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Well after some soul searching I’ve decided that I’m going to have to become a person with a schedule. I despise the notion of becoming one of those people who aren’t spontaneous though. I get that some people are rigid in their schedules and are planners. Some like me are when we have to be but otherwise we go with the flow.
It came down to the fact that if I’m going to be a writer I have to make the conscious choice to schedule my writing time. Schedule my life. But though I’m willing to compromise I am not willing to totally give up my spontaneous nature.
So here is the compromise. I must write at least 2 pages or 2 hours (whichever ends up being more) every day. Deciding that I do need a day off I can have one day to not write. As a general rule that day will be Friday. But I will let that be flexible as long as I don’t abuse it. I can write at any time as long as by 10pm I am writing on my book. Since I am usually in bed by about 1am that’ll give me the minium of two hours of writing and there should be less interruptions at that time. But if I have time to write earlier I can. I just have to make sure if I plan things I must schedule in my writing time. No excuses.
So I’m still able to go and do as long as I make sure that I’ve covered my writing before I go.
Not having blogged for the better part of a month I started to give up on the blog thing. But that would be admitting defeat and I’m afraid that if I gave up blogging I might give up writing.
My problem is I’m not disciplined. I’m a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I like being that girl. But that girl keeps me from following my dreams and goals. So what do I do? It’s time for me to do some soul searching on what is most important to me. Then change either my lifestyle or change my dreams.
Writing – a book or even a blog – takes discipline. I have to do what William G Tapply says. Write every day. Not just when I’ve got nothing better to do. Or when I’m inspired. Or when I’m in the mood. No I have to write. And I do write I just don’t write on publishable stuff.
I also know that though many authors tell you to read while you write. I can’t. I’m not disciplined enough. I will write or I will read but I won’t do both. I should’ve known that about myself. After all when I was in college I couldn’t read during the semester or my school work suffered. That rule still applies.
So I search for discipline without losing my carefree lifestyle. So far it isn’t working. Time to reevaluate.
