Tag: self-discipline

#oneaday Day 605: Finish What You… You Know

Certain projects are easy to finish. Start building an Ikea bookcase and chances are you’ll finish it within an hour or two. Sure, there may be some swearing, splinters, cuts and/or bruises along the way, but at least you’ll get it done, and when you’re finished, you’ll end up with a (hopefully) stable bookcase, and possibly one or two leftover screws that you really think should go somewhere.

Creative projects are a little different. It’s easy enough to start them, but it’s finishing them that is the tricky bit. The challenging part is that, unlike our friend Billy the bookcase, creative projects don’t necessarily have an obvious “end” in sight. Sure, you might have some sort of amorphous final goal in mind (“write a novel”, “record an album”, “paint a picture”) but the exact steps along the way that will lead you to that final conclusion are sometimes obscured by your own ambition.

I’ve come a cropper on this a few times. I’ve had a story in my head since I was about 15 years old. I’ve started trying to write it at least 5 or 6 times across several different media — traditional writing (from various perspectives), blog-based writing, as a video game, as a visual novel — and somehow, despite the fact I’m in love with my characters and I want to tell this story — somehow it never quite gets there.

It’s not a matter of motivation — I do want this story to get out of my head and onto some form of “paper” (be it literal or metaphorical) but — thinking about it right now, I’m struggling to come up with valid excuses that aren’t simple procrastination. Perhaps it’s the fact that I write for a living every day and do this blog. Perhaps it’s the fact I have other interests besides writing preventing me from being completely committed to the project. Perhaps I have doubts that I can really bring the story — the opening of which I am intimately familiar with now I’ve composed it so many times across so many different forms of media — to a satisfactory conclusion.

I’m not sure what it is. Last time I started on it, I got into a good rhythm and started writing at a good rate. Then various life events got in the way and for one reason or another, I got out of the habit of writing it.

Perhaps I should take a more structured approach to it — set aside a specific time on certain days to do some writing. Although schedules are inherently limiting and repetitive, they can be great for self-discipline. Take a couple of years back when I got into a good habit of going to the gym and/or the swimming pool after work every day. Sure, it was on the way home, but I specifically “scheduled” my time so that I got into those good habits. It’s working for me again with the EA Sports Active stuff at the moment, which sets up a schedule for you day-wise, but leaves timing up to you. I’m structuring my day so that I can get up, have some breakfast, bum around for an hour or so, do my workout and then be ready in time to start actual proper work.

Perhaps I should take this approach — set a schedule, get some self-discipline going. Perhaps then one day this story might get finished. And then everyone can enjoy it.

Or possibly hate it. I don’t know. Only one way to find out, though.

#oneaday, Day 96: Another Day, Another #oneaday

Well, since everyone else seems to be doing it (well, by “everyone” I mean Chris Schilling and Rhiarti) I guess it’s time for a post on the subject of #oneaday itself.

Numbers have been dwindling since the project began. Right now we’re down to just a few people. As Chris says on his post today (or more accurately, yesterday, since – oh look, it’s 2AM) it would probably be generous to say that there are ten writers still thanklessly scribbling away for no discernible reward save a sense of self-satisfaction. And, of course, the happy smiley comments that people post when they see something they particularly like.

When I first started blogging a few years back – I had several attempts prior to settling on this particular little corner of the web – I felt that it was a fairly “solitary” experience. I mean, sure, you have the comments section. But not everyone bothers to comment. And that’s fine in this instance – as I’ve said several times, I’m writing for me here. Thinking out loud, if you will. If you, the person reading this right now, happen to enjoy it, so much the better.

What #oneaday has taught me, though, is that blogging doesn’t have to be that solitary experience. It can very much be a social experience where writers can group together, take ideas from one another and discuss the things that they have written about. As the #oneaday collective has become smaller and smaller, it’s become closer and closer. When the project first started, I didn’t have time to read through the fairly daunting list of daily-updated blogs. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by continually updated content, particularly when it comes from a large number of sources. But now, I feel that I can easily get through the people who are still working hard on their blogs. I can read their posts, digest the content, post a comment, check back for comments later in case I sparked a discussion, and then do the same with the next site. And the next one. And the next one.

Since we’ve started talking to each other more, there’s a lot more in the way of discussion and reposting on Twitter, too, potentially opening our respective audiences up to more people. Again, as I say, it’s not about huge audience figures – but it’s always nice for any writer to know that what they’re posting is being read and appreciated by others. So if you’re reading this, thanks. You’re pretty great, you know that?

The biggest thing it’s done for all of us, though, is give us the opportunity to express ourselves regularly, along with teaching us all some pretty rigorous self-discipline. Churning out a post a day which has to be nothing more than a paragraph if we can’t be bothered may not sound like much, but it’s a big deal for any writer to be able to conscientiously get on with doing what they do every single day. So a public congratulations to those who are still beavering away like me, and a welcoming hand to those who are contemplating joining us. Mr Kokoris, I’m looking at you.

And no, it’s not compulsory for you to write posts at 2AM. I’ve just sort of fallen into the habit. Whoops.

On that note, I am yawning my head off. Good night!