Laura Drewry | Self Discipline

Last year, I set three goals.

1. Sell more books
2. Lose weight
3. Learn self discipline

Well, to quote the always quotable Meatloaf, two outta three ain’t bad. I sold two more books and I lost the weight. So this year I’ve decided to tackle the whole self discipline thing. How hard can it be? It’s simply a matter of retraining my brain, right? (snicker chuckle snort)

In order to lose the weight, I had to learn a bit of self discipline. And although I still believe Reeces Peanutbutter Cups and buttered popcorn deserve to have their own section on the food group pyramid, I no longer believe I’ll die if I don’t eat both of them every day. So, with the basic principal of “I’ve sort of done it before, so surely I can expand on it further”, I’ve set out to define the areas in which I need to increase my self discipline:

1. I write in fits and spurts, instead of every day. That has to change.

2. I have convinced myself that plotting is the curse of death and that winging it is the only way I can write. That has to change.

3. I tend to let my ‘office’ (for lack of a better word) turn into a dumping ground, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and claustrophobic. That definitely has to change.

And

4. I’ve never exercised regularly. That probably won’t change, but never say never, right? 🙂 After reading Maggie’s post from the other day, I’m definitely more inclined, I just need to find the self discipline. Funny how this all comes around full circle, eh?

Every writer has his/her own way of doing things, and they don’t always make sense to anyone else. The funny thing is that my way of writing doesn’t always make sense to me, and I’m the one doing it! I love writing and I love that every single writer has a different process of getting from blank page to the finished work. What I don’t love is knowing that no matter how organized and anal I might be in the rest of my life, I haven’t been able to duplicate that methodology into my writing life.

It’ll happen, though. I mean, honestly, if I can retrain my brain to believe I can get by without the almighty Reeces, surely I can retrain it to plan and plot a little, right? Right?!?

Laura Drewry