Sunday, March 2, 2014

March Madness Day 2

"As long as we are persistence in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time."--Denis Waitley

Do you ever get frustrated in the pursuit of your creative goals? Do you feel like a budding artist who will never reach full bloom? What is the key to achieving those goals? Persistence. 

From the Free Online Dictionary:
per·sist  (pər-sĭst′, -zĭst′)
intr.v. per·sist·edper·sist·ingper·sists
1. To be obstinately repetitious, insistent, or tenacious.
2. To hold firmly and steadfastly to a purpose, state, or undertaking despite obstacles, warnings, or setbacks.

As March Madness begins, we may be full of good intentions and energy and zeal. Will we persist? Think about it now. What will you do when obstacles or setbacks arise? It's good to have a plan, a mindset, a readiness to work through the difficulties.

I know this is going to be a tough month for me. I have out of town guests and special events happening throughout March. What will I have to do to persist in my writing goals? Butt in chair. Everyday. No matter what. Which means I'm going to have to be flexible and write at times that are not ideal for me. That's the only way I will succeed in making this madness happen.

What helps you to persist? What will you do to keep on task throughout the month? Don't forget to check-in over at L.S. Taylor's tomorrow.

41 comments:

  1. I love the quote, Angelina! I'm persistent and tenacious, which I see more as stubborn. When I fall down, I get back up, dust off, and keep moving forward. I think it comes from a survival background. I used to see my stubborness as a fault, but as a writer, I thank the stars, I am the way I am. Writing (and succeeding) requires it. Otherwise, I would've given up on this dream of mine a long time ago.

    I hope during your busy month, you'll discover new blocks of writing time. Keep a notebook and pen close at hand, so during those moments when away from the computer, you'll have the tools at your side.

    Hail to the persistent peeps! March onward, Wipsters. :D

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    1. Onward, Candi! I'm just getting ready to open this WIP, right now. ^+^

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  2. My first job was filing medical records in the local hospital where I lived. I was a senior in high school and had my first two periods free every morning. Everyday I would look at the daunting pile and make the goal to get all of them done. Some days it was easy, others not so much. I was alone in the small filing room, but I never felt lonely because of my great imagination. When I left that job, my boss told me I could do any job I wanted because I had a rare quality called tenacity. I took that exit interview with me to college, and to every job I've ever applied for. And then I took it with me into motherhood. Now, I bring it with me every time I sit down at my computer. I use it to bring my imagination to life. And I'm grateful that boss introduced me to such an inspiring word. My goal is 2300 words a day, but took advantage of my lazy Saturday and wrote 4901. Bring on the madness, cuz I'm here to stay!

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    1. Tenacity is one of my favorite words! Three cheers for doubling the goal. True madness!

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  3. I don't see myself as stubbornly persistent, but more like doggedly so. My attitude changes, depending on my mood, but I keep going. Once I'm committed to something I'll finish it.

    Yesterday my writing was interrupted by frequent checking of my kick-off blog post, but I got 300+ words written on my new WIP. That's not many, but it represents the first 1-1/2 pages, which always take me a while to work through, so I'm happy with that number.

    Hope everyone is having a productive weekend. Keep at it, even if it's just one word at a time. Persistence really IS the only way to achieve our goals.

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    1. The first couple of pages can be the hardest since we seem to fuss over our openings so much. Well, done!

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  4. These work for me:

    Scheduling time to meet a friend for writing time at a coffee shop.
    Belonging to critique groups with set meeting times and deadlines.
    Taking classes/workshops/attending conferences (on-line or virtual...learning and applying are a continuous cycle)
    Checking in regularly with a writing friend.

    Katherine

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    1. Excellent strategies, Katherine. Deadlines work well for me. So do regular check ins. ^+^

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  5. I'm trying to put my butt in the chair 6x a week to finish my revisions. I always take one day off from prolonged computer staring. Since yesterday was my break, not much progress for March yet, but I'm attacking my WIP later today :)

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    1. Yesterday was kind of a slow start for me, too. But I did open the WIP I hadn't looked at for over a year and formulated a plan of revision action.

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  6. Like Jennifer mentioned above, scheduled breaks from writing really help me stick with a project long term (reminds me of the cheat day on a diet!). Monday to Friday are definitely when I do the bulk of my writing, and I have a cell phone alarm set for twice a day reminding me to putt my butt in chair, even if I can only write for a few minutes.

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    1. Alarms are my friends. Cheat days are good, too. However, I only have one set aside for the month of March. True madness.

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    2. Since I just got an agent on my 5th manuscript (290 queries!) I would say I am persistent. I definitely got very frustrated toward the end there. I was about to start querying my 6th manuscript, and I'd told my CP's that if this one didn't get me an agent, I was stepping back from middle grade. It didn't mean I would stop writing - I simply can't. But I was sure frustrated.

      I wasn't frustrated yesterday though - my husband kept the kids out all day and I got a TON done on my revision. :-) I'll get another chunk of time later this afternoon. This week will be tricky though, with shifting family schedules. I will be writing at some odd times, too. We can do it!

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    3. That's great persistence! Thanks for sharing your story. Congrats on getting a TON done and best wishes for a crazy week.

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  7. Oh, are you the host this month?

    Persist. That's my motto. I've come to one conclusion this past week. I need to say 'no' more to things that are standing in the way of me concentrating more on my own work. So I'll be doing that this week.

    My biggest frustration has been how it feels like I'm not as far along in my writing career as I should be. Mr. Wonderful's comment on Shark Tank that if you don't make money after three years that it's just a hobby has been bothering me too. Sigh. Need to just get back into this week. No excuses. Just finish this revision.

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    1. Kim it's MARCH MADNESS which is the month that Denise organizes hosts every day of the week. I am Sundays this month. You can check out her post to see the rest of the schedule. As the quote above says, we cannot choose the day or time we will fully bloom, but we can persist! Carry on!

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  8. I'm pretty good about seeing things through...in the long run. But to stay on task and reach my goal for March, I'll need to make good use of my writing time, for sure. And for me, the biggest obstacle to that is probably the internet. So, a schedule, an alarm, and a nice reward at the end should do it! ;)

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    1. Oooh, what kind of rewards?

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    2. Maybe some reading time, a chai latte, or a walk on the beach...

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  9. I've got two things that really help me, and they're both kind of productivity tricks! The first is 15 minute sprint. Set the timer, butt-in-chair and write/revise for 15 minutes. I know I can find 15 minutes every day, even if that's it. The other is the don't break the chain method. I have a calendar on my wall for the whole year and each day that I write/revise, I get to put a big red X on it, and they're all connected like a chain. The bigger the chain gets, the more stubborn I get about not breaking it! Several days I've only written just so I'd be able to put that X on there.

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    1. That chain idea is brilliant! I have a non-writing-related chain on my calendar and it definitely works. ^+^

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    2. Love the chain idea! And I can see myself being totally stubborn about not breaking it, lol.

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  10. Like JenWriter, I am a 15-minute timer gal. I also track my progress on a chart complete with those lovely star stickers we all adored in elementary school. Will I succeed by using this method? Well, I'm banking on a quote by Dr. Seuss (who would have celebrated his 110th birthday today) -- "Will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)" :)

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    1. One of the first times I remember meeting you, Barb, you talked about your timer. Happy it's still working for you, m'dear. ^+^

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  11. I re-read Denise Jaden's FAST FICTION today and it helped me be persistent in facing my manuscript again. Decided not to belabor Chapter 6 which will need embellishments and editing later, but it's done. I printed it out and planned two new scenes for Chapter 7. FAST FICTION keeps me moving forward!

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    1. Maybe I should read it again. LOL! I'm so glad to hear it's encouraging you, Elizabeth - made my day!

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    2. Yay for persistence and FAST FICTION!!!

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  12. I had a really tough time finding a spare moment yesterday to get going. So today is my first real day of pursuing my goals. I *hope* to make up for yesterday!!

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  13. Having trouble getting going, not sure if it's burnout from work or the fact that it is so grey out and keeps alternating between rain and snow. But reading through, finding my voice for this character again and looking forward to finishing her story!

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  14. Wonderful post. And I'm in the same boat as Denise, didn't make any headway with my goals yesterday - but today I've sunk my teeth into chapter two of the book I hope to Fast Draft this month. Its not gonna be pretty, but its gonna get drafted!

    My mantra? Stubbornness is a virtue!

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  15. I stopped overwhelming myself with monstrous tasks. I've learned to break things up in to manageable goals. Checklists are great, too. I love my mirrored closet doors. We're in the middle of moving and I'm happy the new place also has them. They're great for mind mapping, casual brainstorming, or pretending you're on one of those police procedurals. ;) As long as I work in short bursts, with adequate breaks in between, I find myself doubling or tripling my output.

    Like JenWriter, two major things that keep me going aren't exactly things but my lil' inspirations, the Nephew and Niece. Now, four and two, respectively, they've graduated past the Keysmashing Tot phase. They're my muses. I love to watch how they explore the world around them. Also, since I've taken care of them since they were born, they also keep me grounded. When I find a reason (or excuse) not to press on, they snap me out of it. It's always been about the family. Even now, as I try to put myself first once in a while, they're always in mind and heart.

    The simple truths a child conveys can either build you up or knock you back down to Earth. Either way, they give me a purpose in my writing career and in all aspects of my life.

    Have a great week, everyone, and see you tomorrow!


    Cheers,

    Tonette

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    1. Short bursts and checklists and wee tots. Oh my! You inspire, Tonette. ^+^

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  16. I love the quote. It has been a busy day, but no writing was accomplished. I will spend a few minutes now organizing my desk for tomorrow. When I can write again, sometime tomorrow, I will be ready to go.

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  17. Amen, Angelina! Apologies for the late check-in, but I let stuff get in my way these past two days. I think I'm ready to settle down and get to work now ... just in time for my post! ;)

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