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Comment by rachel on February 10, 2009 at 11:42am

wow. Thanks for all that encouragement. I will go to the link next week. This is not me procrastinating, just too many 'unfinished' projects that have to be done this week. Half a day disappeared at the hospital to-day, just waiting to do blood tests! It will be half a day again on Friday and I have an art project on order that I MUST finish this week. I will also need to find time this week to 'unearth' what I have already done! (I know it' in this flat somewhere!). I will definately keep more in touch. Thank you. Rachel.

Comment by nuanc on February 9, 2009 at 7:45pm

Oh rachel, rachel, rachel...I DO so understand how that happens. It's very current for me!

This last January, I was in the middle of a story that I had been excited about and then, it got stalled. It became painful to write. I lost my confidence.

About that time, I ran across a story I started a whole year earlier in January that I'd had completely forgotten about! I read it and it was good! It made me so mad at myself because I was just about to do it again with this new story. I vowed to plug away at it until it was done. But it still wasn't easy.

Here's what I did. I signed up with a friend who does an email course. In fact, two email courses. They are extremely inexpensive. I think I paid $12 for both of them. And they are good! The the first one brings you a lesson every other day for two weeks. You can go at your own pace, but the idea is to attempt to write a first draft in two weeks. The second course (which you do not have to sign up for at the same time) is an editing course and it's just a lesson a day for a week. I wouldn't try to sell you something ordinarily (and I don't get a cut!) but I just found it SO helpful and I think you would too. I'll put a link in at the end of this post.

The other thing I can give you is encouragement! I suggest you decide to report in here everyday. If you don't have time to write, which of course, some days you won't...still check in and let us know how it's going.

I want you to finish because I know what a great feeling it is when you do! I finished mine and in fact, was just working on it today, getting it ready to give to a couple of trusted readers to give me feedback.

I'm glad you checked in. If you want to write, and you obviously do, then you have to simply ignore (and keep ignoring) that lack of faith in your abilities. We all have that especially in the middle of a story.

Here is a link to Sherry's webzine: The Scriptorium (it's a great writing resource) and her email courses. (Sherry's a member here and a friend.)

Nanc

Comment by rachel on February 9, 2009 at 2:42pm

Maybe this group will give me the inspiration to go back to a project of short stories I started a few years ago. The idea has been in my head for a long time. Lack of faith in my abilities has meant that it has been packed up and put away. I no longer have excuses. I have plenty of time on my hands, now I just need a kick to get it all out again.

Comment by Mandi on August 16, 2008 at 6:10pm

August - a failed harvest of sun

I have the Winter blues
It is not right nor fair
To ache this much

I wipe away tears
My hunched shoulders so very tense
Wrapped in a comforting shroud
Aged years overnight
When the sun forgot to shine this morning