Feb
No Excuses
I spent a lot of my life at the shallow end of the pool. With four children in a nine year span, there was always someone who couldn’t swim. I sat on the steps, holding the bobbing baby, while everyone else explored and played Marco Polo. All those scary rides at amusement parks? I could never go on them, because there were always one or two kids who did not measure up to the “You must be this tall to ride†sign. So, I had perfectly legitimate excuses for sitting still. My mascara wasn’t running and my heart wasn’t racing. I was safe.
I can’t blame the kids anymore for holding me back. I’ve made lots of excuses for why I don’t write: the muse is on a cruise, I’m too tired, I can’t think so early in the morning, I’m a pantser without a plot. You know what? I’ve learned I have to dogpaddle out to the deep end and spin upside down even when I don’t want to. Last year, I tried to write a little every day. I didn’t set huge, insurmountable goals for myself. I’m already on a guilt trip as it is—there are always too many things to do and not enough hours in the day to do them. I have more time on the weekends, so if I don’t write a lot on a weekday, I don’t beat myself up but try to make it up.
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I do find, though, that if I state publicly that I’m going to do X by date Y, it usually happens. This year my goal is to revise one of the books under the bed (almost done!), revise and query
Do you write every day? What’s your favorite excuse not to? How are your writing goals holding up so far in 2008?
No comment.
Really, the guilt is bound to get me moving soon, don’t you think? And I’m not sure how you can say you don’t write enough when you write more than just about anyone I know. Slow down already, you’re giving the rest of us a complex! LOL!
February 24th, 2008 at 10:11 amTerrio, you have a kidlet and a job and school and tons of stuff! VERY good excuses! I could never have written when the kids were home. I am in awe of YOU!
February 24th, 2008 at 10:54 amI write every day… except when I finish a book, then I take a break. If I’m not writing, I’m revising/editing.
I’m like you Maggie, once I make a declaration or commitment to something out loud… I usually go with it/hold myself to it. I can’t wait for paradise… and MBM…
February 24th, 2008 at 12:46 pmTiff, I’ll expect you to crack your famous whip…
February 24th, 2008 at 1:58 pmOh, Maggie, I wish I could use all that as an excuse but I’ve read about too many other authors who do this with even more on their plate. But thanks for making me feel better.
February 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pmMaggie…I am the queen of procrastination! So far I feel like I am on a roll, but its only February, and my inner editor/pessimist is telling me that by November I’ll be cramming bc I will put it all off until then
But seriously, I do try to write everyday. If I’m not writing everyday I am doing something writing related to keep me motivated, whether that is checking my loop emails, blogging, reading writing magazines or craft books, reading in general, researching, etc… I always do something.
When my muse is on a cruise, all I have to do is sit at the keyboard, listen to some music and write out a few lines of crap, soon enough the crap looks pretty good
Happy Writing!
February 25th, 2008 at 2:23 pmThere aren’t many days when I don’t write, and on those rare days, I’m usually doing something writing related such as edits or promo. I decided at the start of my writing career that I needed to write a certain amount each day, and this year I’ve certainly stuck to this. Some days the words come easy and other days they’re painfully slow! There are some days I start thinking about housework with longing, but I don’t go to bed without my word total completed.
I’ve signed up for Sweating with Sven, which starts on 1 March. I have lofty ambitions and definitely need something to pitch at Nationals.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am