six simple ways to keep on the write track

I had time to gather my thoughts about a million things during our 1,000-mile December road trip to celebrate two birthdays, including Dad’s 90th birthday bash, and family holiday gatherings in three states across the eastern US. 

I also  finished a wool shawl started last January after taking a knitting class.  Learning how to knit was something I always wanted to do. Even though I finished this big project, I'm not now, nor will I ever be, a knitting guru, and I have no desire to tackle complex patterns.  But I can knock out a mean scarf with simple loops. I hope people won’t tire of receiving Cat-knit scarves for Christmas and birthdays.

My shawl experience and holiday travels led me to think about how I want to grow as a writer and be a better inhabitant of this planet.  I came up with six simple ways to keep on the write track.

6 simple ways to keep on the write track: enjoy the journey

---

1.  It’s the journey; not the destination

Writing is a long-term game. Experts counsel it takes several years and publishing as many books to make it as an author.  

I’m trying hard to appreciate and have patience with this long writing ride.  BIG sigh. 

Full disclosure: before the holidays, I was burnt out.

Spending 10-hour days/seven days a week, toiling on social media, marketing, web design, blogs, writing, etc., took its toll.  I seriously considered throwing in the towel.  Instead, I decided to unplug for three weeks, spending time with family over Christmas and re-examining my writerly and personal goals.

Time away was the perfect opportunity to reflect.  It led to an ah-ha moment after scanning dozens of articles about being 2014 dubbed as self-publishing's  Year of the Quitter.

I learned that scores of Indie author were leaving the field  because they were discouraged. 

I'm not a quitter (See point 2 below).  But I came close. 

Joanna Penn, one of my fav Indie authors and champion of all  things Indie, posted a compelling piece about the new realities of self-publishing and how she's re-shaping her writing business to remain successful. 

You can read  Joanna's  article here.  It's a spot-on perspective!

After  soul-searching, and researching, I'm bouncing back, ready to face what's ahead. 

I'm still tweaking my marketing and social media strategies, but you can bet on one aspect of my emotional strategy:  I'll  be certain to enjoy the journey.

2.  The road is bumpy  
Writing is fraught with literary curves and technical potholes.  Keep the pitfalls in stride and author onward.  (See point #1 above.)

As Alan Rickman’s intrepid Dr. Lazarus spouted in Galaxy Quest:
Never give up; never surrender! 

3.  It needn’t be flawless...just your best effort

First knitted shawl: lovely best effort despite imperfection

I wore my newly finished shawl proudly for the first time during the holidays, despite a major mistake.  The flaw falls smack in the middle of rows of 200 stitches.  At first, I was annoyed for not catching the error and considered ripping out hours of work to fix it. Then friend and knitting mentor Debra advised keeping it, misshapen circlets and all, to remind me of the time and love I put into its creation. 

I could add an analogy here about not getting hung up on crafting the perfect book/chapter/blog, but you get the idea.  (but do find an editor to review your final draft; that must be grammar perfect!)

4.   Be patient when trapped in traffic.  Try a back road.

Oh no!!!!!!!!

Whether driving, writing, or knitting, there are times when the going is slow.  Just turn that crawl into a game and find something to smile about.

As traffic jammed the interstate during our holiday trek, we hopped onto back roads through rural Pennsylvania (US).  We relished the change of pace and loved the quirky discoveries found in the small towns we passed.  Funny how our stress level dipped.  

---

Back road sights bring smiles, lower blood pressure

A change of pace works for writing, too.   Give that elusive chapter or frustrating e-book format a rest.  Walk around the block, hug a puppy, or text a friend. Find whatever you need to re-set your soul, and then get back to it.  Guarantee the task will be there when you’re ready for it.

5.    Be in the present

A lesson of gratitude from Dad's 90th birthday

I want to savor each moment, taking in blessings that are right in front of me, instead of beating myself up because I’m not accomplishing everything on my to-do list.  This hit home as I watched Dad celebrate his 90th birthday. 

My father was a vital, active man, a 30-year veteran of teaching middle-school science.  However, a stroke that came six months after losing Mama paralyzed his left side.  Now, he depends on others to assist him with activities of daily living, but his mind is whip-sharp.  His amazing carer stays with him during the day, and my siblings and Aunt Red take turns in the evening. “They’re babysitting me,” Dad explains with a laugh when I phone to see how he’s doing.   

Seeing his sweet joy in spending his birthday afternoon surrounded by dear friends and four generations of our family makes me want to emulate his example of grace and gratitude --- which leads me to point 6.

---

6.    Build a Strong Support System

I’m not talking social media here, Lovely Readers.  Writing can be painfully lonely for this extrovert.  There are only so many times I can babble away to ever-patient JM before he loses his mind. 

Human contact keeps me motivated.  (Yes, sing along with Barbara Streisand and me: People.  People who need people …. ) Because our family lives far away, I look to cyber-friends, gal pals, neighbors, and community to unplug from the keyboard and connect with life. 

A strong support network is a blessing at every age

I feel better, too, when I tackle creative outlets, like photography and choir, that bring immediate results.  They nourish my soul and keep the writing juices flowing.  Plus, I get to be with people (Okay, let’s sing that refrain again.)

Plus, I'm beyond grateful my writerly colleagues and readers welcome me.  I love hearing from readers and I'm jazzed about celebrating  hard-working authors as they soar.  There’s something lovely about sharing good news and stepping into that circle of gladness.  Makes my endorphins do the happy dance. 

That’s why my one and only New Year’s resolution for 2015 is this: 
I’m offering daily at least one hug AND one atta-person 
(in-person or virtual; family does not count). 
Who wants to be first?

---

Thanks for staying with me on my writerly journey these past 12 months.  I'm beyond grateful for your company.

Here’s wishing you an amazing 2015 ... 
surrounded by dear people,  
wrapped in love, joy, and all good things.  

---

Please be social and join the conversation in the comment section below.
How do these tips work for you? 
What do YOU do to keep on the write/right track?

---

Click below to receive Cat's Corner blog posts by RSS feed or email.

Subscribe to updates about my books and receive a free downloadable tale I wrote for the young at heart: 
Driving to Dillon: a Very Short Story of Love and New Beginnings.

Cat's Connections