Time to get serious about not growing up

I bought some Christmas paper today.  And some bows.  This is scary for two reasons:

1) It is only November 6th - what the heck am I playing at?

and

2) I have vowed to get the first draft of Hide and See completed before Christmas and buying Christmas-related products is making that seem awfully close.

When I wrote my chapter plan and made my above-mentioned-vow, I set myself the task of writing three chapters a week.  After having numerous deadlines for the MA it felt a little strange and unproductive to suddenly have none.  Therefore, I am turning myself into my own little university-lecturer-deadline-setter.  Except, you know, without the university qualification thing at the end of it.

Thus far (one week in) it seems to be working fairly well.  I have completed this week's three chapters.  Gold star for me.  Whether they're any good remains to be seen.  One chapter I'm not very happy with, one I think is okay, and the third I'm quite pleased with.  Not bad really.  At least I don't think all of them are utter bollocks.

My new book arrived a few days ago but I'm only one chapter in.  This isn't because the book isn't any good - on the contrary.  Much of my time this week has instead been spent looking for jobs, not finding them and then stressing about said lack of progress.  That stressing part has been done with particular gusto.

This is part of the motivation behind completing my first draft before Christmas.  If I really am serious about doing the whole novel writing thing and hoping to publish one day (fingers, toes, everything crossed) then I'd better crack on.  No use sitting around wishing it would happen.  Here's me being proactive.  Or delusional.  Or both.

The fact of the matter is I go a little insane if I don't write - I might as well try and get paid pittance for it.