Those are very ambitious goals you’ve set out for yourself! Very admirable but also completely understandable if you hit a lull in that. I say don’t beat yourself up for moving more slowly than you’d like to, and perhaps try switching up the routine (if possible) from time to time. I’m about to publish a post on writing advice and this reassured me that it’s the right thing to do as we could all use a refresher about how to go about obstacles in our writing. It’s also nice to see that I’m not alone in this struggle. Thanks for this!
Thank you, Kerry. I think I'm (slowly) realizing that pacing is key and sometimes that pace varies in speed. The struggle is one we all can relate to and I'm looking forward to reading your post and, no, you're not alone :)
“(Over)expectation”--I like that descriptor better than “perfectionist.” But whatever word you use, I was born one! Through the years I’ve learned to be better about that, and this year really threw me into the practice of doing “just enough.”
In the chaos of family situations, I decided to start writing again, and I chose Substack as my platform. The first couple of months were difficult because I expected myself to be in a regular writing routine, but my week to week schedule was all over the place, making “routine” one big, fat joke around here.
So I began writing in spurts, piecing things together between appointments and travel and work commitments. And what I found is that it worked! When I had an idea, I wrote a couple of sentences in my notes app. Then I would come back to it and start a draft in Google docs. Then I would chip away little by little.
In the end, though, I do think breaks are necessary and provide time to just think. That’s another thing I prioritize--the thinking. Turn off the TV, put down the phone, stop reading. Just go for a walk and think. Works for me every time.
My hat's off to anyone who can manage any writing time while trying to raise children. Seriously, it has to be tough trying to grab chunks of time where you can in order to get your thoughts and ideas out there.
There's plenty of merit in doing the work piecemeal, no doubt. Even if only to break up the (sometimes) monotony of sitting at a computer screen/typewriter/pad of paper.
I think you have a pretty good handle on your writing process, Holly, and I'll be following your advice, thank you!
Sorry you’ve been going through this, Mark. I totally get it. I have an ‘all or nothing’ approach to life - I throw myself headfirst into the deep end of any new thing, and then when I hit a hurdle it’s the end of the world. I have checklists and trackers and ‘shoulds’ all over the place - although I’m doing a fair-ish job of trying to wean myself off them.
(Over)expectation of oneself can be such a powerful demotivator. Targets and routines are great, but in my experience they can be killers of enthusiasm.
Sometimes I feel I’d rather fail than try, and that’s really upsetting!
It’s fine to step off the treadmill. I’m doing just that for a while myself due to work commitments.
Thank you, Rebecca, and I'm the same way. If I'm not immediately "good" at something, I get discouraged and start thinking I'll never improve...totally forgetting, of course, that with time and practice we get perfection (or close to) :).
You're exactly right in over-expectations killing enthusiasm. It's such a hard thing to reign in but we only want the best for ourselves, so I guess it's to be expected that we pressure ourselves in the process.
A small break can do wonders and I hope it does just that for you! :)
Hey Mark, I'm sorry things have been difficult in the writing department lately. Give yourself permission to do nothing if needed. It's interesting you're posting this today because I'm going to be talking about a similar thing on Sunday. Rest up and your bullet points sound like a good way to get back into it when you're ready. Looking forward to more from MarkFyve in the future!
Thanks, Brian and I will be keeping that in the back of my mind if only to help ward off future hurdles. We could all use a break now and then, no doubt. I'm looking forward to reading your post as it seems like something that's on a lot of writers' minds lately. Thanks, again!
Great article - as usual. But do NOT knock the impact COVID has had on you. My entire family has had it - kids and adults. Nothing is the same - smells, tastes, focus, etc. - as before. We get on with it and adapt, of course (it helps that 3/4 of the family is British and embodies the whole 'stiff upper lip' thing - as the single American, I seem to be the one who 'whinges' most) - but it moves the goal posts. And the game changes.
Thanks, Bryan, and great point. I hadn't really thought much about the after-effects of COVID, though my taste was affected a bit afterward. It seems to have gone back to normal, but I guess there could still be other lingering effects that I'll keep an eye out for.
Hey Mark. It's okay to take a break. Believe me, you will figure out what you want to write about. Maybe you should change to writing at night after dinner. Then you've had the whole day to have something "pop" into your mind.
When I was writing my fiction, I got so far and then I hit a wall. Truth be told, I haven't touched it since I started writing my newsletter. But it will always be there, so maybe taking an extended break from it, will allow me to re-think what I was writing about and then get after it.
That is definitely something to think about and would give me some time during the day to think out/over some ideas. I like it and may give it a try.
As we all know, nothing wrong with taking a break (even an extended one) to make sure you'll be putting out your best efforts. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say :)
Those are very ambitious goals you’ve set out for yourself! Very admirable but also completely understandable if you hit a lull in that. I say don’t beat yourself up for moving more slowly than you’d like to, and perhaps try switching up the routine (if possible) from time to time. I’m about to publish a post on writing advice and this reassured me that it’s the right thing to do as we could all use a refresher about how to go about obstacles in our writing. It’s also nice to see that I’m not alone in this struggle. Thanks for this!
Thank you, Kerry. I think I'm (slowly) realizing that pacing is key and sometimes that pace varies in speed. The struggle is one we all can relate to and I'm looking forward to reading your post and, no, you're not alone :)
“(Over)expectation”--I like that descriptor better than “perfectionist.” But whatever word you use, I was born one! Through the years I’ve learned to be better about that, and this year really threw me into the practice of doing “just enough.”
In the chaos of family situations, I decided to start writing again, and I chose Substack as my platform. The first couple of months were difficult because I expected myself to be in a regular writing routine, but my week to week schedule was all over the place, making “routine” one big, fat joke around here.
So I began writing in spurts, piecing things together between appointments and travel and work commitments. And what I found is that it worked! When I had an idea, I wrote a couple of sentences in my notes app. Then I would come back to it and start a draft in Google docs. Then I would chip away little by little.
In the end, though, I do think breaks are necessary and provide time to just think. That’s another thing I prioritize--the thinking. Turn off the TV, put down the phone, stop reading. Just go for a walk and think. Works for me every time.
Good luck, Mark!
My hat's off to anyone who can manage any writing time while trying to raise children. Seriously, it has to be tough trying to grab chunks of time where you can in order to get your thoughts and ideas out there.
There's plenty of merit in doing the work piecemeal, no doubt. Even if only to break up the (sometimes) monotony of sitting at a computer screen/typewriter/pad of paper.
I think you have a pretty good handle on your writing process, Holly, and I'll be following your advice, thank you!
Sorry you’ve been going through this, Mark. I totally get it. I have an ‘all or nothing’ approach to life - I throw myself headfirst into the deep end of any new thing, and then when I hit a hurdle it’s the end of the world. I have checklists and trackers and ‘shoulds’ all over the place - although I’m doing a fair-ish job of trying to wean myself off them.
(Over)expectation of oneself can be such a powerful demotivator. Targets and routines are great, but in my experience they can be killers of enthusiasm.
Sometimes I feel I’d rather fail than try, and that’s really upsetting!
It’s fine to step off the treadmill. I’m doing just that for a while myself due to work commitments.
Thank you, Rebecca, and I'm the same way. If I'm not immediately "good" at something, I get discouraged and start thinking I'll never improve...totally forgetting, of course, that with time and practice we get perfection (or close to) :).
You're exactly right in over-expectations killing enthusiasm. It's such a hard thing to reign in but we only want the best for ourselves, so I guess it's to be expected that we pressure ourselves in the process.
A small break can do wonders and I hope it does just that for you! :)
Hey Mark, I'm sorry things have been difficult in the writing department lately. Give yourself permission to do nothing if needed. It's interesting you're posting this today because I'm going to be talking about a similar thing on Sunday. Rest up and your bullet points sound like a good way to get back into it when you're ready. Looking forward to more from MarkFyve in the future!
Thanks, Brian and I will be keeping that in the back of my mind if only to help ward off future hurdles. We could all use a break now and then, no doubt. I'm looking forward to reading your post as it seems like something that's on a lot of writers' minds lately. Thanks, again!
Great article - as usual. But do NOT knock the impact COVID has had on you. My entire family has had it - kids and adults. Nothing is the same - smells, tastes, focus, etc. - as before. We get on with it and adapt, of course (it helps that 3/4 of the family is British and embodies the whole 'stiff upper lip' thing - as the single American, I seem to be the one who 'whinges' most) - but it moves the goal posts. And the game changes.
Thanks, Bryan, and great point. I hadn't really thought much about the after-effects of COVID, though my taste was affected a bit afterward. It seems to have gone back to normal, but I guess there could still be other lingering effects that I'll keep an eye out for.
Hey Mark. It's okay to take a break. Believe me, you will figure out what you want to write about. Maybe you should change to writing at night after dinner. Then you've had the whole day to have something "pop" into your mind.
When I was writing my fiction, I got so far and then I hit a wall. Truth be told, I haven't touched it since I started writing my newsletter. But it will always be there, so maybe taking an extended break from it, will allow me to re-think what I was writing about and then get after it.
That is definitely something to think about and would give me some time during the day to think out/over some ideas. I like it and may give it a try.
As we all know, nothing wrong with taking a break (even an extended one) to make sure you'll be putting out your best efforts. Slow and steady wins the race, as they say :)
Thanks, Matthew!