Life has been pretty busy lately, so keeping focused on deadlines (I’ve got a July 1 deadline rapidly approaching) has become a priority for me.
I’m back on Penguin’s blog today with 6 tips for moving your story forward (even on busy days.) And I’ve got a post that will run next week on what to do when our plans fall through. :)
Unfortunately, Penguin has their blog set so folks have to register to comment (I know….I’ve given them my possibly-unwelcome thoughts on that!) so I’ll definitely answer comments back here or on Facebook if you’d like to leave them.
Hope y’all have a great weekend!
You’re so lucky you’re a writer! You’re living my dream!
Just to comment on your Penguin blog entry – I am terribly impressed by your ’15 minutes a day’ efforts – when I had a small child around (some time ago now!) I couldn’t even summon up the will-power to think about writing. You must have been very very determined. Well done, Elizabeth!
By the way I completely agree with you on not editing as you go along. I think that would bring me to a complete standstill.
best wishes, Sheila
Elizabeth – Thanks for those tips. They are definitely useful. I think the ones I like best are keeping one’s goals attainable and celebrating little successes. Very few writers I know have the time to write for hours every single day. So often there are interruptions; for me, too, anyway, there are days where ten minutes is all I have. You have to take pride in putting those ten minutes to use.
Then I guess a simple solution is to read at the Penguin site and comment here. So, I’m jumping over and coming back here later >:)
Cold As Heaven
Sandra–You’re a writer, too!
Sheila–Maybe stubborn? I think stubborn is possibly more apt than determined. :) But I do like ‘determined’ better!
On the editing-as-you-go thing…I know some writers who swear by it! But for me, I think it just messes me up to bring that left-brain into the equation when I’m trying to be creative.
Cold As Heaven–Thanks!
Not editing myself is my biggest hurdle. I write, then read and re-read and fiddle with what I wrote and…you get the picture.
Thank you for those tips. I needed a goose to keep me going.
I don´t know how to comment over there, but I really like the first and the third tip. Something that annoys me is disciplined writers who think that *I* can do what they can do. Our circumstances (family, jobs, health etc) are just different, and what matters is that I do my best to exploit the chances I have without being envious if you are able to write more in a day than I am. Dedication comes in many different shapes :)
I read your other post at Penguin as well – too bad they make it difficult to comment.
I’m like you – I just write. Editing is later. I can only focus on one thing at a time.
Margot–10 minutes a day IS a success. Opening up that Word program and doing *anything* with the story is a success. :)
Helen–Only natural, for a professional editor. :)
Lisa–We all need a little motivation, sometimes!
Alex–I think that editing requires so much of my attention that I can’t be creative and edit at the same time.
Good tips. I think I tend to edit too much as I’m writing, which slows me down.
Cold As Heaven
I always love your tips and feel that YOU DO know how to get it down on paper. And I listen to your tips!!!
I’m a ten minutes here, ten minutes there writer. (For fiction – with non-fiction I need blocks of time to write.) I’ll write a couple pages and then input it into the computer, so I’m in the minority of those who edit as they go.
Those are some great tips! I especially like the concept of rewarding ourselves for smaller achievements. Then again, it’s hard to turn down an excuse for more chocolate!
What a great way for additional exposure. Congrats! on the blog with Penguin. I always plan ahead what I’ll write the next day. I’m excited to get up early and write write write.
And I’ll update my blog to show your latest book rather than the previous Delicious and Suspicious.
Dorte–Everyone has a different situation–and we’re doing as well as we can each day!
CaH–That can REALLY slow things down…at least for me.
Diane–Some writers really seem to thrive that way (wish it was the case for me!)
Lisa–It’s always a good time for chocolate!
Stephen-Thanks so much! I appreciate that. :) It was nice of them to ask me to do a couple of posts over there.
Teresa–Thanks! I feel like if I just get it all out of my head and onto paper/the computer, then I can worry about everything else later! :)