I had SO MANY good intentions last week! I was going to read three books on the Oregon/California trail, prep Drawn Into Love (DIL) for additional submissions, AND begin editing Picture of the Past (PoP). Would you like to know what I actually accomplished?
One short California trail book, looking over the first two chapters of Drawn Into Love, and . . . advancing a few levels on phone games. WHERE ON EARTH DID THE WEEK GO? I don’t even remember what I did with it, other than cleaning the house – doubtless to avoid writing, though I didn’t acknowledge that to myself. In fact, I told myself, I HAD to do a deeper cleaning of the house in order to even concentrate on writing.
It is amazing to me how often I put off doing anything writing related, most especially when I have lofty goals in mind and am excited about a project. If I am being completely honest about it – I think this is one case in which Chadwick is right. I do it because I am scared of failing. I am so excited by the idea of finally finishing editing this book I’ve been working on for over a decade, and beginning to submit DIL to agents again ( I took a break over the holidays), that what happens when it all peters out to nothing?
Apparently this is an Enneagram One trait – to put off doing things because you are afraid it won’t be perfect. But I am pretty sure it would be accurate to state this is also a writer trait . . . based purely on all the writer meme accounts I follow on instagram. What about you other writers? How often do you find something to do other than your writing-related project?
But I am stating this with Monday-morning-confidence! I WILL be productive this week, and I WILL start editing PoP! I even got up at 8:15 AM this morning (Yes, I am writing this on Monday) instead of sleeping in. How is that for baby steps?
Forest Idylls 
Relatable. 😅 Last night I said, okay self, if it’s the last thing you do, just open your laptop and write 100 words. Okay, myself replied, just gimme a sec, I’m gonna clean the kitchen, cook that leftover raw bacon, change the sheets, create an island music playlist on spotify, and learn to hula dance first. 🤷♀️ I mean, really.
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LOL! That sounds just like me!!
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Some of the problem with avoiding writer—for me, anyway—is that it is never done! Even after one completes the writing, there is the re-writing. And the daunting task of getting it published. Of reviewing and cranking out rusty emails and proposals and other things that I’m not polished at doing yet. All this, to realize that my writing project will be rejected multiple times.
But, we have “that thing” in us that compels us to write. 🙂 So we do. Intermittently. Reluctantly, perhaps.
But nothing ventured, nothing gained, so they say.
Write a little something today! Yes, you can!
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Ha, you are so right! The work never ends! I think I read a quote once that said to never be a writer unless you absolutely couldn’t be anything else. 🙂
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lol. That quote is something to soothe ourselves with.
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