Self- Discipline
I admire those who can write everyday. I’ve tried. It’s not for me. I have a short attention span. It hasn’t been a problem in the past because I’ve always needed to multitask. I may not write everyday, but I get enough work done to finish/publish a handful of stories. Now, I need to go over my publisher’s comments for Chains of the Sciell by Sunday.
That wouldn’t be a problem if I could read more than ten pages at a time. My goodness is it hard to just sit and read anything for long periods of time. Forcing myself to read makes me dislike the story.
I need to stop looking at writing as a hobby. Being an author is one of my career goals.
Here are some articles about self-discipline for writers.
Writer’s Digest: 10 Disciplines for Fiction Writers
“First efforts on a new idea are like falling in love. You can’t wait to get to the writing, and being away from the page is exquisite torture.
Soon enough, though, writing becomes work. Any worthy project does. You must find a way to write consistently if you wish to be a working fiction writer.
The primary way writers keep momentum going is through the daily quota.”
Jody Hedlund Blog: How to Become a More Self-Disciplined Writer
“Forcing ourselves to work regardless of feelings develops perseverance.”
Kristen Lamb’s Blog: Traits of the Successful Author—Self-Discipline
“Small decisions/actions add up over time. Yes, this blog has a large, active and amazing following, but that didn’t happen overnight. I had to blog even when it seemed I was only talking to the ether and the male-enhancement products. Every novel is written one word at a time, one page at a time, one day at a time.”
Dumb Little Man: How to Build Self-Discipline – The 6 Key Elements
“Reward yourself at milestones throughout your project or your take. Perhaps it is that you have not started a project yet.
Tell yourself that if you work for one hour on your project you will be rewarded with whatever it is that you want to be rewarded with. Set yourself little rewards throughout your project to help you build your self-discipline.”
I was surprised I didn’t find more articles on self-discipline for writers.
In general, I have an aversion to structure. I will try to be better. I doubt I’ll ever write everyday. If I don’t have a story to work on, I’ll spend that time doing graphic design, school work, brand development… You know how I feel about writing/publishing rules. I ignore the ones I don’t agree with.
“It wasn’t a matter of being “good enough” or productive enough or disciplined enough to be a writer…. It’s important to acknowledge and fully realize what choices we are making—either in the short-term or long-term—that impact other things we want to achieve. What sacrifices are we making, implicitly or explicitly?” (How Do You Make the Time to Write?)
