Sunday, November 19, 2006

Your Daily Motivational

Write.

Even if you have other things to do.

Even if it sucks.

Even though it's hard.

Even though there are no guarantees.

Even if no one else cares.

Revise.

Even though it's difficult to be objective.

Even if you think you got it right the first time.

Even though you hate it.

Even if you're sure it's a waste of time.

Submit.

Even if it's to a small, non-paying publication.

Even if you feel you're not ready.

Even if you hate rejection.

Even if you know you'll never be accepted.

Repeat.

You're a writer. Act like one.

23 comments:

Aimlesswriter said...

Applause! I might just have to hang this one over my desk.

Anonymous said...

This is similar to my own daily motivation speech,which is: "Don't feel like writing today? Boo-fucking-hoo."

Have you read Stephen Pressfield's THE WAR OF ART?

Anonymous said...

Oh thank you for this. I've had the house to myself this weekend with the boyfriend away and the daughter at her dad's, but my writing excuses have suffered under cleaning the kitchen, spotless, watching a documentary on PBS about penguins, and taking two hot bubble baths. :)

All wonderful things, but I have a host of words to get out of my head and I don't know why I'm distracting myself away from the easy work!

Mark Terry said...

Yep. You want it to be your job? Treat it like it is your job.

Anonymous said...

Love you for this. I will tattoo it to my forehead and refer my clients to your site.

Ty said...

Words of wisdom.

Anonymous said...

Slap! Slap! Thanks. I needed that.

Bernita said...

"Difficult to be subjective "
???
????
?????

Loudernhel said...

Thank you sir. May I have another?

Tom Schreck said...

I wrote yesterday when I didn't feel like it and I was absolutely convinced it was going to be crap.

I read it this morning and, you know, it wasn't awful. It was certainly worth the time and it will be easier to work with now that its on paper.

My mantra goes like this: Only writing is writing. Thinking about writing, reading about writing, discussing writing--don't count... Only writing is writing.

I write everyday.

The other stuff isn't useless but it isn't writing.

Tom Schreck
"On The Ropes, A Duffy Dombrowski Mystery"
Coming from Midnight Ink Sept. 2007
Duffy Short stories available on Amazon
www.tomschreck.com

Karmela said...

You're a poet
And you don't even knowet.

PJ Parrish said...

Sometimes the simpliest posts are the best, Joe. Especially the part about submitting. It always kind of surprises me when I hear about writers who stall at this crucial point. You can't write a book without courage. You sure as hell can't get it published without even more courage.

JA Konrath said...

Good catch, Bernita.

Jude Hardin said...

I only have one thing to say about this post:

Yep.

Anonymous said...

Joe, you're sexier when you're brief.

Martha O'Connor said...

I love this! It is the writer's version of one of my fave expressions, KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid... or Sweetie... however you happen to be viewing yourself on that particular day). Great stuff. ;D

Alexandra Sokoloff said...

The thing I find is, writing isn't hard. Once you start, writing is kind of rewarding, in a masochistic way.

STARTING is what's hard.

If you can devise yourself a ritual that will make you start, the rest of it follows. It's like (I don't know, G-rated example): diving into an ice-cold lake. Once you're past the shock of entry, it feels really good.

mist1 said...

Write: Check
Revise: In progress
Submit: Um...
Repeat: Will do

Reminds me a little of the directions on the back of my shampoo bottle. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Stacey Cochran said...

Another video of me on my drive to query 450 literary agents by New Years.

There's a video montage at the end played to the tune of The Beatles "Helter Skelter."

Stacey

Anonymous said...

This should make you smile:
I called in a favor

I know Anne Wayman, who is an editor for b5media, one of the largest and classiest blog networks. She writes about freelance writing, and manages all of the writing blogs in the network. I dropped her a note and asked her to mention “Book Squid” and she has!

I wanted to do whatever I could to promote the e-book, so I made it free. Since then there have been several downloads, and I would expect Anne’s mention to bring dozens more.

She was quite impressed with your blog!

See her post

Wishing you and all your readers a joyous Thanksgiving! I am so grateful for having found you!

Heather Harper said...

Thanks for the motivating post.

Rob Gregory Browne said...

Alex is right. It's the STARTING that kills you. Waking up every morning, staring at your laptop sitting there on the floor and thinking, noooo, noooo, leave me alone...

Then, of course, there's the finishing. Finishing when you have a deadline looming. Wondering if you'll make it. Your brain screaming, noooo, noooo, leave me alone...

You get the idea I'm feeling a little pressure right now?

Anonymous said...

Can I reprint this in the Redwood Writers' newsletter?

Catherine