I survived Day 1 and was already thinking about the Day 2 lesson of "BELIEVE" in the process. It has been a process! Here are Jeff's instructions for the day:
Today, you need to do something bold to believe you’re a writer. What is it? Quite simple, actually. You have to trick yourself.
A Jedi mind trick for writers
We practice what Gary Morland calls, “scary hope.”
He tells us that we should marinate and meditate on the thought that we are writers.
Our assignment for today is to get up 2 hrs earlier than usual tomorrow to write. I don't know if this would be a good plan for me. For one thing, I am not a morning person and I don't get enough sleep already. I think it would be counterproductive for me to add to the madness.
Despite that, I will commit to scheduling a time where I can write for 2 hours a day. Part of my problem in not being able to believe I am a writer is the lack of actually writing that I find myself doing. When I do sit to write, even a short piece, I stew on it for hours. If I write it, I rewrite it about 4 times before I feel it is complete. If I don't write it, I sit and think about it for hours on end, waiting for it to be perfect before putting it on paper. This has got to stop and I am here today to say that IT WILL!
I started reading Jeff's book yesterday "You are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)" He emphasizes that we as writers have a voice that others won't hear unless we write it. That's quite a responsibility!
Thank you so much to everyone who left such encouraging comments yesterday. You help me BELIEVE!
Your writing is always very enjoyable - definitely start believing you are a writer!!
ReplyDeleteI know I can't get up two hours earlier. I'm not a morning person either. I do my best writing in a coffeehouse away from home distractions.
ReplyDeleteI know it's easy to say, but I believe in writing faster. Don't stew! Of course flash fiction is a great way to train yourself to do this. Just get your story down any old how then attack it with your editing skills. It's a matter of practice.
ReplyDeleteKeep writing! Keep up the sleep! You need both.
Denise
You may not believe it when you say you're a writer at first, but the more you say it to yourself, you just start believing due to repetition and conditioning. You are a writer. :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't get up too much earlier than usual, but instead of turning on the computer and hitting the internet, I simply opened my WIP and began writing. It was quite liberating and productive. Also, I read this post on Jenny Hansen's blog, http://jennyhansenauthor.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/have-you-done-your-10000-hours/
ReplyDeleteThe goal here is to just sit down and write - turn off your inner editor until you've finished your piece. Then, go back and revise. Too often we write and re-write and interrupt the flow of our story. Instead, she encourages us to get the story down and then go back and edit. So, that is what I'm doing right now. What I'm writing may have a lot of crap in it, but eventually the story will come out and later I will go back and rearrange and rework so it is more cohesive. Right now, though, I have to get the story down. I am also participating in Jeff Goins' challenge, and was delighted to see that I am not alone! :-) Keep pushing along, Heather!