for 2018 (when I had to leave early). But only after I got home did I find my full cache of memory cards (I think), with the 2014 parade photos which along with this year was my most extensive photo shoot. Monday or Tuesday I have to finish backing these up then selecting my top 25-30.
I’ve also been working on that fellowship application. I have now 850 words for essay one (limited to 750) and over 900 words for essay two (500 hundred words max). This is not bad because it’s been a while since I’ve given myself enough time to draft something and then cut it down to size, which always makes my writing very tight. Lately I’ve been writing everything to deadline, which is much less effective for good writing. It’s due Monday night at 11:59 and I’m busy in the city all weekend (friends, films, and more photography), so while I may work on it Saturday and especially Sunday evening, that means it’s going to be Monday I have to spend cutting it down and submitting it.
On a side note, last night I exchanged messages and then a phone call with a writer friend in Bangladesh who confessed his writer’s block to me. It feels like many of the same issues and emotions. This is a journalist I have always respected for being a professional, working writer, so it was a little heartbreaking to hear these issues from someone else, and yet oddly affirming too. He was telling me the narrative of his next novel yet he is unable to put anything on paper/pixels. The other day I also heard a biographer of Harper Lee talk about her legendary writer’s block issues. So I am in excellent company, should I ever become unblocked.
Oh, and my computer didn’t crash all evening, in fact not since yesterday afternoon, which is as well as it has functioned in weeks.
I’m definitely moving into new territory.
2019 Summer Writing Challenge 