I got some work done on my book today!
By The Horse
@TheHorse (238330)
Walnut Creek, California
September 23, 2019 5:59pm CST
As many of you know, I'm writing a book about the work I did with the children of drug addicts and non-violent criminals at a minimum security prison and drug rehab facility in Oakland California.
It was a profound experience, and I want to capture the "nuances" of working with this population in my book.
But I've have some "writer's block," getting stuck at times about what I want to say next.
What I've done is started several chapters, which will be presented in an order yet to be determined.
Each chapter is essentially a "vignette"--a discussion of work with a particular child client. I'll try to describe what I saw, what I was thinking, and how I worked with each client.
At some point I realized that if I work as hard on the book as I do on MyLot, I could have the thing done within a year.
Today, I wrote two paragraphs in each vignette, just to keep things moving forward. I can edit anything I want down the road.
How do you motivate yourself when it comes to writing?
15 people like this
14 responses
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Sep 19
I have always loved writing, but I always get stuck on how to start off whatever it is I want to write about. In my younger years, I would essentially be stuck in neutral, because I wouldn't write anything because I'd be stuck at the beginning. Because I thought you had to write everything in order....beginning, middle, end. Now, I realize it's best to just get your thoughts down on paper, write what's in your head at the moment, and then go back and build on it and clean it up when you feel you've got it right. Sometimes I find that I can write the conclusion the easiest, and then work backwards from there.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Sep 19
@TheHorse Cool, so it sounds like you found a strategy that works for you!
3 people like this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@moffittjc As long as I get SOMETHING down, I can revise it later.
4 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98026)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Sep 19
Glad you got some work done on your book. I motivate myself every day. I have to or the money won't be coming in, I sit with journals and notepads all around me and jot ideas down and then attempt to put it all together in my writing. By forcing myself to get more motivated I suddenly discovered that the two sites I have the most difficult problems with earning Vocal and Medium I suddenly have found the way to do more writing for them and they have accepted what I have written. So motivation is the way to go
3 people like this
@RasmaSandra (98026)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
24 Sep 19
@TheHorse I save all my work on my PC in folders. So I can always go back and check up on things I have posted. I found a folder that I had saved the work that I started but never finished. I kept the documents for inspiration, When I looked at what I had written I found material I could use and having gained experience in writing as time goes by I finished off what I had started and this material worked well on those sites. Now I have to continue looking through what else I have saved up. One funny thing also happened while I was cleaning out the PC cupboards I found the first poems I ever dared to post online and you know what? I don't like them my style has changed greatly
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@RasmaSandra That can go either way. It's the same with music. "Did I really allow that to be posted?" "Dang, we're good--why were we so self-critical?"
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (52955)
• Mojave, California
24 Sep 19
Sounds hard I am a more go with the flow writer I guess that is all planned out to me why you maybe have writers block. I never wrote a book but if did would try to keep it simple to where I know what needs to be said. I would probably do chapters that would actually make me remember what I was thinking.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (52955)
• Mojave, California
24 Sep 19
@TheHorse That is what I do, I have the worst grammar anyway. Shorter does keep it to a minimum. Writing is hard. I think people are hard. Writing is simple just do it but I get so frustrated your sentence structure not right, you left out a comma, Bite me. Why I lovee every song Rancid has ever made. defies proper grammar and yet still sounds smart in my opinion anyway. Not Bad Religion smart but smart enough.
2 people like this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@crossbones27 I don't know Rancid's stuff.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51834)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Sep 19
I don't know. I don't write all that much.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51834)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
24 Sep 19
@TheHorse Not as often as some, mostly because I'm unmotivated. So there. 
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@BarBaraPrz But I see you...
1 person likes this
@vandana7 (102698)
• India
25 Sep 19
I disagree with that editing thing Pony. Generally, people become too lazy to edit, kinda finished cleaning bowels, so no need to go to the loo. That is when it does not move forward. I would say jot dot what you want to say, but do it perfectly so that you do not have to go through it again.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
24 Sep 19
I find my surroundings have to inspire me in some way, maybe that's strange to some but if I'm not inspired I get zero done. Lol.
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85923)
• Valdosta, Georgia
24 Sep 19
@TheHorse 
Sorry I know you were serious but that just made me laugh so much!
Sorry I know you were serious but that just made me laugh so much!1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@LovingMyBabies It always made me laugh as well. I don't know why I find Taco Bell (and other inexpensive eateries) so inspiring.
1 person likes this
@WorDazza (15826)
• Manchester, England
25 Sep 19
Sounds like a really interesting project. You'll have to let us know when it's done. I would love to read it.
As for writers block I tend not to force things. Normally something pops up to give me inspiration, usually when I least expect it.
1 person likes this
@samysotelo18 (7743)
• Mexico
24 Sep 19
I usually keep a private journal where i can write however i want and i dont have to worry about the structure of the text or anything, i began doing the same for papers so i can put everything i think of out there and then go over it and shape it until i like it, i think its also helpful to take breaks and do other things between writing, then you can go back with a fresh mind and a different point of view
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238330)
• Walnut Creek, California
24 Sep 19
@samysotelo18 I've been doing that this morning. Write a bit. Practice some guitar. Make some soup. Write some more. Time to do a MyLot post. I've neglected that.
1 person likes this
