I
was going to write about procrastination but I put it off until…
Over the years I have worked in a number of different
fields. I have worked in hospitality, disability care, foster care, teaching
and education support, farming and many volunteer positions.
In each job,
whether it was paid or voluntary, there was always a set starting time and
finish time. In some of my jobs there had been clear break times such as lunch
and morning tea. The expectation is that I would start a few minutes before the
official log on time and be willing to stay late if the job required it. I
attended meetings regularly and professional development training on a regular
basis to improve and upgrade my skills.
I would have set tasks to complete in set times and
have performance reviews.
As a chef I
would start an hour before the opening time to prepare foods before the
customers started arriving. Peeling, chopping and storing. Making garnishes,
inspecting deliveries, filling out paperwork and a hundred other tasks that
would make the evening run smoothly. Every job has its process.
When I decided that my writing was to become my new
career I had to shift my thinking from hobby to work. I have always written but
I have never looked at it like it was a job. A poem here, a letter there, a
story outline or two or forty, I even studied writing and editing part time
over six or eight years and always wished I could become a full time writer. It
stayed a vague dream with no solid substance behind it.
So early in 2013 I made that solid decision. I looked
for opportunities to send my writing into the world but I had a whole tool box
of procrastination practices to overcome. The extra cuppa, elevenses, second
breakfast, morning tea, afternoon tea, high tea, a phone call, reading that
magazine, helping the neighbour, answering the door, going for a coffee at the
café with a friend, in fact anything that could distract me did distract me.
I was still
working in a set time job and writing in the evenings but as I drove home one
day I realized I was still treating my writing as a hobby and a pie in the sky
dream. Something had to change if I had any hope of making my writing a career.
I joined writing and art organisations and challenges and began to meet writers
and artists but there was another big step I had to take.
Daily practice.
I began to write 500 words a day and then in April I
wrote 57000 words in the month which is 1900 words a day and by November of the
same year in which I wrote 104000 words, I was writing 3467 words a day.
To beat procrastination
I had to learn the following things:
- Writing/Art is the job. Treat it like a job. A fabulous creative wonderful job but a job nonetheless. Set hours, regular work practices, evaluation and training.
- WRITE every day, MAKE ART every day.
- Say NO – practice this in the mirror and then on family, then friends, then everyone. NO
- WRITE every day, MAKE ART every day.
- Find a space away from the kitchen and TV and make it a work place. Emphasis on the word WORK. Go there daily and lock the world out.
- Tell people you are a writer NOT I am a babysitter and I write too, NOT I am a chef but I write occasionally. People will respond to how you describe yourself. Practice saying I AM A WRITER or I AM AN ARTIST.(or both)
- WRITE every day, MAKE ART every day.
- Stop making excuses*
- WRITE every day, MAKE ART every day. On the margin of your school book, on a serviette at work, on the pizza box, JUST do it. Five minutes a day if that is all the time you have.Tell people I AM A WRITER but I have to work in a day job until my first contract. I AM AN ARTIST but I have to pay the rent working in real estate until my exhibition. The day job needs to be your secondary income generator. Your creativity is your first love.
- Stop giving myself a hard time. If I miss a day then I start again the next day.
- CREATE every day.
- Stay focussed on the goal, don’t give up, surround yourself with people who encourage not discourage and create every day.
*I made a LOT of excuses. I had a bad childhood(I sure
did and it will make a gruelling read when I write it), I had cancer (four lots
of surgery with a flat line and then waking up mid cutting and then BP crash
and and I recovered and they got it all and it will make an interesting tale
when I write it), I had a car crash (three), I had a dying child (several
times) I had no money (I am not yet JKR), no one will really want my stories or
art (Yes they do), who do I think I am (I am a writer/artist), I am a single
mum (and doing an awesome job of it), I have to rush my sick child to hospital
(where I sat for five hours twiddling my thumbs while the professionals did
their job so why did I not write about the experience and my feelings?) I am
fat (getting fitter), I am ugly (shut up- I am becoming my own best friend), I
am stupid (oh no I am not), I am disorganised (get a book on how to change
this) I have no time (I quit the day job)… and so many more.
Successful people do not make excuses. Successful
people look at the difficulties in their life and they PROBLEM SOLVE.
Since February 2013, I now have stories and art in
more than 30 anthologies. I have written two complete novels. I have art work
in two other writers’ stories and I am being approached by people who have seen
my art.
If you really want it, you will make it happen. When
the time is right for you, you will embrace your inner creative and turn it
into your career.
I am a writer. I am an artist. I am successful.
*****
Cecilia
Clark is an Australian
writer. Her short stories and flash fiction feature in a number of anthologies
and e-zines. She lives on the south west coast of Victoria in the lovely
seaside town of Warrnambool. You can find her on her website at http://ceciliaaclark.blogspot.com.au. She
contributed an illustration to this anthology.
*****
Give-away
Give-away
One person who comments on this post (and is signed up for the challenge) will win a custom fairy creation using their photo (instructions on how to take the photo for my use will be sent to the winner). The fairy photo manipulation can be of you, your child, you and your child or even of more than one child, if they are in the photo together.
I was going to enter a comment... but I'll do it later... lol
ReplyDeleteJust kidding. Great article Cecilia :) Wonderful tips on beating procratination.
Thank you Melissa, it sure is an incredible journey.
DeleteWhat an inspiring story! You're certainly making a lot of headway in your writing career. Love the repetition of "I am a writer. I am an artist." How long did it take you to adjust to saying that? When did you really start to believe it?
ReplyDeleteIt took about a year Nancy and I became more and more aware of when I described myself as something dismissive and would straighten my shoulders and say "I am a writer actually". Lots of practice until it came naturally to my tongue.:) Thanks for reading.
DeleteGreat article, it's amazing the ways you can waste time. Something I need to get better at. Funnily enough the less time I have the better!
ReplyDeleteMy situation exactly Ashley, the busier I am the more I get done. Hope something in my post gave you ideas to beat your own procrastimonster.
DeleteI read this post early this morning, even giggled at Melissa's comment about commenting later, started to write a post back and then....got sidetracked, lol I'll do it later lol...but anyway, here I am! Talk about procrastinating!! This is a wonderful post Cecilia and I really enjoyed reading it! It is straight to the point and unfortunately so true for many of us. The part I loved the most was:Successful people do not make excuses. Successful people look at the difficulties in their life and they PROBLEM SOLVE. We know we have these issues, and life goes on, solve it!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice and thanks for sharing your precious time with all of us! Your work is stunning!
Thank you Kelly, procrastination is a tough habit to crack but it can be done. I am glad you enjoyed the post.
Deletewrite every day..that's what i need to do..thank you
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Satori, even a little bit is more than none. A note while on the phone, an idea on the notice board, whiteboard marker a sentence on the fridge door, whatever it takes. Keep those good stories coming. :)
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