(Photo taken by me on campus. No stealin’, ‘kay?)
Okay, so nobody’s replied to my first blog entry yet, which is totally fine. Why? Because it means I get to make stuff up! 😀
Let’s talk about excuses. For example, today, I only wrote 127 words for my book. I intend on writing some more after I finish this post, so it’ll be a little higher, but still. That’s kinda pathetic.
What’s my excuse? I was kinda busy today. I did some stuff at the library because I volunteer, and then I found myself at Barnes and Noble for an hour. And I’m guessing most of you know how that can be.
Also, I’m pretty excited about Harry Potter (the final movie!!) tomorrow, and I’ll be going to one of the early showings, so I’m gonna try not to stay up as late, and it’s totally been on my mind, and how long can I make this sentence?
I’ll definitely be dressing up, and I’ll see if I can get a fresh picture of me in my costume, because I’ve got a new wand and a cloak that fits! Plus, the old pictures include my braces. >_>
Anyway, my excuses for today are pretty terrible. So I’m gonna hope that I don’t have to keep making posts like this one, in which I confess I haven’t done much writing for myself today.
I haven’t done much writing for myself today.
Don’t I feel better?
NO.
I feel stupid and lazy. And that’s the point.
If you don’t make yourself recognize that you’re not doing your best, then you’ll never make yourself do your best. And if you never do your best, then you’ll never know what your best is like. And if you don’t know what your best is like, then how will you ever reach your full potential?
You are a seed right now. You are a seed of potentially untapped talent. You may be talented. You may not be.
But if all you do is make excuses for your lack of effort, then how will you ever know?
That’s why you have to write your skin off. Write until you have nothing left but bone marrow, and then write some more.
Never, ever quit. If you enjoy writing, then write.
But that’s why you’re here. You haven’t found the will to make yourself do it.
Find what motivates you.
- Do you say you can’t write until you’ve had something to eat?
Then write for 15 minutes when you wake up in the morning. Don’t take even one bite until you’ve reached your either your word goal or your time goal. - Do you say you love chocolate?
Eat a bite of chocolate after finishing each paragraph. - Do you get distracted by video games?
For every minute of play time, write 10 words. Did you play for an hour? 600 words. BAM. Word goal.
These go for anything. If you browse Facebook obsessively, then write 10 words for every unearned minute on there.
Whatever blocks you from writing, make it a problem, a barrier.
If your motivation program isn’t working, make it easier. Then work your way up. If you’re anything like me, your easy program will not be satisfying to you. You’ll feel like a cop-out. One word for every hour? Really? You can do better than that. You and I both know that.
Here’s your assignment:
Write something in which a character laments his or her lack of responsibility. (Does he or she learn something by the end of it? That’s up to you.) Use your new motivation program to write it.
Report back to me on how it goes. Did your motivation program work? Was it too easy? Too hard? How so?
Well, get on with it! Go write! (Wait, is reading blogs what delays you from writing? Write something yourself instead! Write an “un-posted” blog entry as your favorite blogger. This can either be in addition to your assignment, or the responsibility thing can be the topic of the post. Be creative!)