It's June. Kiddo is home for the summer and the Writing Gods seem to have a knack for cramming tight deadlines into the whims, wants, and needs of bored school children with a sudden expansive estate of open, unstructured time. That's right, my "writing" days of free time, alone, by myself, uninterrupted, are gone until the middle of August.
So let's talk about excuses. This is a PERFECT time for me to say, meh, guess I can't write today--gotta watch the child, got to clean the house, got to make babysitting plans for the days I work. All of those sound like the easy way out of writing. They are. These days/weeks/months (summer, for me, other times for you) turn into the best excuses. It just makes sense to "take a break" or "relax a little."
For me, however, the excuses (even mine) are heard for what they are: procrastination with a backstory.
While it seems very convenient to bow down to the Writing Gods' will and just give in, because, hey, the kid's got to eat/play/be taken to gymnastics, this scenario is totally the tunnel painted onto the brick wall. I will slam into that sucker at full speed if I'm not careful and by the time I come to, months will have past and no writing will have been done.
What I have discovered over the years is that the kryptonite of excuses is dedication and a plan. As I mentioned above, I'm working on some tight deadlines right now. If these dates aren't hit, I will crumble. I need to hit my mark each time in order to feel progress within myself. A sense of accomplishment cannot come without measured goals, after all.
What I didn't mention above is that these deadlines which are so tight and foreboding are my own. This is where dedication comes in. Yep, they are MY push on myself to produce X amount of work by Y date. If I miss them, no one but me notices. If I hit them, no one but me notices. The key is that I'm building and nurturing a discipline for myself which is productive. And each time I build up a new discipline, I find it easier to tack a little more on.
Initially (ten/twelve years ago?) my writing discipline was about just shitting or getting off the pot in terms of writing regularly. Then, I started to make it a daily goal. Then, because I had written, I began a routine of regular editing paired with daily writing. All of this is to say that there was, in fact, a summer season during each year of my discipline journey and each year I've grown better able to tackle the excuses and power through the temptation to "just take a break for a little while." I manage my time tighter to offer loads of interaction with kiddo followed by down time where we each do our own thing, mine being writing.
So, as the Writing Gods poke and prod at my deadlines, and glare at my late nights spend hunched over the keyboard, I know that I'm creating something here that I'll be proud of come fall. To me, that is more satisfying than any well said excuse.
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Looking Backward, Looking Forward
New Territory and a New Title
And then it occurred to me: I'm in a brand new territory I've never seen before. I've written many books, but never taken one of them this far before. This is the farthest I've ever been from the Shire. (*If you're a geek and got that reference, pat yourself on the back.)
I want to underline for you how great it feels to push yourself. Challenge yourself daily, weekly, monthly, whatever. But do not let your days bleed into one another. Instead, mark each day with an asterisk. Make them noteworthy in your life and for yourself and/or others around you. (Note the "and/or" there. It's okay to pick you as the only one enriched.) That's what I feel like I've been doing by quietly working on this book while the rest of the world slept. I'm proud of each day I put into it.
That said, I've also played around a lot with the title. Burning Spirit always felt like a placeholder for me, so now, the current working title is The Flame Wars. That's how I'll pitch it from now on and if further down the road it needs changed, then I'll change it again. So there you have it.
* The Flame Wars by Margaret Telsch-Williams *
I rather like it. What do you think?
Day 27: The Sprint to the Finish
Today's word goal is 45,000. Yes. When you hit this day's goal, you have only 5,000 words left to write this month.
While I know by now the pure exhaustion of NaNo is wearing you away (it sure is for me), consider the fact that you have written 45,000 words already. Forty-five thousand! Five is practically a piece of cake. You can do it. Take this last day of this last weekend of this month and rock the hell out of it.
Don't give up. Write.
This is the sprint to the finish and I challenge you to do it, no matter if you're ahead in your words or behind. This is the time for making the choice to see your story through to the end and beyond. Whether you have more plot than 50,000 words can handle or you're coming up short, hitting the 50K, validating your word count on the NaNo site, and seeing your little bar light up purple is a great feeling.
Take this day. Write. Fulfill the goal you set before November 1st.
What's keeping you going? (Coffee is an understood answer.)
While I know by now the pure exhaustion of NaNo is wearing you away (it sure is for me), consider the fact that you have written 45,000 words already. Forty-five thousand! Five is practically a piece of cake. You can do it. Take this last day of this last weekend of this month and rock the hell out of it.
Don't give up. Write.
This is the sprint to the finish and I challenge you to do it, no matter if you're ahead in your words or behind. This is the time for making the choice to see your story through to the end and beyond. Whether you have more plot than 50,000 words can handle or you're coming up short, hitting the 50K, validating your word count on the NaNo site, and seeing your little bar light up purple is a great feeling.
Take this day. Write. Fulfill the goal you set before November 1st.
What's keeping you going? (Coffee is an understood answer.)
Day 18: Flying High at 30,000 Words
Today's goal in NaNoLand is 30,000 words. 30,000!!!! This is an amazing feat for starting at zero only 18 days ago.
Hitting 30,000 words is a confirmation that your hard work, day after day, is not only piling up, but also turning into a massive collection. This isn't some little story idea that maybe you will write some day. This is the commitment you've made to yourself and kept.
Take a minute to acknowledge how awesome that aspect of you is and just soak up the satisfaction.
By 30,000 words, your story should be coming right along. Sometimes the pace of the story alone and the action involved and the characters' wants start to drive you to your computer or notebook each day to write more and more.
30K is also 3/5ths of the way done with this crazy whirlwind of a writing adventure you either started planning months ago, or decided to do somewhere near the end of October. These wacko commitments we make to ourselves to write novels in months and tell our friends about (or keep a secret for fear of ridicule), these are the commitments character is built on.
When you "win" with 50K, you can look back and be proud of who you chose to be in November.
What inspires you in your own writing? Leave comments below.
Hitting 30,000 words is a confirmation that your hard work, day after day, is not only piling up, but also turning into a massive collection. This isn't some little story idea that maybe you will write some day. This is the commitment you've made to yourself and kept.
Take a minute to acknowledge how awesome that aspect of you is and just soak up the satisfaction.
By 30,000 words, your story should be coming right along. Sometimes the pace of the story alone and the action involved and the characters' wants start to drive you to your computer or notebook each day to write more and more.
30K is also 3/5ths of the way done with this crazy whirlwind of a writing adventure you either started planning months ago, or decided to do somewhere near the end of October. These wacko commitments we make to ourselves to write novels in months and tell our friends about (or keep a secret for fear of ridicule), these are the commitments character is built on.
When you "win" with 50K, you can look back and be proud of who you chose to be in November.
What inspires you in your own writing? Leave comments below.
Day 6: Milestone Celebrations
Hello, little Wrimos, this is a day to make a small celebration in honor of yourself. By midnight tonight, provided you're writing 1667 words every day, you should see your odometer of words roll over 10,000.
I am siting at 9325 after having written 700some words this morning and cannot wait. I've already bought a celebratory bottle of Dr. Pepper (one of my few vices and cheaper than my favorite wine) and plan to chill tonight before the rush of a new work week hits me in the morning.
While this small, meager amount of 10,000 words is only a fifth of the way to finished, if you don't celebrate the milestones as you pass them, you might not appreciate the journey you're on with your novel and your writing. If you overlook 10K, shrug your shoulders, and move on, then what's the point? Each 10,000 should give you pause and encourage you to continue forward, whether it's the first 10,000 or 110,000.
Sure, you might just want to tell your story, or have hopes to publish your novel and have it become a bestseller, but the road to a finished novel is paved in actual words, not wants.
So, throw yourself a tiny party today (after you hit the big 10K, of course), take a long bath, drink some wine or soda you normally deprive yourself of, eat the rest of the Halloween candy, or dance a gig in the middle of your house while yodeling. I might even hula hoop today! Whatever it is, have fun with it, enjoy the moment, and then get back to work on that story tomorrow.
How will you celebrate the milestone?
I am siting at 9325 after having written 700some words this morning and cannot wait. I've already bought a celebratory bottle of Dr. Pepper (one of my few vices and cheaper than my favorite wine) and plan to chill tonight before the rush of a new work week hits me in the morning.
While this small, meager amount of 10,000 words is only a fifth of the way to finished, if you don't celebrate the milestones as you pass them, you might not appreciate the journey you're on with your novel and your writing. If you overlook 10K, shrug your shoulders, and move on, then what's the point? Each 10,000 should give you pause and encourage you to continue forward, whether it's the first 10,000 or 110,000.
Sure, you might just want to tell your story, or have hopes to publish your novel and have it become a bestseller, but the road to a finished novel is paved in actual words, not wants.
So, throw yourself a tiny party today (after you hit the big 10K, of course), take a long bath, drink some wine or soda you normally deprive yourself of, eat the rest of the Halloween candy, or dance a gig in the middle of your house while yodeling. I might even hula hoop today! Whatever it is, have fun with it, enjoy the moment, and then get back to work on that story tomorrow.
How will you celebrate the milestone?
Don't Let the Wish Grow Cold
Well, here we are, sitting around, twiddling our thumbs, and waiting for midnight to come for the official start of this year's NaNoWriMo. (If you aren't part of this, but want to make the attempt at writing a novel in a month, it's not too late to sign up at the NaNoWriMo website.)
As with NaNo and any other creative endeavor, a little encouragement goes a long way.
If at all possible, surround yourself with the types of people (family, friends, online acquaintances) that support you. In my experience, even knowing one person is watching your back and wants you to succeed can be a stronger fuel than 100 naysayers you want to prove wrong.
There will always be those who "caution" you against falling flat on your face. These people are quite frankly afraid to see you succeed because trying so hard at something non-standard isn't their bag. I don't know of any artist who hasn't had to overcome some "friendly advice" of people who aren't interested in trying harder than the average.
If you're going to make your dream a reality and you're going to do crazy, off the wall things, like write a novel in a month or make the declaration to achieve something no one else around you has done, then be prepared to shed from your creative living space the "helpful warnings" as well as those who speak them.
When you look back on this month of November, or back on any project you set out to do, you want to see yourself as the person who did. The person who gave their all and completed the task. If you're starting out with NaNo for the first time this year, or if you've tried before and didn't "win," then know that I think this is your year. This is your year to sit back on December 1st and say, "Hot damn, I did it," and glow with an inner light you may not be familiar with.
If you have no one else in your life to support you, know that I support you. Know that you can do this. Be determined to achieve your goals. As the Evil Queen instructs Snow White before biting the apple, "Don't let the wish grow cold."
As with NaNo and any other creative endeavor, a little encouragement goes a long way.
If at all possible, surround yourself with the types of people (family, friends, online acquaintances) that support you. In my experience, even knowing one person is watching your back and wants you to succeed can be a stronger fuel than 100 naysayers you want to prove wrong.
There will always be those who "caution" you against falling flat on your face. These people are quite frankly afraid to see you succeed because trying so hard at something non-standard isn't their bag. I don't know of any artist who hasn't had to overcome some "friendly advice" of people who aren't interested in trying harder than the average.
If you're going to make your dream a reality and you're going to do crazy, off the wall things, like write a novel in a month or make the declaration to achieve something no one else around you has done, then be prepared to shed from your creative living space the "helpful warnings" as well as those who speak them.
When you look back on this month of November, or back on any project you set out to do, you want to see yourself as the person who did. The person who gave their all and completed the task. If you're starting out with NaNo for the first time this year, or if you've tried before and didn't "win," then know that I think this is your year. This is your year to sit back on December 1st and say, "Hot damn, I did it," and glow with an inner light you may not be familiar with.
If you have no one else in your life to support you, know that I support you. Know that you can do this. Be determined to achieve your goals. As the Evil Queen instructs Snow White before biting the apple, "Don't let the wish grow cold."
The All Important "Platform"
The buzz around Ye Ol' Water Cooler these days is "platform." This is a word that's been floating around for a while now in the writing and social media communities, and while I kind of shield my eyes from these things (knowing damn well I shouldn't), it is vitally important if you have any hopes of showing the world who you are. Want to get started?
How to Know Your Work is Ready for Submission
When it comes down to being a writer, if you aren't wholly in it for the joy and pain of fiction, there is inevitably a time when you must submit your work. Whether to a publication, an agent, or a publisher, your writing, your flesh and blood final draft versions of stories that fell out of your head, have to leave the nest and you have to watch from the front door and see if they have wings. But how do you know your stories, novels, essays, poems are ready?
Your Literary Shelf Life
I have an assignment for you. One that takes you away from the screen you're in front of right now (you know, the box where your friends are?) and sends you out into the world. Don't worry this won't be hard and I'll even ease you, calm your nerves, pat your little head while I tell you a story about me. If you want a story about someone else, so somewhere else. Right?
But this is about me and you, mostly me, but also mostly you. I'm worried about my literary shelf life and I don't know that you've even thought about yours. Now, that's not to say I think I'm tough shit or anything, and I'm not talking about those 15 minutes of fame everyone else has. I'm talking about your works' actual, physical, and very real life on the shelf.
But this is about me and you, mostly me, but also mostly you. I'm worried about my literary shelf life and I don't know that you've even thought about yours. Now, that's not to say I think I'm tough shit or anything, and I'm not talking about those 15 minutes of fame everyone else has. I'm talking about your works' actual, physical, and very real life on the shelf.
Welcome to 2011
Just a quick Happy New Year to all. I hope everyone reads as much as they want, writes as much as they can, and enjoys the time we have together. For me New Year's day is kind of like Thanksgiving as I reflect on all that I have going right in my life and find ways to foster that feeling into the other elements that are a little less than ideal.
By now I'm about 80% done setting my goals (not resolutions) and look forward to kicking some literary ass and taking some names this year with writing, revisions, and submissions. I hope you have as much inspiration and gusto to do the same. Enjoy this day and the others still in front of you in 2011!
By now I'm about 80% done setting my goals (not resolutions) and look forward to kicking some literary ass and taking some names this year with writing, revisions, and submissions. I hope you have as much inspiration and gusto to do the same. Enjoy this day and the others still in front of you in 2011!
Why No One Needs Resolutions
Tomorrow is the last day of the year and by this time everyone around me and on TV is talking about resolutions. Everyone decides to quit doing something or start doing something else. Then, by February, all bets are off and everyone has gone back to “normal.” Resolutions are only good with follow through, motivation, accountability, and reward. Anyone can say they want to lose ten pounds. I can say that and probably could afford to lose more than that, but saying it and doing it are two different beasts of burden all together. One is a cute little kitty that looks appealing and fluffy. The other is a vicious lion with blood streaking through its fur and zebra skin still dangling from its teeth as it growls and swipes at the sky with its red tinged claws out.
Sending the Fledglings Out of the Nest
Tomorrow I send out the first of many fiction submissions in almost a year. Hey, life happens. Am I a little nervous? Well, yeah. Of course I am, however the business of writing involves a lot of rejections before you start getting acceptances so I'd rather start getting material out there and receiving rejections already so I can get that much closer to an acceptance.
The best thing about this is that I already know exactly what story I'm going to start revising next and I already know exactly where I'm going to send it. This makes things much more steady, holding the wheel and steering straight ahead, not looking back or getting distracted. I wish these little stories luck, and while I hope for but don't expect instant publications, I look forward to the critiques (from those who give them) to keep pushing my craft and sending these little birds of stories out into the world.
The best thing about this is that I already know exactly what story I'm going to start revising next and I already know exactly where I'm going to send it. This makes things much more steady, holding the wheel and steering straight ahead, not looking back or getting distracted. I wish these little stories luck, and while I hope for but don't expect instant publications, I look forward to the critiques (from those who give them) to keep pushing my craft and sending these little birds of stories out into the world.
NaNoWriMo 2010 is complete
Here I am, victorious to my word count beast and I'm thrilled to death to get so many good stories out of NaNo (25 is now my new total for the 52 Story Pick Up). If I could I'd lay in the sand somewhere (because I don't like snow) and run my arms and legs back and forth to make an angel, I would.
There's both a sense of accomplishment and relief that comes from writing so many words in such a ridiculously short period of time that confirms you must be crazy to do such a thing. So here I am...TA DA! Done!
So, do I take a break? Hell yeah! I'll give myself a few days to let the fingers cool and then the real challenge begins. Writing more new material and revising what I have. My hopes are to clean up one story at a time and send it out into the world like a little fledgling bird hoping one day it will fly back to me with a check in its beak instead of a rejection letter, but only time, energy, and revision will tell.
There's both a sense of accomplishment and relief that comes from writing so many words in such a ridiculously short period of time that confirms you must be crazy to do such a thing. So here I am...TA DA! Done!
So, do I take a break? Hell yeah! I'll give myself a few days to let the fingers cool and then the real challenge begins. Writing more new material and revising what I have. My hopes are to clean up one story at a time and send it out into the world like a little fledgling bird hoping one day it will fly back to me with a check in its beak instead of a rejection letter, but only time, energy, and revision will tell.
A Swift Kick in the Pants
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. That's the saying right? Let me just say, a whole lot of life has been happening and nowhere near enough fiction writing. As I think I've said before, I do freelance writing as my "day job" and fiction on the side. This is proving a fatal experience for my spirit and as freelancing work rises, the lifeblood of fiction drops. My freelance job is draining me and there's been no recharge. This doesn't make one happy.
So, since I'm turning 32 in two days, I'm determined to get back on track (since I may die soon). I say this in jest, of course we all "may" die soon, but every birthday is when I kind of glance behind me and this year I was none too pleased at what I saw on the fiction writing front. That being said, I'm going to storm into my brain and give it a big shake down. I'm tossing out all the old furniture, turning the lights up, and cleaning this place from top to bottom.
It's like when I was little and my mom would clean the house and then say something like, "there are going to be a lot of changes around here because this house will never look like that again." Only I'm going to tell my brain that. I'm going to put myself on lockdown if I have to! In the next couple of days I'm going to come up with a plan for the year ahead where fiction is concerned and by God I'm going to hit my goals and flip off freelance writing when I need to. Not that freelance is bad, it's not, it pays my bills, but I end up writing about installing fence posts until midnight instead of working on my writing. This will be big and there will be casualties, but story writing needs to get back on the front burner. I'll let you know what I come up with asap. Any suggestions?
So, since I'm turning 32 in two days, I'm determined to get back on track (since I may die soon). I say this in jest, of course we all "may" die soon, but every birthday is when I kind of glance behind me and this year I was none too pleased at what I saw on the fiction writing front. That being said, I'm going to storm into my brain and give it a big shake down. I'm tossing out all the old furniture, turning the lights up, and cleaning this place from top to bottom.
It's like when I was little and my mom would clean the house and then say something like, "there are going to be a lot of changes around here because this house will never look like that again." Only I'm going to tell my brain that. I'm going to put myself on lockdown if I have to! In the next couple of days I'm going to come up with a plan for the year ahead where fiction is concerned and by God I'm going to hit my goals and flip off freelance writing when I need to. Not that freelance is bad, it's not, it pays my bills, but I end up writing about installing fence posts until midnight instead of working on my writing. This will be big and there will be casualties, but story writing needs to get back on the front burner. I'll let you know what I come up with asap. Any suggestions?
The Positives of Goals
There’s a beauty to accomplishing a big task, especially when it comes to writing. Sure, deep down we all want to be recognized for our work, whether it’s by our friends, co-workers, family, or Matt Lauer. No matter the form of acknowledgement, we all want to see something come of the fruits of our labor. But what comes before this sparkling recognition and cheer? Work. Lots and lots of independent, isolated, secluded work.
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