 For Authors: February 14, 2024 Issue [#12402] |
This week: Consistency Gets You There Edited by: NaNoNette  
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"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." ~ Dwayne Johnson
"Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." ~ Oscar Wilde |
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Consistency Gets You There
Consistency and staying motivated to accomplish writing goals go hand in hand.
There are many situations in life that are uncomfortable. The duration of the discomfort is known in some cases. NaNoWriMo goes for 30 days. Even with the weeks beforehand for preparation, the actual writing during November has a definitive ending point. On November 30th.
In other cases, it's unclear how long challenging times will last. Things entirely out of our control like the economy or bad weather have to be endured no matter what.
One way to overcome uncertainty is to have unwavering trust in our own ability to prevail. This has two parts. First, set an ambitious goal and give it a deadline. Second, don't just stop if success isn't immediate. Improvement comes from progress.
A way to prevent losing is to be consistent. Consistency can feel monotonous. It can even be attacked as unimaginative as Oscar Wilde would say. However, a consistent routine will eventually produce a better outcome that short bursts of excited activity.
Coming back to my original example of NaNoWriMo. November has 30 days, so there is an incentive to be consistent for 30 days of writing. Because of the pressure to hammer out tens of thousands of words, quality goes by the wayside. But the excitement pushes many of us through to the end. What happens afterward? For some, it's burnout that waits on the other side.
Rather than put all of your writing energy into a month like a crash diet, develop good habits. Fuel your overall momentum by reminding yourself persistently of your goals. Work toward them as often as you can. Your book isn't told in just one or two chapters. You have to apply the same amount of care and passion to the last chapters as you gave the first chapters.
Remember, even if nobody tells you, chances are that your consistency is motivation for others to do the same. Whether other bloggers see your frequent entries and get back blogging. Or others see the many contests you enter and it gives them the push to try too.
What have you been able to keep up with consistently? Maybe not every single day, but frequently and over a long time. |
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Replies to my last For Authors newsletter "Just Like That" that asked Which words or phrases do you think should be used minimally in creative writing?
Nobody’s Home  wrote: Great newsletter, Annette, and thanks for choosing "Editor's Picks" to fit the topic!
There are a lot of words I'm trying to use less frequently. I often begin sentences with And or But when I could remove them without anything changing, and it used to be–and probably still is to many–a horrible grammar faux pas. Other words I overuse: so, pretty, still, just, really, very. Also phrases like "I tend to" are showing themselves when I'm editing, and I'm getting rid of that kind of excess verbiage, too.
I find it interesting that I'm naturally speaking those words less frequently since I'm using them less in my writing.
Joey' Falling for the Season  wrote: Oh I hate when that happens... was just a comment to express my admiration for your effort. Your post reminded me of a conversation a couple of years ago. I was at a conference where Steven King was the guest speaker.
The question to him was about when he knew a manuscript was finished and edited enough to move on to the next step. He said he had never finished writing or editing anything he had written.
When pressed further, the question restated, "There has to be some point you can decide it good enough!" to which he replied, "Well, I suppose it depends on when the electric bill is due."
brom21  wrote: I honestly can’t think of any. I too have been told not to use state of being verbs like was had has, and so forth. it’s nice to know you can use them sometimes though lol. thanks for the newsletter!
foxtale  wrote: Dialog can be a killer. But sometimes humorous;
Henry, nodding his head, asked, "I turn left up here?"
Jerry nodding his head, replied "Right."
Mikibits wrote: Thanks, NaNoNette for this lovely newsletter. It touched on a small dread I've noticed while reading the occasional review. I actually prefer constructive criticism to praise, but nitpicking at style (and the odd filler word) rather than giving a sincere reaction to the story itself (and actual grammatical errors) can sometimes wear away at a writer's motivation to carry on. Some writers, like myself, can be sensitive little beasts. 
Quick-Quill  wrote: WAS, WERE, WENT, THAT, THE. Watch them. From my first reviews, I had reminders to rework sentences with these words as they are passive and make you work weak. As a reviewer I will pick them out as I read. ReWork and tighten your sentences |
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