Regaining Discipline When Writing

Regaining Discipline When Writing

The last two weeks I've found myself struggling to write. Why is that? I would say it isn't a lack of inspiration, but a lack of discipline. No writer can live purely on inspiration; it is unreliably irregular and does not give enough depth to balance a book or collection. So the question is clear, how do I regain my discipline? 

I need to decide when I will begin taking steps. It's tempting to speak of tomorrows or next weeks, but the correct answer is certainly TODAY. Today I will write myself a basic to-do list, it will look something like this:

  1. Write a single-verse poem
  2. Read a new poem
  3. Work into one poem for your Fables, Depths, and Heights collection
  4. Write 250 words towards a blog post

Now I need to understand what has been stopping me from writing. Has it been higher priority things like Bible reading, or prayer, or caring for others? No, for I struggle with wasting my time in leisure and watching too many things. These things may be fine in themselves, and leisure is useful in measure, but I definitely take liberties with my time-management. It will be difficult, but I must stop watching these things so much. 

To help me with this I'm going to post a weekly update on my writing at www.smallsmilingprincess.wordpress.com so I have some accountability.

I'm facing my discipline problems by:

  1. Starting TODAY
  2. Establishing what needs to happen
  3. Understanding why it doesn't happen
  4. Finding people I can be accountable to

How do you face your work related discipline problems? 

 

Published by Andrew Davies

Comments (4)

Sep 30, 2016, 6:38:25 PM

Thanks, Nichole. Definitely will do that. I used to do that and it worked really well, will return to it!

Sep 30, 2016, 6:37:22 PM

Hey Kyle, thanks for the idea. I've tried it briefly and it seemed to help quite a bit. I'm going to have to start doing it regularly from tomorrow! How's your writing gone this week?

Sep 27, 2016, 2:55:16 AM

I try writing something else. Just let my mind wonder, just to get into the flow again. It doesn't have to be something that get's used in anything. Just something to get my mind turning in the right way. Discipline is something I struggle with as well!

Sep 24, 2016, 9:08:15 PM

Maybe try rewarding yourself with leisure time. Don't even log into social media or turn on your TV until you have your writing done.

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