discipline

Alongside my renewed commitment to be a better blogger, I’m still hosting the talented people of Write by the Rails in the Endless Possibilities Blog Tour. Today, I feature the fearless leader of our merry band of writers, Cindy Brookshire. She’s bringing her own daily affirmation and accountability on getting the words down on paper, and meeting that daily word count.

I just spent 10 hours slogging through six award applications for a client by a 5:30 p.m. deadline. It’s the nature of my work – think fast and tune out distractions.

But working on my book? That’s another matter. I balk. I make excuses. I wait for the perfect chunk of time. It never comes.

I finally took my friend, North Carolina writer Barbara Presnell’s advice and got a writing accountability partner. She’s author and Huffington Post contributor Laura Collins Lyster-Mensch. Laura and I email each other every Monday. Once a month we do a face-to-face at the Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton or Caribou Coffee in Bristow. Talking to an accountability partner is like talking to a 12-step sponsor. You can’t bullshit a bullshitter.

Has it worked? Yes. In all honesty, I’ve set a kitchen timer and forced myself to do more work on my book than I’ve done in years. I’ve also produced some great magazine articles, and helped to build a thriving network of writers in Prince William through the non-profit Write by the Rails.

Laura has been quite effective, too, though under duress – she was able to work with her friend, Charlotte Bevan, to complete the book, Throwing Starfish, before Charlotte’s death.

Oh well, deadlines and taxes will always be with us. Or is it death and taxes?

I think I’ve earned another episode of House of Cards…..

Our new Constitution is now established, and has an appearance that promises permanency; but in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.

—Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, 1789

Cindy Brookshire is the fearless leader of Write by the Rails. She blogs at http://cookies4nataka.wordpress.com/

Part of me is so flipping excited about this Endless Possibilities blog tour! Makes me happier than Coke executives the day after airing a Super Bowl commercial reflecting on what makes America great!

What? Too soon?

Anyway, it has been a real kick introducing you to my fellow authors at Write by the Rails; but I just hope that when all is said and done, you’ll stick around for more musings from the TeeMonster, right? I’ve got to get some posts in the hopper for when it is just me, but until then continue to comment and syndicate on these terrific and talented individuals. Today the blog belongs to my hostess from earlier this week, Nancy S. Kyme. She is the author of Memory Lake, the Forever Friendships of Summer, a 2012 Next Generation Award Winning memoir and she comes out of the blogger’s box swinging with a pretty deep question for you.

Heck, on some days, it’s a deep question for me…

“Click, tap-tap-tap. Click,” my fingers shifted across the keyboard. “Clang,” the grandfather clock in the hall chimed one. “Why am I still awake?” I whispered.

Oh, I see it now.

That last sentence must go to the front of the paragraph. It no longer needs the second sentence. Perfect. My point is made in fewer words and the chapter is almost polished. I hit ‘save.’ I closed the Toshiba, tip-toed upstairs, and into bed.

The alarm would go off in four hours. [Read more…] about Endless Possibilities Blog Tour 2014: Nancy S. Kyme asks “Are You a Writer?”