Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Reach for the stars...because you can

When the universe tries to give you a poke from several directions you realise you probably should be listening. Two different bloggers have had a poke at me this week (they don't know me) but they've told me off.

One was talking about "How to stop procrastinating about your writing" so I'm sure she's inside my head. The other was talking about "The secret to your next creative breakthrough" and I'm sure he could read my mind also when he writes about something having to give, to make a breakthrough possible.

Okay the reality is they have no idea who I am or what my little ol' blog has to say or even about my secret wish to be a writer and make a difference. But as is the case the universe is conspiring to kick my butt and make me do something other than just spout hot air about what I want to do.

The final poke from the universe was being woken by my son's alarm clock this morning (keeping in mind that today is a holiday for me and I didn't need to be awake at 6am - arrggghh) and then laying awake for an hour with a new storyline swirling through my head and preventing me from going back to sleep.

But.......I'm still procrastinating because this morning in the 2 hours I've been up, I've set up my Pinterest account, I've watched Eden from Edenland blogging fame on the Channel 10 morning show talking about her recent trip to Africa for Worldvision and now I'm writing this post. I am a hopeless case.

I'm not sure why this is the case. I can be determined and focussed on any goal I set when I want to be. Nine months of non-smoking or six years of university study are proof of that. Once I start writing it just flows and I wonder why I don't do more of it. Maybe I'm better at talking about it than actually doing it.

My first novel - yep it's still sitting in the drawer. Is it perhaps because I fear rejection of something that is really, really important to me? Probably.

The ideas are still swirling so I must write them down because they're so insistent. I will go and I will write - for today anyway.

What do you want so badly but keep skirting around actually doing?

This week I'm linking up with Erica at Yeah Write - I haven't linked up for the longest time, but decided it was about time - you can too by clicking on the image below.

Cheers, Fi

The best way to get something done is to begin ~ Author Unknown








30 comments:

  1. I loved the posts you linked to almost as much as yours--three for one! What a deal. I like the quote at the end too. Just begin. You'll be over this hurdle soon. Happens to everyone. Erin

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  2. Ack - it's definitely annoying to get in your own way. Good for you for recognizing it, at least!

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    1. Gia - I've never thought of it as getting in my own way, but that's a good way of putting it.

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  3. Thank you for this great reminder. I had wanted to write a book. But I never got down to plan what kind of genre, what to write about, etc... I should! I know I should!

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  4. Fi, use your own advice. Whatever you can do or dream, you can do, then do it! Seriously, you have nothing to lose. This is a dream of yours and you are so close. You have the novel. Start sharing it with others for feedback, self publish. YOU can do it, but only YOU can.

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    1. Jenn - so much easier to advise than to do it oneself - but you're right (as usual)

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  5. I think writing is so hard because it involves sharing a piece of ourselves. It is both a physical and emotional labor. I think all writers struggle with this.

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  6. I wrote this on another Yeah Write blog about writing and getting in your own way, but I'm going to write it here again: Like Ann Lamott says, "Just take it bird by bird!" (-:

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    1. Never heard the bird by bird analogy, but my boss uses the eating an elephant bite by bite theory :-)

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  7. Pull that novel out of the drawer!

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    1. Angela - that seems to be the common message coming through and I'm hearing them loud and clear

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  8. I had your blog open for over 24 hours before I typed this comment, so I'm a major procrastinator :) I think it's just getting started, once you take that first step, it's so much easier. Take that novel out of the drawer!

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    1. I think I just wrote a reply for Angela that could be the same for you Alison :-) I can't actually imagine you being a procrastinator from what I see around the blogosphere from you, you seem very busy all the time

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  9. Hi Fi! First time here! Great post, you are a writer after my own heart! (Hope you don't mind a few cliches, they are so handy dandy, doh! There I go again!)

    You should check out my blog, almost every post has "writing procrastination" as a theme. (My blog is called: Life Happens. Then Write.)

    I also struggle as a writer, but I have too many pots on the stove and I have to discipline myself to FINISH THE DAMN (fill in the blank).

    Although, I'm proud to say I have self-published three non-fiction books on Kindle, cause, you know, GOODNESS FORBID I MAKE A FEW BUCKS AS A WRITER OF SOMETHING!

    Sorry I shouted at you! I wasn't actually shouting AT YOU, there I go again!

    Lastly, I've come to accept I'm a writer who doesn't write every day, cause pinning is way more fun! Actually, I can't blame Pinterest, OK, maybe a little...

    Keep at it!

    Lisa

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    1. Lisa - goodness forbid any of us should make money, we all do it for the love after all, money is a bonus :-)and I'm just discovering pinning

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  10. Starting is always the hardest part. Blogging is both a blessing and curse to me - it's a creative outlet, but it's also keeping me from working on my novel. It's so hard to strike a balance! Good luck to you!

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  11. This plagues me all the time - as recently as last night. I get scared and refuse to begin - or complete - any project. Realizing that it is just fear (and unfounded fear) helps me shake myself out of it and move on!

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  12. I do this a lot. Some things I want so badly they scare me so I do other things to distract myself. But I'm not sure what I'm more scared of. Not getting what I want, or actually getting it.

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    1. Agree totally - are we scared of getting or not getting, strange how the mind works :-)

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  13. Good for you for getting started. It's the best thing you can do for yourself!

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  14. You are not alone, my blogger friend (ok, I don't know you, but we have at least that in common, so that's a basis for a friend). All of us can related to your post whether we are writers or plumbers. I think its nice to be reminded that we are not alone. We should try not to beat ourselves up, or at least not to draw blood. Cheers.

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    1. Stephanie, I'm sure that I spend way too much time beating myself up

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  15. I am right there with you. I have tons of stuff I want to write, and some of it I start. Then I simply do something else.

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