It’s early. It’s dark outside. No one else is up.
It’s me, a coffee cup, a lit candle, and a laptop computer.

Lit candle?
No, I’m not a woo-woo, ambiance-for-writing kind of person.
(Although I do like candles.)
One of my adult daughters is visiting and sleeping on the couch
and I don’t want to wake her with lights. Perfunctory reason.
(Okay, It’s kind of cool, too. But I digress.)

So, as I sit sipping and staring at the keys
(my equivalent of cracking your knuckles
and shaking out the shoulders,
getting ready to go for it)
the childhood chant rings in my ears:
How much wood can a woodchuck chuck
if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

I’m changing it:
With a deadline looming,
how many words can a wordsmith smith
if a wordsmith could smith words?

How many words can you write a day?

I bet that with a deadline, it’s quite a few.

Deadlines.
They loom.
They threaten.
They kick you into gear.

How many words can a word count count
if a word count could count words?
All of them. However many you write.

(And I suspect it’s more, if you have a deadline.)

If you don’t have a deadline, make one.
Give yourself a daily word count.
(Something that motivates. For a reason.
We all like reasons.)

We all need a little push, sometimes.
If you already have a daily word count goal, pick a new number.
Go for it.
(I am.)
*Thup