Bums on seat to get it all done.

 My successful best selling author friend is telling me that the way to make it as a writer is to put your bum on the seat and just do it. And I know she's right.

And I know there will come a point (hopefully soon) when I just do that. Because it will mean stuff will come up in the way of resistance. Lots of believe system shit will come to the surface, as the parts of me that can't believe I can write anything, let alone anything good, will be trying really hard to stop me from carrying on. And that will mean I'll try to distract myself with all manner of things, including doing other things.

But I know in my heart of hearts that what I need to do is simply embrace the challenge, and work through the pain and discomfort, and turn it all into a challenge. And that really is what it's all about: the challenge. I have to prioritize this work, and make sure I do X number of hours EVERY SINGLE DAY without fail, understanding that excuses are just excuses. That it's a muscle that needs to be worked, and it's a habit that needs to be established.

But I am feeling heartened by the fact that I do, at least, feel compelled to write this kind of stuff. It's not nothing, after all, to sit in front of my computer and write, even if it's only self indulgent guff like this.

This is a process. And it's a process that takes time. Because I know that, for example, writing the first novel is going to be a challenge in of itself. Lots of work needs to go into the preparation of the novel, both psychological and otherwise, to make it all come together and get started, get written, get finished, get edited, and get published. Assuming it will happen means that it has "already happened" in the future.

And hey! That might be the way to do my self help book! To use a combination of understanding the nature of time to grasp the fact that everyone's creative pursuits have already happened, but in the future! This is a fascinating concept, it has to be said. I honestly believe it to be true, and I think there are some interesting ways to see how it's going to work. I know that if I knew it would work, then I wouldn't hesitate to start the project. I just loathe wasting time, that's all. What can be worse than putting endless hours into a project, and it doesn't come off? But then again, what is it that I always say about "until one is committed"? 

I just need to commit, that's all. And remain focused and committed.

My discipline just needs to set a deadline, I suppose. A deadline, and a fixed number of hours in which to get the project done. Then I can be working on multiple projects "at the same time" but just running concurrently, that's all.

As long as I don't keep starting new projects, and abandoning the existing ones, then I'll be fine. But that is, it has to be said, a habit of mine, or has been up until now.