Monthly Archives: December 2016

“You can’t wait for inspiration…”

“you have to go after it with a club.” –Jack London.

Seems lately I’ve been using a feather, at best.

I came across this list from WritetoDone.

Item #26–freewriting–reminded me to revisit The Accidental Genius by Mark Levy. If I had to narrow down my library to ten books, this would be one of them. [Reminder: This is a no-shilling-for-compensation blog. If I like something for my own purposes, I’ll mention it and hope it helps readers.]

My own additions to the list of inspiration sources:

  • A work in your field of interest/genre that you think you could substantially improve.
  • A previously successful work of your own.
  • An addendum to item #8 [Music]: Some writers loop one selection to help them achieve flow. This article might help explain what’s going on.

Okay, so I’m now inspired. Time to find my version of a Jack London club.

There is nothing like…

a morning shower to prep me for a good solid morning of procrastination.

I’m refreshed and much more alert to my messy desk, my dog Boo’s need for a morning walk, and the burned-out light bulb in the kitchen.

And don’t get me started on my workstation’s recent quirkiness.

But there’s hope: I remind myself that as long as I’m doing this work not just for me, but for my wife [and yes, the dog has to be fed and sheltered], I can usually overcome resistance.

And by god, if I didn’t just buckle down and work a couple of hours on a manuscript…so bravo.

Here are some other worthwhile anti-procrastination strategies from getbuttonedup.com . 

Now, back to that messy desk. And a meaningless football game on TV. And the dog walk…

Working past the resistance…

I guess I should blame it on the steady lineup of Hallmark Christmas movies I have to watch. [A thought: Does Hallmark own the trademark on deceased moms/wives?]

But I’m getting there.

I’m working on a cooled-off draft of a story I’ll be sending out

And I’m listening to the voice of Steven Pressfield:

Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.    The War of Art

I wish that guy would just leave me alone. But nooooo, I just had to read that book and I can’t even watch a Hallmark movie without these two questions running through my mind: 1. Shouldn’t I be doing my own writing?   2. What would I change in this story?

So, back to my other writing…

Writing Warmup for December 22

This was his only chance…

 

***

This was his only chance.

James pushed the elevator button for the fifth floor and waited. The lady next to him gave him a side glance. That made him nervous. Everything made him nervous. But this lady had nothing to do with his sales pitch. And yet, there was yet another side glance.

Look away, lady. Can’t you see I’m working on something here?

She turned to him and said, “Can I give you a bit of advice?”

James shrugged. “About what?”