The Ring, or How to Keep on Keepin’ On When It Comes to Writing

[image error]Whether it’s blogging, finding time to scribble down that haiku that’s been gnawing at your brain all day, or penning the Great American (Erotic) Novel, unfortunately, it can be far too easy to make excuses not to write.

I’m tired. My family’s needs come first. My creative well hath run dry. I just don’t wanna write tonight. Et cetera ad infinitum (a Latin phrase meaning “excuses only satisfy those who make them”).

And, believe me, I get it. But if you’re passionate about writing – truly committed to the exercise and to your desired goal (self-fulfillment, publication, or something else entirely) – then you must make writing a daily priority. You need to hold yourself accountable to whip off that blog post, craft that sexy, witty dialogue, or choose the perfect words to round out your free verse.

In my case, I keep a reminder to write on hand at all times. Literally. Years ago, before we were married, my devastatingly wonderful husband got me a little ring as a gift. Once our wedding bands went on, though, the ring got tossed into the jewelry box and nearly forgotten. After a few miserably failed attempts at writing a novel – constantly derailing myself with excuses – I realized that I needed to hold myself to a higher standard. I required a reminder, each and every day, to sit my butt down and write. And that’s when I remembered the ring. Slipping it on my right hand, it sits there, spurring me on and encouraging to make myself and my writing a priority. Plus, it also reminds me that my husband is my biggest cheerleader – an added bonus!

My point is that whatever you have to do to make writing a part of your daily life, do it. Set a reminder in your calendar with a block of time reserved just for you. Take a few minutes during your lunch break to jot down the choice quips you want to come out of your protagonist’s mouth. Go out for a quick walk with the dog and plot out some of the key elements of your sci-fi, rom-com, mystery thriller. Wear a ring to keep yourself accountable. Whatever works for you, make it happen.

And write.