This is my check-in. I have written five out of seven days, so one day short of goals. What I was glad about was that on some days I sat at my desk and hated the idea of writing, really would have rather put a pin in myself, but after I persisted and wrote a couple of sentences I was okay again. Why is it so terrifying to springboard into the unknown with my characters? What am I afraid of? Is there is a deeper psychological process at work here? Yes, I think it’s a schema.
I’ve noticed a lot of ROW80-ers mentioning accountability, especially those who are looking for a writing partner. I daresay for many people it will help to get the desired result (in other words, meeting writing goals.) But this concept still leaves me a little uncomfortable. Not that I wouldn’t like a writing pal. I guess I think you do what you can, and when you’re ready you get there. But hey, whatever works for you!
I had an interesting weekend retreat with a good friend who is a therapist/psychology student, maybe that’s why I’m thinking about this so much. In any case it doesn’t matter too much why I sometimes don’t want to write. I’m still writing a little, still growing my story. I’m okay with it. These things take time, right? To all of you fellow travellers, I wish you a great week! 
That’s one thing I love about ROW: We all get to set our own goals and revise them when necessary. We can lead very solitary writing lives or dive into the middle of the community – whatever works best for us. And as I posted one day this past week: Slow Progress Day is better than No Progress Day. (I have revised my personal schedule to facilitate more productive days. I’ll have to see how it goes.)
Have a great week.
TTFN
Yes, I agree, the flexibility is why ROW works for me!
thanks for the encouragement, and same to you!
I hear you on the accountability partner thing. This process of writing is such a personal thing, not like losing weight where everyone needs to do the same basic things to be successful. I do like, however, the idea of having someone who can help me reframe things so that I don’t beat myself up for missing one goal when I did spectacularly on another. I’m not sure what I would call that person, but certainly not an accountability partner. That person couldn’t be just any random writer either. Might not even need to be a writer at all. Just someone who can remind me to be gentle with myself.
Congrats on writing through the fear. That is huge! Keep going!
I like your comment on re-framing…maybe what we need is an “objectivity partner.” It’s kind of the same, but without the pressure
I share some of my writing with a group, but that’s about the actual work, not the process. This whole thing about schmoozing the process is totally new to me! Cheers to you too!
I think I’d repeat my comments to one of your earlier blogposts (the one you wrote about Stephen King) in response to this. I’d also say you need to decide whether you’re process oriented or result oriented with your writing. Neither orientation is necessarily better than the other, but it will have some bearing on how you approach the exercise.
I just read an article by Mia Freedman in which she talks about not negotiating about the things she feels she simply must do, particularly exercising and writing. I think there’s a lot of sense in this (speaking as someone who REALLY needs to do more exercise). But then I also think there’s a place for sitting in your pyjamas amidst the filth of your living room while the phone’s ringing, and ignoring the whole damn lot because you’re receiving a visit from The Muse. And then later watching newsreader bloopers on YouTube, when The Muse has sloped off again (fickle woman that she is), because you’re interested in ‘stuff’ and you feel like a good laugh.
It’s an interesting question, whether it’s down to temperament or discipline. I suspect the question of whether you actually have time to waste has a lot to do with it, too. I’m sure there’s a happy medium out there…somewhere…
I’m leaning SLIGHTLY towards Mia’s philosophy right now. But that’s simply because of what I want to accomplish at the moment. But I have no doubt that I can wobble like the Tower of Pisa doing the hula…
Strangely, I think I am process-oriented, though my processes are nonchalant enough to look completely unconsidered. I think you have to be focused on what you’re doing in the moment, not projecting forward all the time to what it will be when it gets done. But somewhere in there needs to be enough ambition/organisation/intention/accountability or something else, that makes you keep going until it’s finished. Where are you wombling these days, east or west? Love to catch up sometime and hear more about your month of heaven!
Wombling west again now.
Don’t be fooled; writing holidays are not always easy. Not for this little black duck, anyway. And I say this in spite of getting some good work done.
It’s very confronting to be in a strange place, alone, even if a wonderful place. I’m glad you got work done. I daresay it was a very valuable experience.