Finding Discipline to Write

Some people are disciplined. They can get up at 5 am each morning. They go for a jog every day after work. They spend 8 hours, 6 days a week in front of the computer, spinning stories one right after the other.  They are good at doing the hard thing every single day in order to achieve their goals.

 

And then there are those of us who are not quite as adept at self-discipline. We aren’t even good at setting goals, much less attaining them.  We try. We even try hard. But somewhere down the line we go back to our old ways of doing things, garnering no success along the way. In fact, the only thing we accomplish is guilt for failing once more.

I think I’ve found the problem - at least for me and my ever-recurring cycle of one step forward and one step back. It’s nothing new, but it is not always easy to obtain.

Accountability.

I need accountability to be able to sit my behind in the chair and write when I don’t feel like it. I need accountability to lose weight and get on the scale. I need someone checking in on me, asking if I’d met my goals.

If I don’t have that, then I slip back into doing what I always did before. When I get writer’s block or don’t like the blank page, I go watch Netflix instead (in the name of research, of course). Instead of logging my food into My Fitness Pal, I go to the fridge and eat a spoonful of ice cream. One little spoon doesn’t count, does it? It is my reward for doing all that research on Netflix!

The difficulty is finding someone to keep you accountable. I am fortunate to have a mentor this year for my writing. I have learned so much about setting goals and maintaining them. I’ve learned I can do so much more than I think I can when given a little kick in the behind. I only have her for a year, but I am doing everything in my power to learn and grow, praying that the lessons and discipline I learn this year will stick with me forever.

So how do you go about finding someone to be accountable to?

Many times you find someone organically. Maybe in your circle of friends, someone is going through the same thing you are and needs someone to bounce ideas with.

You could always put a call out for a critique partner who writes in your genre. This is definitely something I need to do. It is scary putting yourself out there, but the rewards of finding a good fit would be worth the risk. The ACFW organization has a critique pool and many have found partners within that group.

Network with writers at conferences and online. It could be an experienced writer sees potential in you and takes you under her wing.

Above all, pray about it. Pray that God Spirit within you will spur you toward discipline. I Timothy 1:7 says this: “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

We have His Spirit in us, full of power that gives us this self-discipline. We can overcome our weakness through the strength within us. His strength.

We can sit and write. We can overcome the blank screen. We can write every single day. We can, because He enables us.

What are you doing today to make your dreams come true? 

What are you implementing in your daily life that will help you meet your goals? 

***************************************************

Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother to 4 children, and secretary at public elementary school. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

Surviving The Labor of Writing

Most of you know that two months ago, I had a beautiful baby boy. While pregnant, my husband and I took childbirth classes that came in handy when the time rolled around to have my baby. The whole experience of labor made me realize there are a lot of similarities between having a real baby and a fictional one! So today, let's talk about how to survive (and cope with) the labor of writing.

It's no secret that CBA is in changing times, and scoring a publishing deal can be a challenge for a first time author. But that doesn't mean we should despair, for God has called us to such a time as this (Esther 4:14). What can we do when the pains of the process come along?

• Surrender control. One of the first things you learn in childbirth class is that you can't control the process, so rather than tensing up in an attempt to take over, you have to just let things roll. The same is true for the publication journey. You can try everything in your power to make things happen a certain way, but at the end of the day, you have to surrender to the process and roll with the punches, so to speak. If you can learn how to do that well, flexibility will give you a long career in the industry.
• Breathe. This one speaks for itself. Sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and relax.
• Let go of preconceived notions of what you think your publishing life will look like. Otherwise, you're bound for disappointment. If you're attempting a natural childbirth, you'll learn to visualize your ideal birth and shoot for that, but not expect it. I think the same is true for writing. You should set goals and work toward them; otherwise, you'll never make progress. But don't expect everything to go exactly according to plan, or else you'll have a hard time adjusting when it doesn't. 
• Keep the end goal in mind. When you're having a baby, everyone will tell you it's pain with a purpose. Let me just say, when you're in the middle of a contraction, you don't really care if it's pain with a purpose. ;) But truly, if you keep the end goal in mind, it's much easier to keep each setback in perspective. Your baby--your story--will eventually get there. Each disappointment brings lessons that take you closer to your goals.
• When you do finally get that contract, rejoice! It's so easy to get caught up in a new set of expectations and deadlines that you forget the big picture... you sold your story! Don't let the exhaustion of the process keep you from the magic of that moment.

Your turn! What strategies do you use to cope with the pains and setbacks of the writing process?

###

Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.