The Art of Procrastination TED Talk with Tim Urban

Well, howdy!

It's been a while since I've hung out with you here. I've spent the better part of the last year doing a career-changing apprenticeship with these three dudes and my brilliant friend Natasha Sass and a community of amazing indie authors.

There's also a good amount of s*&;t going down in my personal life. I'm fine; my family is fine. Other than that, I won't go into details, even though I know that mentioning it will make you curious about it. (Totally not fair, feel free to text me, friends!)

Do me a favor and channel that curiosity. Whenever you meet someone, or interact with someone, consider what stuff they might be going through behind the scenes that you don't know about. Imagine it. Then give people the benefit of the doubt. Compassion. You don't have to know what people are going through to be kind and supportive.

But, ugh. Let's get off of the topic of me. :)

Let's talk about our dreams.

More specifically, let's talk about our dreams that we are deferring RIGHT NOW.

To help with this, check out this super funny TED Talk. Go ahead, push play. I'll wait.



(Can't see the TED talk? Check it out here: https://www.ted.com/talks/tim_urban_inside_the_mind_of_a_master_procrastinator?utm_source=tedcomshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=tedspread )

My favorite part? Around 7:30 when the PANIC MONSTER hits the scene.

But most important for us in our creative lives are the problems Tim talks about around 11 minutes into the talk. The problems that can happen when there are no deadlines. No panic monster.

This is not to say that you should feel guilty or ashamed if you have left some of those circles on your life calendar blank. If you haven't pursued your dreams every waking moment.

But let's take a hard look at our goals. Let's chase our instant gratification monkey up the tree, get out of the dark playground, and get to work.

Today.

Don't let ONE MORE CIRCLE go by without investing in your dream.

(I guess I need to put down the netflix remote. Even though I just discovered like nine seasons of the Vampire Diaries. OMG. The angst of forever teenage love. And *squee* the Arrow has a role in a few episodes.)

So, if you need a panic monster, find one. :)

Ask a friend to help you with accountability. Email them every day, or once a week, outlining your progress toward your dream. Do the same for them. Knowing you have to write that email is a really motivating way to get those daily tasks done. Or keep a word count spreadsheet. See how many days you can string together where you worked on a project. It sucks to put a zero in a word count spreadsheet.

You might want to reach out to Tim Urban at his blog and tell him what his TED Talk made you think about; what changes it made in the way you go after your dreams.

If you're wondering what we're doing at the Writers' Loft, check out our new blog here.  Even if you're not local to metrowest Massachusetts, you can be a part of our supportive community now! Stop by and say hi!

And, lastly, will I see you at NESCBWI? There's a few spots still open--register here. I'll be talking (in a workshop on Sunday) about setting yourself up in your creative career so you CANNOT FAIL. How? Through deliberately building your support system. It's easy--I'll help you!!

So, what's your dream? How are you working toward it? How are you outwitting your instant gratification monkey?

Streaking and TED Talk Tuesday: Angela Lee Duckworth's Key to Success: GRIT

So I've decided to take up streaking this January.

Nope, not that kind of streaking. :)

Streaking, as in, trying to do things for as many days as I can in a row. In order to join the US Running Streak Association, one needs to run at least a mile for 365 days.

I think there is a lot of wisdom in that.

First of all, it's totally doable. On any given day, I can run a mile. But, have I ever run every single day of the year? Nope. Totally doable and yet totally a terrific challenge.

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

How does this translate to writing? Simply. I'm going to set the goal of writing every day for 30 minutes. Most days I'll write more than that. And I'm the first to admit that some days I need not to write--some days I need to think about a project. And on those days, I'll write something different. And think about the project that needs some air.

I don't think that this will burn me out like NaNo. (Don't get me wrong I LOVE NaNo!)

And, if I skip a day, I'll start the streak over. (But I'm not planning on skipping.) So, who's with me? Let's start a writing streaking club.

Let's call it the Writers' Loft Streaking Club--but anyone can join.

I'm not big about new year's resolutions, but I am big about beginnings. Let's streak.

To spur you on, here's some inspiration from Angela Lee Duckworth, who shares that it isn't smarts but GRIT that creates success.

You know, like the grit that you need to write (or run) every single day.


Can't see this TED talk via blogger? Click here.

Will you streak with me? :)

Purple Nose Accountability

Welcome to this week's Monday Meeting, and Sunday check-in. (I'm only late on one of those counts!!)

I drive around town with a purple nose on the front of my car:

A couple of years ago, my husband decorated my car as a bat for Halloween. Black wings flew from the top, and a the purple nose classed up the bumper. :)

Pretty soon I realized that I enjoyed the purple nose. I like being a bit different, I love the color purple, and most of all, I love that when I pull up in front of the school, my kids know that it is me. They never approach the wrong car.

But, driving around with a purple nose means that I have to be accountable for my driving. People know it's me. I can't drive aggressively, or cut people off. I drive respectively because I can't hide in anonymity.

I feel as though having these goals during the next 80 days, as a part of the ROW 80 community, has given me purple nose accountability. I have to own up to my progress.

So far, so good. I have been using my two hours a day to revise the first 2/3 of my manuscript, looking closely at each scene, with the aid of this Scene and Sequels technique. My friend Marisa gave me the link while in the Practice Room (we'd love to have you there to talk writing--it's great fun). In fact, I need to go and sign up to run a session over there to fulfill this week's goal!

So, I'm basically on track--I've been noting where all my writing and exercising time is going in a daily calendar.

It's really illuminating, and what I spend my time on is as clear as the purple nose on my face.

It's not all coming up lilacs--I couldn't keep up with my writing time over the weekend. Weekends are family time, and I'm going to try to carve out time to write, but if I can't, well, I'll just revise my goals.

How are you keeping yourself accountable? What are you working on this week? Do you have goals? Would you drive around with something weird on your car? Do you have purple nose accountability?

Honk if you see me cruising with my purple nose!

Avocado on My Slipper

Sometimes, I go through life wondering things. Where's my coffee? (It was on the dryer.) Where's my cell phone? (On a shelf in my clothes closet.) How did I get avocado on my slipper?

Really.

How?

I mean, I can probably figure out the answer to these questions. But I can't remember exactly.
And then I think of the biggest question of all:

How did I get so out of touch with my manuscript?

And, I don't know how, exactly.

There are lots of excuses. I have three active kids. A husband. Commitments with schools and a church. Friends. Family. Holidays. Deaths and illnesses.

But, now that I am a few days into the New Year, a few days into ROW 80, now, I know exactly:

I'm not out of touch with my manuscript.

I have worked for a total of four hours on it, in the last two days. I know exactly what I did during those four hours, and I know exactly what I am going to do the next hours that I devote to writing. I know the time I spent blogging, and the time I spent exercising.

I am writing deliberately.

And because of that, if my MC were to get avocado on her slipper, I will remember exactly how that happened. :)

I am hitting all my writing and exercising goals. I'm excited about that. I'm excited just to know whether or not I am hitting my goals! I'm enjoying keeping track of the time I spend on things. On where my energy goes.

Maybe I'll get to that level of consciousness in my avocado filled life as well.

How are you doing? What crazy things have you done, and then later wonder how that happened? What goals are you working toward, writing or otherwise?

To ROW or not to ROW (80)

I'm trying something new this year.

I'm writing competitively in the company of supportive friends.

Hmmm.

"Um, Heather," you might say, "that doesn't sound different from your normal bag of tricks. It sounds like the Tour de Writing."

"Well, the Tour happens only in the summer. This competitive writing project happens all year long." I would reply.

"It also sounds a bit like NaNo." (that's you again. See how I nail your voice? :))

"Well, NaNo is only during November, and some people take issue with the extreme word count goals. During this challenge, you get to set your own goals!"

"So, you're writing with supportive people, like in The Practice Room?"

"Yes, with supportive people, writers who check in with you, and cheer you on. And it goes on all year like TPR. But not in a chat room. Through blog comments, and twitter. I even signed up to be a sponsor, so one of my jobs will be to cheer you on, if you decide to sign up. As always, though, TPR will be a great tool to help me reach my writing goals, and I hope other ROWers stop by to utilize the support there as well!"

Okay, this is starting to sound like a 6th grade skit for Social Studies class. :)

But, I am joining a new supportive writing group, called A Round Of Words in 80 Days. Or, ROW 80.

I popped over by mistake, the first time, thinking that the blog was about a writer who also rows. You know, oars, coxswain, the whole nine yards. It wasn't. :) What a happy accident!

It's a blog about writers setting goals, and trying to hit those goals in 80 days, four separate times a year. Writers check in a couple of times each week, and form a community around reaching their goals. It's a superb idea, and I'm excited to be a part of it.

All you do is check out the sign up post, and sign up on the link list, and go from there.

This next round starts on Monday, January 2nd. Perfect if you are resolutioning, perfect if you aren't.

I love supportive writing, don't you??

Come join me, and let me know that you are, in my comments, so I know who's up for the challenge. I'll be following #ROW80 in the twitter feeds as well.

I hope your holidays are going well. Did you get any good gifts? Are you raving the New Year in? Will you join me in a round of ROW 80??

If I can hit my goal while writing like this:

Then you can too!!

Monday Meeting

First, I want to say thanks to Paul for such a wonderful Friday Feature. For any of you who don't know, Friday Features are interviews with a writer somewhere along their journey toward publication and beyond. If you happened to miss one, check out the list above my blogroll. And, you are all cordially invited back on this Friday, for an interview with the knowledgeable American Idol junkie, Laura Pauling.

Monday Meeting:

Last week I got sucked into the whole children-home-from-school-vacation void. I played lots of games, but didn't advance the writing all that much. And, my head cold fogged up my brain. But now, my kids are back on a regular schedule, my head is clear, and I'm ready to get back into it. I'm hoping to finish (finish??!!) revising the beginning of my MG, and move on to the next section. I'm also going to play with the snowflake method over at Jon's.

At this point, finishing a revision seems a bit like a myth. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about where my WIP is, and where it's going. But there always seems to be a way to improve. I hope that I'll know when I get there, that sweet spot, that "done". Because I don't want to revise this work to death, and know that it is possible. So, several question for you this morning. What are your goals for this week, and how do you know that a part of your WIP is done? How do you prevent your overzealous editor within from killing your manuscript?

Monday Meeting

Healness. That was the word verification that I had to type in on a blog comment. Healness! That sounds like the perfect thing to be working toward. I wish everyone healness today, this week, this year.

What would healness look like? Making strides toward wholeness, I imagine. Because what is healed must be whole. But right now I feel pretty whole. A whole person moving in the direction of her goals. It's a good place to be, as long as my feet keep moving. And my hands keep typing. Which brings me to the Monday Meeting:


My goal last week was to find some time each day to work on writing. This week, my goal is to ACTUALLY WRITE during that time. I don't know why it is so tough to get back into writing--any ideas? I've been doing research, but no actual writing.


But last week was an amazingly productive week aside writing. I developed and started teaching a wonderful Sunday school class connecting 6th graders with the church service through art projects. I reached out to two of my closest childhood friends to help them through some very dark times, and I settled back in to life after visiting with my step-sister and half-brother to help them over the death of their mother. And celebrated my Harry Potter's 10th birthday. And I exercised every day. It was actually quite a full week. In fact, it felt like two weeks.

I'm hoping that I get so much writing done this week that it feels like two weeks worth of words. What are your goals? Any inspirations for getting me back into the swing of things? What do you do when your week gets too chaotic to write?

Monday Meeting

Yay! The first Monday Meeting in 2010!

This week I am focusing on gaining some momentum. Life intervened at the end of 2009, and I lost all of my speed in my revisions. I'm hoping that this means that I will come at them with a fresh set of eyes, even if I am falling behind in my big picture goals. (Already? And it's only January 4th!) I'm looking forward to the fresh start.

So this week, I will just focus on setting aside a time each day to revise, or think about my revisions. And I'm going to print out my long term goals so that I STAY ON TARGET...

Stop by Anna's--she's giving away Shiver and The Maze Runner. (You'll meet her in more depth if you stop by here in 11 days, hint, hint.)

And, you just have a few more days--until January 15th--to download Maureen Johnson's Christmas present to us all, a free copy of her book, Suite Scarlett. C'mon everyone, you know you want to make me jealous of your new Kindle...

And, I'm excited to jump start 2010's Friday Features: Journeys Toward Publication and Beyond. This Friday is an interview with the genuinely nice and down to earth Tracy Edward Wymer. You can prep for the question/answer session by heading over to his blog, crossing chalk.

Where are you posting your resolutions/ goals? What are you setting out to accomplish this week?

Monday Meeting/ The Christmas Crazies

I have a confession to make. I get a bit crazy in the ramp up to the holidays. I get all freaky about stuff that is out of my control. I want the people in my life to do and say certain things. Which isn't exactly fair. They aren't characters in my novel. I need to give them the space to be who they are. I need to get what I need from something else.

I want things to go smoothly during the holidays and be, well, perfect. And every year, (another confession) I kind of expect a Christmas miracle. Naive, I know. And I know that is not how the universe works. I think it is a throwback from feeling the magic of holidays as a child.

I get frustrated with the hard things in my life at the holidays. And that is not what the holidays is about. It's about being grateful for what you have. And I am truly deeply blessed. But holidays also mark the passage of time. Last year is clearly etched in my head. And I hoped that this Christmas, things would be different.

My response to all this is to understand the pressure that I feel around this time of year, and to do some proactive stress relief. And to paint a different picture in my head about the holiday--one with tons of wonderful imperfections. And to latch on to one of the things that I can control--my writing.

Which brings us to the Monday Meeting. This feels interesting, coming off of the open thread on Friday about setting big picture goals. (Feel free to head back there to enter in your long term goal.) I have a clear view of what I need to do to get to the next step. I actually wrote down on my calendar what I want to accomplish day by day. This week, I am going scene by scene in my MG and adding what is necessary. I'm hoping by the end of the week that I will have finished adding/changing the scenes necessary to keep my character's arc flowing smoothly. Then I will have a good idea of what is next in my revision, and write myself an editorial letter about the novel.

When I get all crazy about the stuff in my life, I'll write (and run, and read, get coffee with a friend, and maybe do some yoga). I'll have something to work toward that is in my own control. What do you do about the holiday crazies? What are your goals this week? What do you get all freaky about? And, have you checked out this awesome Christmas carol at MS'sFV?

Tuesday Monday Meeting

Since it's my blog, and I'm all powerful here, I am able to make today Monday. And yesterday was Superman's birthday. Every superman deserves a supermom to create a super birthday. In that spirit, there was the driving to far away IKEA, the buying of the new bed, the putting together of said bed, the cake baking, the gift-wrapping, and the party hosting. But no blogging.

Now there is blogging.

I thought I would start out with some thanks. Thanks to all the wonderful writers who contributed so much to this blog with their insightful interviews. Thanks Erica, Bryan, Paul, and Casey! All the interviews are under a link to the right, if anyone missed one.

Thanks to all of you followers for all your supportive comments. I love the respectful community that we're building here. I appreciate that you take the time to visit.

Thanks to my critique partner for all that he has done and been for me this year. Thanks, R! I would not be here, in my writing world, without your pushing, pulling and support.

Thanks to all the supportive writers and agents and publishers who blog and make me feel a part of this world.

And, one more thanks, wrapped up in a progress report:

Last week my writing was derailed (again, or still) due to all sorts of things, including being supermom for three kids during the holiday season. Just when I decided to turn my back on my writing, I clicked over to Erica's blog and her recent post, "Today, You're a Writer." It got me right back on track. Thanks again, Erica, for always being there, even when you have more than your fair share on your plate. Everyone, go check it out, and then come back and tell me what you are doing this day, this week, as a writer.

What am I going to do? I am going to write. I think that is going to be my only goal during the holiday season.

Monday Meeting

This Monday, I'm reminiscing.

When I was a child, my parents got divorced. And split the holidays. So, every other Christmas we would drive from Pennsylvania to the heat of the Florida Keys to celebrate Christmas with my mom's parents, on their house boat. Did I mention my grandparents are Jewish? It was as if we were trying to make Christmas as un-traditionally Christmasy as we could. Those Christmases are etched in sharp contrast to all the Christmases that had come and gone before, when we would drive to New England to spend the holiday with my dad's parents.

But, a strange evolution of Christmas occurred. It became normal to expect Santa to visit on golf cart, driving down the beach. To enjoy the bizarre pastel Key's interpretation of Christmas decorations. To see our gifts under the Hanukkah bush, and play shuffle board and go for a swim Christmas Eve. To sing 'Margaritaville' in Key West and see Hemingway's cats. To wear bathing suits instead of snowsuits. These things became Christmasy to me--even the Hanukkah bush. To this day, I use blue lights on my Christmas tree.

I loved those Christmases.

My point? That a vacation to the Keys would be perfect this time of year? No--well, yes.

But my real point? That Christmas, and any holiday, is about spirit, not about scene, or even traditions. And, that it is more about spending time with those you love than about anything else.

But on to the task at hand:

The Monday meeting.

This week I am going to write. That's my goal. As the pressure of Nano dissolves and the holiday cyclone sucks me in, I just want to get some writing done. I'd love to finish some things up, and have a solid deadline, but my goal is just to find my rhythm and write.

My other goal is to remember my bigger goal--to get this stuff published, and sooner rather than later. This always fires me up, as I think of all the possibilities.

Plus--another big treat (it is the holiday season, after all!)--this week's Friday interview will feature Casey McCormick from Literary Rambles. She is a fantastic person and writer. Stop by to check it out!

So, are you thinking about the holidays? What are you working on this week?

Monday Meeting

Phew. Thanksgiving is over. It was a big blur--the days are racing past. Before I know it, more holidays will be upon us.


But before they are, we have this week to write. So, here are my goals:

1. Finish my Nano novel. I hit 50,000 after a sketchy Thanksgiving week, but am still maybe 10,000 words off finishing.

2. Write myself an editorial letter to get me back into revising my MG. This is a good week to organize what the revision is going to look like. December is looking like a PriNoRevisMo for me (private novel revision month).

3. Shelf the Nano YA (when complete) until MG novel is revised.



Plus--I have a big treat for you all at the end of the week. Friday's Feature: Journeys Toward Publication and Beyond will spotlight the funny and down-to-earth Paul Murphy. Come stop by, post a question, meet Paul.


So, tell me. What goals are you gearing toward this week?

Tuesday Meeting

This week got off to a rocky start, so rocky, in fact, that I didn't check in yesterday to see what everyone had planned for the week. It's never too late to have a Monday Meeting, so here goes:

This week I am planning on finishing my NaNo novel. I wrote a good chunk yesterday, but started floundering. I had some plot decisions to make. So this morning, I took some time out to work out the end of the book. I decided to add another character, which would make the climax bigger. I'm at 41,000 and excited to add the character, and then finish the rough draft. So, aside from celebrating Thanksgiving, I'll finish the novel. And put it away for awhile and into the revision queue.

And Thanksgiving this year? We're ordering the sides pre-cooked from a local market. There has been way too much stuff going on in the family to make a big production out of it. Good food and family. And no stress. Good times.

What are you doing with your writing, with your family, with Thanksgiving?

Monday Meeting

Monday again. My goals include the following:

1. Get close to finishing my YA NaNo novel. I am right on target with my word count. I can taste where the novel is going right now, and I am excited to bring it home.

2. I am also thrilled about making some changes with my MG WIR (that's Work In Revision). I'm hoping to advance that work as well this week.

3. And, although this is out of my control, I am hoping to exorcise the illness that has invaded the house.

*And, look for a special treat on Friday--an interview with the awesome Bryan Bliss. I'm thrilled, and you should be too!

Let's get the ball rolling and have a great week. What are you working on? What are your goals?

Monday Meeting

Hello all. This week I am hoping to rock out more words for my NaNo Novel. In that vein--here is the first song on my NaNo novel's soundtrack. This song, aside from some of the words, has more meaning for me than my MC (normally the songs on my soundtrack relate to the emotional journey of my characters). It's for me to feel like I can be a bad ass. (Whatever gets the words to page, right?) I finished the week ahead on my word count, but took yesterday off, to throw a fourth birthday party for Cowgirl.

So, this week, I plan on getting my momentum back, getting to the halfway point on my YA novel, and adding to my main character's arc in my MG novel. I am also going to go easy on myself this week, as the flu ramped up its clutches on my daughter. This is her second illness in less than a week--I'm wondering if she actually still had the flu on her symptomless days.

I am also launching a new feature this week on this blog. I would like to invite you all to stop by Friday for an interview and Q/A session with fantastic author Erica Orloff. It'll be tons of fun. The Friday interviews will feature writers all along the journey towards publication and beyond. I hope you stop by!

And a poem to further inspire (me):

What would I discover about the cotton woods if when I walked to the mailbox,

I listened to them instead of looked at them?
What would I find out about the rain if I didn’t run inside?
And is it possible that a sunrise would refresh me more than sleep?
It’s this simple:
If I never try anything, I never learn anything.
If I never take a risk, I stay where I am.
Today a friend wrote me, “Do you think you are a mistake, just because you made one?"

There is no such thing as a mistake, there is only what happens.

--Hugh Kratz

Thanks, JD for reading that poem onto a mix tape for me so many years ago (mix tape--am I dating myself, or what?)

So, what are the goals you have set for yourself this week? What inspirations are you using to stay on track?

Monday Meeting

After completing many mundane and unsightly non-writing tasks this morning, I am rebelling against convention. (My own convention, in fact.) I'm not setting one goal this week. My writing partner is going out of town, so it makes sense to take this week as a 'bye' week. I am just going to wing it, and see where the writing muse takes me. Into Space, I imagine.

Where do you plan on going with your writing this week?

Monday Meeting

Goals, anyone?

This week, I am going to...

1. Look at the first 20 pages, revise, and insert notes (hole in shoe, running notes from the weekend)

2. Plot character note cards. (I love index cards!)

3. Dialogue!

4. Try to get into some sort of writing schedule.

The Dregs of the Day

I am fully immersed in the summer. The kids are home from school and I'm putting lots of energy into my day job--being a mother.

This relegates my writing to the dregs of the day.

Would I love to have it front and center and spend hours every day making my novel perfect? Yes.
Will that happen this summer? Probably not.

Does that mean that my goal of completed MG novel by September is shooting for the stars?
I don't know. What it means is that I have to transform the 'dregs of the day' into quality writing time.

And I have an ace up my sleeve, to keep me honest and on target with my goals. I'm starting a blog.

This way, my (ever changing) goals are somewhere, and I can stick to them (or change them to my heart's content). But they are going to be here, and not on index cards, littering my workspace.

I'll shoot for the stars. And if one of them falls, then all the better!