Goals & Motivation

Most of us start out the new year with lofty goals and resolutions, but by mid-February we've fallen into old habits and chronic malaise/procrastination/laziness.  This goes for our writing goals as well.  I've found a simple solution that ends my moments of lackadaisicalness (yes, that's a word and how awesome is it?!).  It may sound silly to some, but if it works for me, it might work fo you. 

Sure I have the goal of publication, but that alone isn't always tangible enough to make my inner cheerleader shake her pom-poms.  I need something visual, something I can see as a fun reward.  I've discovered

Lanai, Hawaii

More specifically, the Four Seasons Hotel in Lanai, Hawaii.

MOST specifically, this view and Manele Bay in Lanai, Hawaii

This is my visual motivation.  This is my "one day" reward for hard work and success.  The idea of this view, in person, puts me in motion.

I strive to be a published writer, share my characters with people, and hopefully bring them a little joy and a lot of happily ever afters.  If I accomplish this, my reward to myself will be seeing these images in real life. The idea of it; of sitting in a beach chair by the great Pacific Ocean

gets my cheeks in the chair in front of my computer.  I may be ho-hum about where I am in the story that day, but all I have to do is think of watching frolicking dolphins from my balcony and all ho-hums swim away.

In fact, when I get on these motivation kicks, I text E. Michels and get her all riled up with imagery of mimosas with a view and water spritzing by the pool.  Then she's cheering too and we're both writing with renewed spirits.

It's a motivational snow ball effect and it works!  So next time you're dragging your tail, try it.  Pick a reward for yourself, get a visual, and be specific.  See if that doesn't make you shake your tail into action.

Happy Writing!

I'm Back!

How do we pick up the pieces of life, shuffle them back into order and move on after tragedy?  I talked in my last blog post about losing my writer voice and fighting to get it back.  I struggled for several weeks, unable to think past anything but the sorrow surrounding me and my disheveled life.  Can you say pity party?  Yes, so could I—many times over.  But, then it was time to pull it together and move forward.  The question was, how to do that?

I decided, as a writer, the only way I was going to be normal again was to write.  So, I started writing notes in a word document.  I left it open on the desktop of my computer and would add to it every day.  At first, it was one line per day.  Then, it was two lines.  Soon, I was able to write a paragraph, even though it was similar to tooth extraction.

This was when I realized a valuable fact for any writer: The only way to get past writer’s block is to write. 

I knew I needed to move on and begin work on my next story, and soon.  Days were slipping by and no progress was being made.  It didn’t matter what disaster struck in my life, schedules must be adhered to.  I have goals!  I have dreams!  My mother would not have wanted me to throw that away to wallow in grief over her loss.  So, I pushed on and kept writing.  I finally declared myself healed when I wrote this at two o’clock in the morning one night when I couldn’t sleep…

When this battle began, I thought it was just that; A battle.  Battles are won or lost and the participants on both sides move on; go home.  And yet here I am, stranded in a sea of loss.  There is no end to the gray mist that swirls around my limbs, chaining me to this place.  If I had known where this path led, would I have so readily skipped down it toward my doom?  If I had known the length of the weary hours without rest, would I have been so eager to leave? If I had known then the agony of a hunger for something just out of reach, would I have gone?  I don’t know.  Yes, because I’m stupid and brave that way. 

Where am I?  We will call it a wasteland of everything left behind.  Dreams, hopes and loved ones are buried here.  Everything that once wrapped around me—pulling shards of existence together to make me human, is gone.  I’ve cried.  I’ve screamed.  I’m quite certain I’ve complained.  But now, it‘s time to step free of the mire.  I pull away from this darkness knowing the strange truth that I am blessed. For, I survive. I breathe sweet air.

I can feel the bonds that have held me captive here falling away and I’m thankful.  For, even though night still covers this land, I can hear birds singing in the trees.  Soon it will be daybreak.  The sun will once again shine on me.

I’m back!  I can write again!  A LORD’S BLACK HEART, here I come to tackle you!  My point is this:  If you fear something, do what you fear to overcome it.  If you struggle with something, practice your weakness to overcome it.  And if you have writer’s block, write!

What’s your great comeback story?  I’d love to hear it.

Set The Blood Suckers Free!

As aspiring writers (aka pre-published), there will always be a sea of obstacles to detract from our writing.  Intangible hurdles like doubt, fear, pride and tangible conflicts like family, friends, a full time job, and illness.  Some of this we cannot control, but we need to quit kidding ourselves and admit that a lot of it we CAN control.

You can’t help it if you or a loved one gets sick.  You can’t help it if your job makes you work over time.  You CAN help it if you’re afraid of success or failure.  You CAN help it if someone is sucking the “umph” out of you, intentionally or not.

To speak to the intangible, I’ve seen a bevy of workshops that directly address fear and doubt.  Don’t be ashamed to take one.  Use it as a tax write off!  Another very important tool is having a writing “support group”.  This could be your critique group, but not necessarily.  Go out and find yourself a group of like minded (or somewhat like minded) individuals that love writing and reading and want to grow in their craft.  I recommend you all write in different genres because you’ll be surprised at the insight.  Mingle with these people, share horror stories, your woe, your insecurities, and your strengths.  Socialize with them about more than just writing, lean on each other during the hard times, and party your patootie off during the good!

To speak to the tangible, there are a few things you can do.  If family and friends and your “real job” are consistently taking up huge chunks of your writing time, find a way to carve out a little time for yourself.  This may require a family meeting.  Don’t be scared to call one.

If you’re in a situation that’s only temporarily taking up all your time, use small moments to brainstorm ideas.  Jot notes.  Don’t ever stop writing completely unless you have no other choice.  Writing uses a muscle(s).  I don’t know what they are, all I know is we use ‘em!  If you stop for too long, you have to whip yourself back into shape.  That takes time and at first feels awkward and sluggish.  Even if it’s only fifty words of dialogue a day, never quit cold turkey!

Finally, if it’s something or someone else that’s dimming your shine and they aren’t a best friend or family member, you need step away.  We’ve all had that Negative Nancy co-worker who scoffs at our dream, we all know that casual friend who is an emotional vampire.  She will bleed you dry of all energy and motivation.  Why do we surround ourselves with these people?  If you can’t step away completely, at least limit their exposure.  You are responsible for you.  If Negative Nancy or Emo Emily are exhausting and you find you can’t write for days after dealing with them, it’s time to cut them loose.