I got some great suggestions about my procrastination post yesterday. Thanks everyone!
One person said that once she forces herself to get into it and "just does it" she feels great about it and loves it. (Sorry Suzi, I'm madly paraphasing here)
But that made me think of exercise. I have been exercising now for 1038 days, out of those 1038 I have exercised 957. Yes, I keep track, every day. Some days it's hard to make myself go, and some days I can't wait. Some days I have to force myself to complete my whole program, and some days I feel I can go on forever. But one thing that is consistent is that I always, always, feel better for having done it.
So I'm taking a "just do it" approach to writing from now on. Even if what I write is totally lame, I've always got the revision stage to fix that.
So what about you guys? Where's everyone at with their current projects? Anyone had any major breakthroughs? Exciting news?
I wish you exciting news : like getting picked up by a publisher. You have a fun, delightful blog.
ReplyDeleteWriting is like exercise : you make a habit of it, doing it every day.
For a lark on my blog, I have the ghost of Ernest Hemingway usurping my blog and waxing profound on how to write well. I'm having a good time, and it seems my friends are too.
Have a great mid-week, Roland
I'm close to finishing my first round of major revisions. I already have a list of "to-fix" items for the second round, which depressed me at first. But after I'd thought about it, I realized that I didn't have nearly as much work to do in the second round as I did in the first, so that cheered me up. It's the little things, for sure :).
ReplyDeleteAh, procrastination! Isn't it wonderful? I recently wrote a post (I even included a funny youtube video)about writing and procrastination. I have no problem writing my ideas down, the problem is "editing". Yep! I loathe the editing process and that's why I procrastinate. I have seven stories to be revised for the zillionth time. :( That being said, I try not to put off my projects for too long, otherwise they don't get done at all...and that's a big problem!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Claudia
http://www.claudiadelbalso.blogspot.com
Oh, Claudia, I hate editing too! Like, I would rather get a sensitive area of my body waxed regularly than edit regularly! I received a full request from a publisher yesterday and felt like a moron because guess who didn't put enough time into editing it because she hates editing? Bet you'll never guess! I'm trying to be very careful with my current WIP so I won't have that much editing to do this time. (HA!).
ReplyDeleteI hear you - I love to procrastinate. I am making some progress with my current WiP though, I'm just forcing myself to sit down and write and it's just happening.
ReplyDeleteMy next goal is to get back into the exercising--this one is MUCH harder ;)
I think that is a very wise approach, Melissa. Writing requires as much or more self-discipline as exercizing! And usually once we get going, we find ourselves making progress, strengthening our writing muscles, and building stamina.
ReplyDeleteBravo girl, you are the exercise queen. All week I've been trying to eat healthy and get some fresh air and the eating healthy part is KILLING me.
ReplyDeleteSomebody get me some grease. Stat!
*clears throat* Okay, anyway. You're right, you just have to make yourself get the writing done and clean up the mess later. (Easier said than done, since I'm not taking my own advice. Shhhh.)
That's why I love the nanowrimo theory. However, I will say, that on my next work, I'm going to revise a bit as I go. Having 50K+ words to revise is kinda daunting.