Quick update- 360 more words on the rapidly-evolving story… which means I wrote today. Progress!
What are you working on? Did you put any time in today?
Monthly Archives: February 2012
Keeping Yourself On Track
It’s almost 11:00 PM on Saturday. Sadly, no writing to report besides what I’m capturing now. Similar to my last three-day break in writing, I’ve been edgy all day today.
By rights, I should be okay with that. My wife is in a period of heavy commitment between working at her new business and the opening of her show, “The Marvelous Wonderettes“, and I’m on deck as Mr. Mom. I’m happy in this role- although there are moments that I think my two youngest sons (ages 3 and 5) are actively scheming against me, this is a role that resonates within me. I take deep satisfaction in the moments in which I feel that I’m getting it done. There are not a lot of thoughts that I take more pride in that those that tell me- you’re a good Dad- you’re getting it right.
So today was a Dad-centric day. I’m good with that. That works for me.
The only problem is- I didn’t write today. It’s been in the back of my mind today. I haven’t forgotten about it but I haven’t cleared out time today to write. No excuses- but a fair acknowledgement that I didn’t spend any time writing today.
So this got me thinking about motivation this evening. The decision to make a change in your life is a powerful one- but it’s not the last choice you have to make. The commitment to put in work towards this change requires sustained focus. It’s not a “once and done” kind of choice. Like any real change, this requires continued effort over a period of time- not just a few days.
Tonight, I added a single sentence to the newer story idea that last consumed my focus. On top of that, I’ve gave some attention to this earlier story idea (the one that I’ve shared with my brother Matt). I intend to to put in time tomorrow working on that.
If you don’t hear me reporting in with progress tomorrow, please call me on that! If you’re reading this with me, then hopefully the documentation of this change within me is clicking with you. I hope that you take something useful from my writing. Please share!
But ask yourself this- how can you set up a mechanism to keep yourself on track? If your focus begins to fade, what can you do to keep yourself on track?
Filed under Open Notebook
Strip Malls
Strip malls make strange bedfellows.
…and in the battle of the motivations, Little Caesars wins by a nose!
Filed under Funny- ha ha
Are You Ready For Progress?
No formal writing last night. My wife- a very talented performer- had the opening of a show in which she’s appearing. (Check out “The Marvelous Wonderettes” if you want some light entertainment and laughs in the next two weeks. Info at Rarely Done Production’s website.) I was at the opening and after getting home and driving the babysitter home, I was too tired to write.
But- I got 150 words of notes related to another idea. Prior to going to the show yesterday, I was at my oldest son’s swim meet. Watching him compete got some ideas flowing. By the time I was at the theater a couple of hours later, another story’s roots had taken hold.
I am a recent owner of a smartphone and it really appeals to my inner geek. I’ve had a lot of fun exploring the Android Market for apps and found some good ones. The IMDB app for Android is particularly cool. I use it a lot when the “where have I seen that actor before” question comes up.
I had been looking for an app that would work as a mobile notepad for my writing. I’m comfortable using my PC to capture and store my brainstorming notes. I’ve got a document folder that houses Word docs for story ideas, my observations, works in progress,etc. but was ready for a newer tool. I was interested in an app that would allow me to capture notes or ideas but would also sync across multiple devices.
I installed Evernote (free!) on my phone the other day. Although I haven’t dug into the features or used the tutorial, the app is pretty intuitive. I started using it right after installation and was able to get going very quickly. I moved some notes from the story I’ve been working on the last few days to the app and was happy with the results.
So last night before the show, ideas for a new story were nibbling at my attention. I grabbed my phone, opened the virtual notepad and started capturing some ideas. Looking at them this morning, I’m happy that I stopped to capture the thoughts.
I’m very happy that I seem to be open to this creative process. I’ve got some strong feelings that I think would help tell an interesting story. Having a tool to help facilitate that process allows me to recognize when I’ve got something going without taking over my focus- a few moments to jot down some ideas and I could return to my original activity.
Here’s my thought for the day: I’m putting in a lot of effort to cultivate this creative process within me. What’s the point of doing that if I’m not able to recognize progress when it happens? Pay attention to yourself. Set yourself up for success by preparing for progress and ensuring you’re able to capitalize on it. For me, that means having a (digital) notepad handy and stopping to capture new ideas.
For whatever it is that you want to accomplish, how can you set up yourself up to capitalize on progress?
Filed under Open Notebook
Who’s in Your Corner?
It’s me- checking in. I’m happy to report that in addition to some solid brainstorming on elements related to character, plot and setting, I also wrote another 670 words for that story I began yesterday. That’s progress that I can be happy about.
Last night, flush with enthusiasm and adrenaline from accomplishing some writing, I shared the beginning of the story- one page- with my brother Matt. I admire Matt’s overall wittiness and he and I share similar tastes in fiction and humor. I had spoken with him briefly yesterday morning and gotten a chuckle from him when I shared the premise for the story that I intended to start working on.
Matt and I had discussed some of the relative weaknesses in “Sealing the Deal” a day or two after I posted it. Although some elements were conscious choices on my part (like understating the existence of magic in the story), Matt pointed out the same flaws that I shared yesterday in “Clearing My First Hurdle”. I did not expect Matt to blow smoke- but was happy to have someone with whom to discuss this process. I was after an interaction with Matt- not praise.
I was thrilled to get Matt’s email response this morning that I had made him laugh with the first page. The word “whimsy” has been on my mind for the last week or so and that was absolutely the tone I was trying to capture. Getting a response from Matt and knowing that he’s interested in this process is a morale booster.
I thought about the discussion with Matt over the last few days. I realized that, although I’m very happy that the beginning of the story made him laugh, I’ve been bolstering my resolve as I’ve talked to him about this from the start. His feedback and discussion has helped my engagement and it started before I made him laugh this morning. Having someone that is an honest voice and is supportive of my process to step outside my comfort zone is a great asset to have. Change can be scary. Having someone supporting you in that process makes it less scary. It’s invigorating.
So- if my process is at all interesting to you and maybe got you thinking about freeing yourself from fear, who do you have that will support you?
Maybe buy them a cup of coffee (or a beer if they prefer) as a ‘thank you’ before you get started. Can’t hurt, right?
(Write!)
Filed under Open Notebook
TMPinSYR 