This month is about making/finding time. One way you can make time for a blog post is to forget there are five weeks in July and think you post the last week of the month instead of the fourth week of the month. I gave myself a whole extra week to write. It was magic.
Sometimes, often times, all the time? I’m not good at making myself write. I go on a 12 mile bike ride with my family or I go backpacking with my kids and I read the whole time instead of write anything. (I look at reading as a reward for living without plumbing for 2 days.) But if I’m going to truly make a go of this writing thing, I’ve got to write.
There are no guarantees in writing and I need a guarantee. I’m not brave enough to create for creation’s sake. So I create my own guarantee. Last month, I talked about how Frye boots are my motivation for publishing but I was thinking about how finishing a manuscript is kind of prerequisite to publishing and seeing as I have a problem with THAT, I need fresh motivation NOW.
And then I received a sign that I was completely, 100% correct in my belief that I should no longer postpone my motivation to an unknown date in the future.
It was a clear, warm day in July. The birds were tweeting and a gentle breeze was blowing. I was walking downtown (I believe my hair was in pigtails and I was wearing a blue gingham dress holding a basket with a dog in it) and I past a local boutique. I wasn’t planning on going in but then I heard a voice say, “Look at that shelf of shoes on sale, my pretty.” And I did. And there was a pair of Frye boots. AND THEY WERE IN MY SIZE. ON SALE. I think I also heard angels singing. But it could’ve been flying monkeys.
So I bought them and put them on a chair directly in front of my desk. They will not be worn until the manuscript is finished. I’m hoping to wear them to SIWC in October.
And when I can’t find time to write, the incredibly-materialistic-in-need-of-instant-gratification part of me seems to find time to earn Frye boots.
These will go perfect with my blue gingham dress.
Anyone else out there use material rewards to find time to write?
