There’s something about checking items off a to-do list that gives me a little dopamine hit. Even if it’s the simplest task on the list, I still feel a sense of accomplishment, and it gives me a sometimes desperately needed boost of confidence that helps me keep plugging away at the rest of the list….
Tag: novel writing
How to Ask for Help
There came a time in my life when I became embarrassed to ask for help. I felt like I should be able to do everything for myself, since I was all grown up and supposedly self-sufficient. Well, today I watched my younger brother come into the backyard with a jug of juice to ask one…
Some Words of Encouragement
I have a lot to do today. My brain is tired. My body is tired. My bed is calling my name. It’s hard to feel excited, motivated, or inspired at the end (or even beginning) of a busy day with a lot of scary tasks on the docket. With that in mind, I thought I’d…
To Outline or Wing It
When I was a young whippersnapper, all of sixteen years of age, trying my hand at National Novel Writing Month for the first time, there was lots of discussion going on about “pantsing” versus plotting. Was I a fly by the seat of my pants type of writer? Or would I be organized and lay…
Motivation for Writers: Pride in Process
I’ve trained for and completed nine official races. Road running is my joy. But unlike when I was competing in eventing, my competitive field is massive. That means that if I ever want to stand on a podium as a top-three medalist, I either need to only run in lowkey races where the competition pool…
Your First Draft Isn’t Scary
The first draft of your novel and the final draft will probably look nothing alike. You will go through several drafts. You will change a lot of elements. The story you finish with may be entirely different from the story you originally set out to tell. And those are all good things. The first race…
Finding Courage
“I’d love to do that, but I’m too nervous.” “I just don’t think I’m good enough.” “Maybe one day.” I think we’re all guilty of this bad habit sooner or later: we see people doing something we want to do, and we assume they’re braver, tougher, more competent than we are, and thus that ‘something’…
My Writing Journey
With the launch of my debut novel fast approaching, I can’t help reflecting on my writing journey. I started writing when I was nine years old. I very distinctly remember the dark blue notebook I chose to write my “book” in. The story was set on an island in a mystical sea, and about ten…
For the Snowy Days: Writing Without Motivation
Middle Tennessee was essentially attacked by an incredibly rude snow/ice storm that had us homebound for a few days. I’ve written about the cold days and the hot days but persevering through the snowy days was another beast. It was so wet and cold that I just felt stuck. No motivation. No inspiration. Just a…
Stop Obsessing Over the Data
I’m a data girl. I love to have all the facts and figures. As a long-distance runner, I’m in consistent training, and I’m constantly comparing all the running stats from this run, that run, and the next one. Resting heart rate is higher than normal? Time to scour my entire life for the culprit. Running…