Okay, it's a bit corny. But music with a good rhythm really helps me, and I am nothing if not a product of the 80s. Dork that I am, I now hear in my mind...
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| Yes, a cassette tape. Remember? |
Seek ROW80 that's where the party's at
And you'll find out if you're behind
Pump up the Am pump it up
A pump it up yo pump it
I don't want the words to stray
Get your fingers on the keyboard
Make my day
Now that I've shared my totally uncool ways to motivate myself, it's time to focus on the "I Am" statements.
I am going to write.
I haven't been making this the priority I should. I've overwhelmed with commitments, so I try to knock out the easiest ones first. Plus, my brain is so junked up and scattered, I'm finding it hard to focus enough to write. My priority is to write first thing in the day, before my brain can be distracted. Kids on bus, mom to write.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle
Or, even more straight to the point: there will not be word progress without writing.
I am going to embrace structure.
Schedules and organization are normally my friend, but I lost my way this summer. Yesterday, I sat down and wrote out six pages of to-dos. Yes, six pages. I have been dreading writing them all down and realizing just how behind I am. But now I know. Knowledge is power, right? Beside each item I put a deadline date and assigned hours in the day to accomplish the task. I should have done this weeks ago.
"Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on." Les Brown
I am going to stop making excuses.
My life is full. Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed. Truly. But my days are helter skelter and overloaded as so many of ours are. It's an easy excuse, but excuses won't get my next book done. I am bad about the word No, as I clearly demonstrated in my BlogHer featured post: The Art of Saying No (To More than Just My Kids).
"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing." Walt Disney
Or, as we southern ladies like to say, "get to gettin'".
What inspires you to shake a bad week or shake your excuses and just move forward with your goals?
*****
My A Round of Words in 80 Days (ROW80) Update
Writing: I spent a lot of my hour each day staring at a blank page, thanks to my overcrowded brain. I did manage to pump out a scene or two. Not sure how good they are, but I need to get the story moving again.
Editing: I need to write a post on flashbacks and pacing and ask my writer and reader friends for input. I'm having a tough time with a current editing job on these two issues. It's such a good story, but the flashbacks are affecting the pacing, and I'm finding it slowing me down as a reader. Not I'm struggling with how to fix it.
Reading: Too many books, too little time... especially for ones that are disappointing. Although I didn't really love Anne Lamott's Blue Shoe, it wasn't enough of a mess to have me give up on her. Please keep checking Mom in Love with Fiction for my "reader" thoughts.
Social Media: This has become my albatross, the thing I just can't get out from under. I owe you all comments and support, and for that I'm sorry.
Blogging: When will I ever learn? Blogging daily is just not what I need to be doing right now. In October, I'm going back to Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. It's enough. Why not now, you ask? It's a quirk in my character. Once I say Yes, I'm no quitter.
Hope everyone is Pumping Up the Am!
9 comments:
Ah, the overactive brain--I've got one of those these days, too, and it is a sheer iceberg capsizing all words that come near.
How do I shake a bad week? I just write stream of consciousness--what I'm ticked off about, or sad about; often that enters into a scene and I'm off.
It's too bad that you feel you can't blog everyday--I enjoy your posts, even if I only lurk most of the time *blushes in shame*. But hey, I am such a bad blogger, I cannot imagine blogging every day. I can hardly make twice a week. I do think it may help you to concentrate on your writing--at least it has helped me.
Hang in there.
Heh, yes, absolutely, cut back on the social media! Everyone is emphasizing platform so much these days, but I recently read about a survey of indie authors that came to the conclusion that those who did the least promotion were the most successful -- because they did the most writing! :)
I love the Aristotle quote. Hadn't heard that one before. I think I have to swipe it. *g*
Good luck in getting back to the writing! And if you need help staying away from the Internet, try Freedom or Self-Restraint (software). Tried out the second one myself recently, since it's free, and I may end up using it regularly!
Did everyone have that kind of week? This afternoon I truly was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. It was a beautiful autumn day here in Wisconsin. I was coming unglued because I wasn't able to get outside (there were a lot of factors in my life just then. I wasn't being a baby about just wanting to be outdoors). I finally got to spend an hour outside in my little woods. That's probably what helps me the most to get my focus back - getting fresh air and sunshine. Then when I came in the house - well you can read my blog. http://writingwhaticanwhenican.blogspot.com/2012/09/have-i-fallen-apart.html
But sometimes the dumbest thing get me back on track. It never seems to be something I do myself.
I'm with Elizabeth in just writing about me and my problems in a journal-type setting when life gets me down. It helps to work through some issues "on paper" and see what might be causing the problems, or at least vent about them. After about half an hour of this, I feel balanced enough to try to get back to it.
Blogging every day must be exhausting. I can barely keep up with my RoW posts twice a week. Good luck finishing up the month so you can lighten up the load a little in October.
By not having so much crap on my plate that I can't think. I tend to dump the crap and leave it for later when I get overwhelmed. Then I tackle it one tiiiiiny bite at a time. Mondays are always the worst. I don't work on the weekends so it's a catchup day (as you can probably tell from all my comments on your blog today). I'm proofreading today as well. I have a release next Tuesday!! EEK! Gotta start formatting tomorrow.
Tiiiiime is NOT on my siiide, no it's not! (50 pts if you can name the movie) LOL
WRITE ON!
I am going to stop making excuses. >> I so have to do this!
We're almost done with this round! I'm freaking out LOL
I really lost my structure and progress over the summer too. I've felt like the last few weeks have been about reestablishing that. The first couple of weeks were reactive as I knocked off those things on my list that outside obligations had placed on me. Now I'm finally getting to the meat on my list, my own proactive part.
I hope it turns that way for you, Tia.
Best wishes finding that groove with writing!
Can I please copy and paste this post to my own blog? Kidding...but your life mirrors mine: blessed, and with that comes an overloaded brain and a plate of 1,000 things to do.
Getting up before the others to write is what I'm striving for!
Elizabeth, I love the writing "stream" and I'm working on that. Finally found some focus just in time for R4!
Ruth, Please do. Aristotle is for sharing!
Chris, I think most writers had that kind of round. Don't know what we were all drinking/thinking in R3, but here's the R4!
Mike, Loving journalling! And no more daily blogging for me. Not for awhile. It's a brain drain.
Jo, Help me. Can't name the movie!
Juliana, Me, too. I'm hoping R4 is excuse-free. Just acceptance of what is.
Julie, R4 is all about groove!
Ainsley, I'm striving for always writing first.
Wishing everyone luck with R4!
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