How Successful Writers Get Things Done

Article Title: (from Creative Writing Course)


Author Name: Craig Lock

Category (key words): writing, creative writing, writing tips, writing
course
Web sites: http://members.tripod.com/~lock77/creative.html and
http://au.geocities.com/writingnz/


Other Articles: http://www.articlesbeyondbetter.com/profile/Craig-Lock/270
(Writing, internet marketing, personal growth and words of inspiration)


Publishing Guidelines: This article may be freely reproduced
electronically or in print.

"We share what we know, so that others may grow."

"If you have knowledge, let others light a candle to it." -
Margaret Fuller
(That's a metaphor, btw).

*
HOW SUCCESSFUL WRITERS GET THINGS DONE ("zany/wacky" version)
(Extracted from Eagle Productions Writing Course)

"It's easy being a writer... the hardest part is figuring how to
make a living, whilst one does so."

"I got sick and tired of waiting for writing success... so just
carried on without it."

I've mentioned those 'D' words before: DESIRE, DEDICATION and
DISCIPLINE. Successful writers set goals and work away steadily
and unobtrusively (nice long word, like 'earthmoving-contractor')
each day.

It may be writing a page or an article, or 500 words a day. I
just write and stop when I feel like it - either when I get
tired* or bored. * I could have used the word 'fatigued', but
'tired' was simpler. Just put in the effort.

If not, write two pages about living on the inside of an eyeball.
My great friend Donovan wrote about that one... and he wasn't
high - he's always just like that (as in wearing two left shoes
to work - oops, sorry) - true! And * I knew him when I was a
"straight insurance man", many years before I became a "funny
intellectual arty-farty writer type".

*
You've heard the term WRITER'S BLOCK? Anyway, it happens when your mind goes blank and you can't get going, no matter how hard you try for words of inspiration. You stare at a blank sheet of paper for
hours on end waiting for inspiration... but nothing comes...
except the cat with muddy paws walks all over your blank
masterpiece. That's just happened to me! You then resort to
pulling your hair out (is that why most writers are bald?) or
kicking the cat? Is this why most writers are broke paying
reparations to the SPCA?

*
HOW TO OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK

If any writer claims to have what is known as 'writer's block', then they don't have a big enough mortgage.
Seriously (is that possible here, Craig?), stress and adverse personal circumstances (like financial worries
or relationship difficulties - an occupational difficulty of
being a writer!) can easily stifle your creative imagination.

My advice: Take a break (not from the relationship!) and relax
(for as long as it takes - perhaps even a few months).
Inspiration will come to you some day. If it doesn't eventually
return, then you will know you didn't have the dedication to
become a writer. However, if writing is your job, like mine, I
make sure I'm inspired at 7am every morning (it's now 4am),
because I have no choice to pay the bills and alimony to my 7
previous wives (and I'm not an African king!). Inspiration comes
from SELF-DISCIPLINE. Then, when the words eventually come, you
run outside naked shouting,' Eureka, Eureka!'... and you should
see the looks on the neighbours faces. That "rather weird,
intellectual and serious arty-farty writer-type" next door. Why
doesn't he get a "proper job" ( = "just on broke"), like us
practical and very down to earth Kiwis in rural New Zealand?

* What's the difference between a writer and a family pizza?

The family pizza can feed a rather hungry family of three ... or
ONE starving writer writing away in his garret munching on a
carrot!

What's the definition of an aspiring author? A waiter!

I hope that you have enjoyed my "funny, warped and zany" sense of
humour with a few chuckles along the way reading this article.
And* hope this information may be helpful to you in your creative
writing.

Have great fun in doing it... as I've done in
this article.

Craig Lock (Eagle Productions)

* Can I begin a sentence with the conjunctive (now that's an
impressive word - hope I've used it correctly), "And".

Yes you can, Craig... because it's your article!

*

P.S: "My writing mission is through my words to inform,
illuminate, entertain, uplift, delight, as well as hopefully even
inspiring people. I aim to do this by sharing my knowledge and
life experiences. I hope to have achieved this aim in the above article.

Happy writing and have FUN (as I've had in writing this article).

Craig Lock
http://www.craiglockbooks.com

"If a man has talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has
a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed. If he
has a talent and learns somehow to use the whole of it, he has
gloriously succeeded and has a satisfaction and a triumph few men
ever know."
- Thomas Wolfe

"Everyone has a talent. What is rare is the courage to follow the
talent to the dark place where it leads."
- Erica Jong

Now for a change in tone...
"It took 'lucky' 13 years of hard work 'beavering and
slogging away', persistence and total dedication in the
'daily grind' of writing to become an overnight success."

About the Author:
Craig likes to share knowledge and insights from his life experiences with dashes of humour to try and help others in 'every little way' he can...
without being too much of a "boring Mr goody-goody two shoes, though they may be of different colours"

http://au.geocities.com/writingnz
http://members.tripod.com/~lock77/creative.html
The "original" online creative writing course