TIps for squeezing out some extra self-discipline?

Step away from your writing for a little while. How long is up to you. You'll know when the time is right to return. That urge to write will draw you back. Just as in most day jobs there's vacation time, you need to take a vacation from writing. Read, though. Read anything and everything in the meantime.

One time an editor needed revisions done on a story for a magazine. I asked for two weeks. He said yes. I took a few days off from writing. All writing. Just read. Went back, revised the ms., and sent it in. It was fine.

ETA: This has worked for me; might not work for everyone.

If real life is demanding more of your time and energy, but you still feel the need to get on a regular writing schedule, then why don't you make a "writing date" with yourself? Just pick a couple hours every other weekend (or whatever works) and book yourself a date with your computer, maybe at the local coffee shop, and keep it just like you would any other social commitment.

Keep it loose, flexible. Make it fun--like a real date. If that works out, "sneak in" other dates with your writing. Probably within a couple of months, you'll find a schedule that works for you to spend time with your "other work love" and get some words down.

Sometimes all it takes is a different mindset to make it work.

Good luck to you.

I found that turning off the TV set was the best thing for me. I didn't realize how much of my time was wasted--and I hate TV--watching bad television. It's been off now for a year and a half.

For me: accountabilabuddy.

Which is code for: get someone who is counting on reading what you've written, or who is also trying to get writing. When I know that someone wants to read what I'm writing, it tends to motivate me.

But again, may not work for everyone.

Aye, I agree with all of the above, 'specially the TV. Make sure that thing stays off whenever you've got some free time, and, if you're anything like me, than the same goes for the internet. xD

You say real life is causing the drain? Mayhaps do your writing first thing in the morning, while you're still groggy and are too tired to care about anything other than getting some coffee. That way the stresses from your life don't interfere with your writing too much. Being slow to wake up helps with this, but then again, it may only work for me.

Another thing you might try is to brainstorm throughout the day. Whenever you're running on the treadmill or doing sit-ups, or whatever, mayhaps do a little brainstorming on your WIP. Figure out what you wanna do with it during the day, then the next time you put BICHOK you'll just start typing. For me it makes me more excited about writing it out; makes me want to get it all down before I forget. Granted, it may not work for everyone.

But those are just my two cents.

For me, I have found that having four kids and a messy house and a whole lot of unrelenting pain can really sap my desire to write. What works for me is, like the others said, stepping away.
When I was finishing this book, I went through a period where I just could NOT figure out how to get out of the jam I had my heroine in. So I walked away. Literally, for months, I didn't even TOUCH the computer. And as I concentrated on everyday things, dirty diapers and lunchtime dilemmas, etc., the story was percolating in the back of my mind. I turned over plot ideas, conversations, places they'd be going, etc., and one day I sat back down at the computer and within two weeks I was DONE.

Of course, then I went back and rewrote the whole damn thing, but hey, that's not the point. My point is, sometimes you need some distance. Let your thoughts settle and congeal, and when you sit back down, I'll bet that the ideas come gushing out.

Good luck!

You might want to try going for really low word counts too - don't expect too much of yourself after a long day at work. Last week, I tried to raise my daily words to just 500, and ended up not writing several days because it seemed like I wouldn't have time (it's all mental - I write late at night after everything is done, so there's no "real" excuse). Not writing anything just makes me crabby.

I dropped it back to 250 words this week, and I'm writing again. Maybe you need to just try for 100 or 150 per day...something that seems ridiculously low *to your mind*. Once you get going, you'll probably exceed your goal by at least a little (mine was 258 last night). Then you can feel productive, just not stressed.

That's how it works for me, anyway. Good luck!

Yes, Bubastes, do that. I am in the place you are - as in, I have a job, and it sometimes sucks my will to live and to write. I, too, have cut the tv viewing down to a bare minimum, because the tv sucks in my tiny little brain and makes it feel all warm and fuzzy-not a good thing for a writer brain.

I can't find it right now, but I know there are programs out there that you can set to block you from certain websites for certain chunks of the day. I.e., wasting too much time on Facebook? Set the application to block Facebook from 7-10pm. If I can hunt up the link I'll bring it back for you.

I think it gets harder when you start looking at it as a chore. It's easier to do when you're enjoying yourself.

So I'd suggest just sitting down and writing until you feel like stopping. It doesn't matter whether that's after 10 words or 1000. Just stop. Come back the next day and repeat. Pretty soon you'll get back into the flow of it and begin to enjoy the story again.

And then it will be easy all the way.

Get yourself a thethinker42. Oh wait, you can't - she's mine!

I'll hire her out at an hourly rate, for two chocolate bars and a bottle of Dr Pepper for each 60-minute timeslot.

scarletpeaches said:

I'll hire her out at an hourly rate, for two chocolate bars and a bottle of Dr Pepper for each 60-minute timeslot.

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Ya pimp.

scarletpeaches said:

Get yourself a thethinker42. Oh wait, you can't - she's mine!

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stingy!

If you don't get writing, I send Da Boys round.

I hope you have bloodproof carpets.


Does that motivate you?

See, this is why only having internet access at the library or local EMS station is such a good thing for me. I write a LOT at home, sometimes simply because there's nothing else for me TO do!
Don't get discouraged if you can't churn out a bunch every time you sit down, like the others said. Some days it's a struggle to get a single sentence coherent. Others, I can't type fast enough to keep up with the story.
You kin do eet!

BlueMouse said:

You kin do eet!

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