Give It Your Best When You Write

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

It was the allotted time to sit down and write. You have perched yourself in front of the computer screen or notebook with a pen and written your fingers numb. As you wrote the piece, whether it’s a blog post, article, devo or part of your book, did you given it your best effort?I have to confess, that there have been times in the past that I would wait until the last minute or unfortunately my mood was not conducive for productivity but I would be at a due date. I needed to finish the piece for submission and I hurried through it to catch a deadline. I threw some words down on the paper, rearranged the order to make it somewhat flow and pressed the submit button. 
Then I agonized later for the error of my ways. 
At the beginning of this year, one of my prayers was over any writing that I would do. I prayed that God would show me when my best wasn’t in a piece I felt entitled to type The End on. I asked Him to give me an unsettling about it. 
And man has He! They say, be careful what you ask for, and this applied here. There have been times where I was about to hit the submit button and my computer froze or the piece wouldn’t transfer. I was living in answered prayer. 
In order to get a handle on making sure my best work is what I published, I have come up with three checkpoints that I’ve been using this year. Maybe they will give you some help so you, too, can do the same. 
Three Checkpoints for Excellence1. Plan your writing schedule better. What I’ve been doing is backing up my deadline for something one week earlier than when it is actually due. I guess I’m playing a little mind game with myself, but it’s working. By building margins in the deadline dates, it allows time for the words to roll around in my mind. Have a piece due on the fourth Tuesday of the month? Put it on the third Tuesday in red bold and then a different color on the true due date. This will allow time  to write the post, do what ever extra is needed—photos, references, etc.—and then read it again a day or two later. Does it feel right? Have that peace I gave it my best effort? Perfect, hit that submit button.
2. Make an attitude adjustment. Are you rehashing a snarky comment made directed at you? Family member say something hurtful? Bitter about something you don’t want to admit? This could be blocking your entire thought process, which could cause you to be writing with a sour attitude without even realizing it. Time to get up and walk away. Take a breath. Say a prayer. Maybe even make a needed phone call. 
3. File it for later.When you complete a writing piece, sit back and ask God to show you if you really applied yourself to it. If you get the feeling it’s not your best piece, do not hit delete. Make yourself a file that says, “Needs Work.” File the piece there. Pull it out on another day. Let it brew until the words start pouring into again. 
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Colossians 3:23 ESV
My prayer for each of us is that we always present or post our best work wherever we have placed our words. Because remember—we want all things to be pleasing to God. 
What about you? Do you have a tip to add to those above?

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You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s been married to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 37 years, a mom to their grown daughter, Kristen, and wrapped around the paw of a little dog named Hattie. Born and raised in Ohio, her family now resides in South Carolina. She is the President of Word Weavers Upstate SC, member of ACFW and My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. She’s the Blog Editor for Word Weavers International. A Conference Assistant for Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. A monthly contributor for The Write Conversation. A contributor in the 2018 Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. Also a regular contributor to several other blogs. 
Connect with Tammy: Blog:http://www.tammykarasek.com  Email: tickledpinktammy@gmail.com