On Writing: Discipline
by Trice Hickman
by Trice Hickman
I suffered from writer's block for more than 15 years before I wrote my first book. Those days were very frustrating, and at times, downright difficult. I'd start writing and then, wham! The words would stop and I couldn't seem to get them back. But once I started writing my first manuscript in earnest, my muse came to me (on a sunny Monday morning in March 2004. It's a day I'll always remember!) and has been my good friend ever since.
Even though I don't suffer from writer's block the way I used to, there are days when my muse says she's tired and needs a break! So, what do I do when that happens?...I still write! Don't get me wrong, I never force writing because that's a recipe for disaster. But in order to complete a novel-length manuscript (75-85k words. Mine are usually 95-100k words) you have to buckle down and exercise a fair amount of discipline.
Writing a novel requires a great deal of discipline, stamina, and dedication. The only way to finish a book is to write as much as you can. Even if I don't write a new scene, I go back over what I've already written, and when I do that I always end up adding more words to the pages and making what I've already penned even better. Essentially, writing is re-writing.
The discipline involved in completing a book isn't easy. Going from a blank screen to one filled with over 350 pages requires hours and hours of uninterrupted time each day, month, and year, if you want to maintain a career as a writer. A good way to make sure you write each day, or at least work on your manuscript, is to schedule an appointment. Just as you would schedule a hair appointment, dental office visit, or a workout at the gym, you have to schedule writing time. You have to treat your writing as a necessary appointment that you can't miss. However you decide to organize your time, find what works for you and make it a part of your routine, so that writing becomes a habit!
Blessings,
Trice Hickman
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