Current strategy and using the lunch hour wisely

I made myself a contract. The idea of rewarding myself with something else to write didn't originate with me. I got it from Holly Lisle. At this point, I'm willing to try anything to get my ass into the gear I think it should be. It didn't use to be like this. I used to be able to write whenever I had a free second.

Now I can't even use my lunch hour wisely. My brain doesn't want to work on writing--except that seems to be the story of my brain at all times during the day. But today I'm not listening to the lazy part of me, I'm going to write.

And it works. So why do I have to force myself to the page. I feel like such a failure when I must do that. It would make sense if I stared at a blank sheet for the entire time. "Ah! I'm blocked, that's the reason for the reluctance." Nope, story starts flowing just fine. So what the hell is up with the reluctance?

Will return to this topic with an answer hopefully.

How Do You Really Do It? Project

Introduction:

Let me preface this whole thing with one statement--I am a writer. Too many writing books assume the reader is just starting out and needs advice on everything. Creating a novel advice may come up, but what I'm interested in is trying to integrate all my metaphorical hats onto my head: the writer's hat, the state worker's hat, the homeowner's hat, the girlfriend's hat, the hobby/business owner's hat; all the hats the other books assume you have already packed into hat boxes and stored in the attic. I like to hope the writers of those other books have messed up hats too, just carefully edited from view.

It's not easy being a writer. Once you think you have one thing figured out, it changes. Like thinking up titles. How hard should it be to come up with a title? Usually, I can't come up with one good one, so my current novel is still being called "Zy's Novel." For this project, I first came up with "How Do You Really Do It?" followed by "Trying to Live as a Writer" and then "Living the Writing Life." Now that I'm starting it in Discipline Under Fire, I think that makes a zappy title. I finished my first story on paper at age eleven, and it hasn't gotten any easier. I'm hoping that by chronicaling my struggles, the zen of a writing life will become easier.

Regardless, you're invited along.

Contract

I, Kindra Coates, pledge to complete the following:

a). five-minutes free writing practice session everyday.
b). once scene out of Zy's Novel.

Once the scene from Zy's Novel is completed (no matter how long that takes) work on one scene from Strix as a reward.

Kindra L. Coates
03-22-2007