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Saturday, March 4, 2017

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF BESEIGED BY LIFE!




"Maybe the wolf is in love with the moon.
And each month, he howls for the love
he will never be able to touch."
-Samuel McCord


In the past two days, I have worked 24 hours ...

And as you might expect, there has been precious LITTLE time for me to write on my latest dream.

HAS LIFE EVER GOTTEN IN THE WAY OF YOUR DREAMS?


“That's what happens to dreams, life gets in the way.”    ― Jodi Picoult, Handle With Care


Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.

As a young man, Arnold decided to get up 30 minutes earlier than he wanted and to study for an entire year a subject he wanted to know better.

I decided to do that as well.  It works for me even in this harsh, time-draining job of mine.  I get up 15 minutes early and stay up 15 minutes later to get in a little writing.

Sometimes life insists on her way, and I let her ... for a day or two.  But then, I fall back into the pattern again.



A young man was told by his physician that because of his neuro-muscular disease, he would only be 70% all his days.  


He grew depressed.  He sat channel surfing and came upon Arnold in PREDATOR.

He thought to himself:
"70% of Arnold?  Why not?"
  
And so began his long, grueling days of physical training. 


 He now looks like a lean tiger and moves more graceful than before the diagnosis.

There is a path if we but look for it.

We bloggers are better writers for we know we are not alone.


 All of this is too general?

How can we write when there is so much pressing in on us?


1. Pinpoint Underlying Issues.

 

If you've always wanted to write and aren't doing it, invest some thought in figuring out the source of your writer's block. 

Is it a fear of failure, a longstanding tendency to procrastinate, or something as simple as a lack of writing space?
Find the flaw -- then, map out a plan to deal with it.

 

2. Just Say "No."

 

Time is limited, and for most people, the demands on their time are unlimited. 
Once you've determined what you want to say yes to, the ability to say no becomes an important muscle to build.

While your writing time should not be the most important thing in your life, 

it should give way only for the more important things in your life.


3. Schedule Time to Write.

 


It's not glamorous or exciting to adhere to a schedule, but it really does help. 



If you work full-time, it may actually be easier to establish a regular time each day in which to write.


Get up early and write before you leave the house, 


take a notepad with you to lunch, or stop off at a coffee shop on your way home.


 4. Resist the Impulse to Overdo It.


If you're the kind of person who tends to throw yourself into a new project only to burn out after a week or two,


consider giving yourself stop times for writing.

 

5. Know That It Won't Always Be Easy.

You may be more tired at the end of the day.

Some social obligations might get pushed aside.

Your family might have to pitch in.

Decide what you're willing to sacrifice for a few hours a week dedicated to writing.

Most of us have obligations we can't avoid, but if you're determined, you can manage both.


At the same time, 
be content with whatever you can realistically give to your writing. 
Even an hour a day adds up over time.



What do you do when life presses in on you?
How do you cope with
Time's
strangle-hold on your
writing?

8 comments:

  1. Can't remember his name, but I've heard the story of the seventy percent of Arnold before.
    With writing, play to your strengths. If you are a binge writer and work best under pressure, set yourself up to do just that.
    And those were some ambitious episodes of Flash, weren't they?

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    1. Yes, those episodes were! Glad to find another Flash fan. I just want what they spent on CGI for those episodes! :-)

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  2. And it gets no easier once you retire. I didn't know that about Arnold and it makes me respect him. Your advice here applies not only to writers, of course, but to all of us. Thanks, and I hope you have a good day.

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    1. Different seasons of life bring different, but no less grueling, demands, right? May this new week bring you only happy surprises!

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  3. I used to get up at 4 and write until 7. It worked and I did get some projects accomplished. The problem was that by 8PM I was ready for bed when everyone else was just getting started. Here's to a great week, Roland.

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    1. Maybe get up at 6 and write for a half-hour? :-) May your new week be swell (only me and Clark Kent use 'swell' I know.) :-)

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  4. Sometimes I have to put writing aside for a while. These days, I'm focused on editing, admin, publicity efforts, etc., but it's bearable because I know I'll be returning to the page soon.

    I used to squeeze writing in amidst three other jobs, so it's possible. Progress was just slower.

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    1. Amidst 3 other jobs! Whew! I can barely find time to write with my one. My Stetson's off to you, J. H. :-)

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