Writing isn’t all about word count

As of today, I haven't written one new word on a short story, micro-fiction, or The Yak Guy Project since last Monday. I want to, but writing has additional obligations these days.

If I don't promote myself, nobody else will either. This means sticking a toe into new things and expanding my reach. I spent a considerable amount of time getting into Facebook. This includes months of waiting for the artwork to make it perfect. I used the waiting time to piece together the Warhol/Harrington on yesterday's blog post. This sort of thing takes me forever, because I'm not talented that way.

As a result, both the Entertaining Stories, and Lisa Burton Facebook pages were well received. Friends offered me some suggestions about groups, and I'll get there too. Right now, I'm making and accepting friend requests, answering questions, that kind of thing. It's new (to me) and there is a learning curve.

In addition, I used a cool app called PhotoFunia to manipulate some pictures into fun frames and situations. I used these to post the Facebook sites on Twitter. My favorite involved Lisa on the cover of Vogue magazine. Cheesy? Sure, but it catches the eye in the tornado of information on Twitter, and maybe someone will visit the sites.

Several friends invited their social circles to visit the new sites, and I am eternally grateful for you guys.

While all of this was happening, I also exchanged ideas for the cover of The Playground. It seems minimal, and on a writing day it usually is. It might even wait, but there is a danger to putting stuff off too.

Right after I pushed all the buttons yesterday, I made sourdough bread. This one is an oatmeal honey whole wheat bread. I have this cool chokecherry honey I used. It may, or may not, involve chokecherry pollen, but there is a bit of chokecherry juice stirred into it. It even separates and requires stirring. It sounds strange, but it's wonderful. I set the dough out to raise before checking on social media again.

Sourdough usually takes a long time to raise, and I expected to bake it Sunday. I wound up baking it today, and had some for lunch. It turned out amazing. I think the yeast has a thing for chokecherry honey, and that's why it was faster.

We went to the 12, now 13 year old granddaughter's birthday last night. She had friends over for a slumber party, so we took the little ones home for the night. They were pretty crazy after cupcakes and pizza, and you can imagine it wasn't a perfect writing environment. This morning was calmer, but it's hard to write over the top of Ninja Turtles cartoons.

I managed to box up the first 3000 words of The Yak Guy Project and send them to my critique group. It's always nerve wracking showing them something new, but it's one of the best training grounds I have access too.

Tonight is date night, and tomorrow I dedicate my mornings to my parents. All of these people are important to me, and I can't be a writer every minute away from the paycheck job.

I consider it a very successful weekend, and I may snitch a bit of time tomorrow. My wife has to work, and there is still a possibility of some new words. The Facebook pages are live after months of planning. I managed to ship out my critique submission, and worked Twitter regarding my Facebook project. I also updated this blog twice, and will probably post again tomorrow.

There is writing, and then there is writing. This weekend I expanded my footprint, and that's progressive.

I did all of this while still hanging out with my grandchildren, having date night, and will spend some telephone time with my parents tomorrow. I may even have some sourdough toast for breakfast.

How do you guys feel about it? Does anything beyond new words count as writing to you? It has to count that way for me.