Comments on: Hello Writing Resistance, My Old Friend http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/ free software, free culture, free association Mon, 22 Feb 2010 21:17:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Scott Carpenter http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3750 Scott Carpenter Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:01:40 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3750 You're welcome, Matt, and thank you for the kind words. You're welcome, Matt, and thank you for the kind words.

]]> By: Matt Racette http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3749 Matt Racette Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:12:30 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3749 Scott, I share your experiences in both running and writing and had never thought about comparing the two. Thanks for helping me think about writing in a new way! Scott,
I share your experiences in both running and writing and had never thought about comparing the two. Thanks for helping me think about writing in a new way!

]]> By: Scott Carpenter http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3743 Scott Carpenter Mon, 29 Dec 2008 20:48:16 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3743 Hi, M. Victor. It's interesting that you hung around for another post after your disgust at the previous. Part of <a href="/2008/12/09/begging-your-pardon-on-begging-the-question/#comment-3742" rel="nofollow">my reply there</a> will serve here as well. Thank you for your interest and advice. Hi, M. Victor. It's interesting that you hung around for another post after your disgust at the previous. Part of my reply there will serve here as well.

Thank you for your interest and advice.

]]> By: M. Victor http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3741 M. Victor Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:22:35 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3741 Interesting that you write long diatribe about the twaddle of a desire to feel good about writing. Just shut down the psychobabble and do it, or don't. Interesting that you write long diatribe about the twaddle of a desire to feel good about writing.

Just shut down the psychobabble and do it, or don't.

]]> By: Scott Carpenter http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3739 Scott Carpenter Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:55:27 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3739 Hi, Sarah! I'm glad you liked the book. I always am entertained and feel inspired by it. And the letter -- <i>that</i> was fun to write, at least. I think daily writing would help. Seems like a lot of people are talking about Malcolm Gladwell's "10,000 hours" metric, to really get good at something. That would take some sustained dedication... Hi, Sarah! I'm glad you liked the book. I always am entertained and feel inspired by it. And the letter -- that was fun to write, at least.

I think daily writing would help. Seems like a lot of people are talking about Malcolm Gladwell's "10,000 hours" metric, to really get good at something. That would take some sustained dedication...

]]> By: Sarah Olson http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3738 Sarah Olson Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:23:09 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3738 I finally got a chance to read Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" today, and I just finished it. I really enjoyed it, so thanks for lending it to me. I'll give it back to Jess so that he can return it to you. I can definitely sympathize with you on this subject, as I'm trying to get into the writing lifestyle myself. I think the biggest thing to remind yourself of is that you need to write for the sake of writing, not for getting published. Find your reward in the work itself. I know that's no where near as cool as being published, quitting your cube-farm job and being a full-time writer (I dream about that myself). But if you really love writing, it should be enough to sustain you. Perhaps I can suggest that you get involved in a writing group, find a writing partner, or even take a class? It allows you to get direct feedback on your work, and you need to produce work on a schedule for others to read and review. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while, and Ms. Lamott suggested it in her book as well. Otherwise, set a daily quota for your writing. That worked well for me with the NaNoWriMo. Also, Jess and I loved the Christmas letter. I especially liked all the Monty Python references, though Jess didn't catch on to them until I pointed them out. But then, he can be a bit slow sometimes... I finally got a chance to read Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" today, and I just finished it. I really enjoyed it, so thanks for lending it to me. I'll give it back to Jess so that he can return it to you.

I can definitely sympathize with you on this subject, as I'm trying to get into the writing lifestyle myself. I think the biggest thing to remind yourself of is that you need to write for the sake of writing, not for getting published. Find your reward in the work itself. I know that's no where near as cool as being published, quitting your cube-farm job and being a full-time writer (I dream about that myself). But if you really love writing, it should be enough to sustain you.

Perhaps I can suggest that you get involved in a writing group, find a writing partner, or even take a class? It allows you to get direct feedback on your work, and you need to produce work on a schedule for others to read and review. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while, and Ms. Lamott suggested it in her book as well.

Otherwise, set a daily quota for your writing. That worked well for me with the NaNoWriMo.

Also, Jess and I loved the Christmas letter. I especially liked all the Monty Python references, though Jess didn't catch on to them until I pointed them out. But then, he can be a bit slow sometimes...

]]> By: Scott Carpenter http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3733 Scott Carpenter Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:19:47 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3733 Thanks, Lisa, I'm glad you liked it, and I appreciate your thoughtful comment and advice. Who would've thought, to have goals and take steps towards those goals. It sounds <i>far</i> too practical. :-) Thanks, Lisa, I'm glad you liked it, and I appreciate your thoughtful comment and advice. Who would've thought, to have goals and take steps towards those goals. It sounds far too practical. :-)

]]> By: Lisa Pertile http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-3730 Lisa Pertile Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:21:55 +0000 http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2008/12/21/hello-writing-resistance-my-old-friend/#comment-3730 Enjoyed your blog today. Your dilemma could apply to so many goals so many people have. We would all love to get rich and famous doing what we love, wouldn't we? The reality is that we really should be looking for the joys we can have at our fingertips every day, and THAT is the first reward. You can't even begin to go on the journey without that achieved. So rather than focusing on the distant goal (which will always be in your mind), focus on the immediate pleasure and goal. Set a deadline!! Spend short periods of time at first. Dip the toe in the water. Find an intermediate "product" to produce, with no hopes of making anything off of it. Consider it your template. Perhaps you could set a deadline of the end of the year, to come up with an attention-grabbing paragraph (just one) of a potential novel on a subject you've always wanted to research. Share it with someone. Get feed-back. Perhaps join a writer's group? Find a mentor. Maybe there is a local, successful writer who you enjoy that you could contact and get some ideas from. Peruse topics you like to read about, and consider a new twist on the idea. Fantasies of what things "could be" are never as satisfying as doing something concrete and actually accomplishing something. The feeling of purpose will become addictive once you take the baby steps you need. Good luck on your journey! Enjoyed your blog today. Your dilemma could apply to so many goals so many people have. We would all love to get rich and famous doing what we love, wouldn't we?

The reality is that we really should be looking for the joys we can have at our fingertips every day, and THAT is the first reward. You can't even begin to go on the journey without that achieved. So rather than focusing on the distant goal (which will always be in your mind), focus on the immediate pleasure and goal. Set a deadline!! Spend short periods of time at first. Dip the toe in the water. Find an intermediate "product" to produce, with no hopes of making anything off of it. Consider it your template.

Perhaps you could set a deadline of the end of the year, to come up with an attention-grabbing paragraph (just one) of a potential novel on a subject you've always wanted to research. Share it with someone. Get feed-back. Perhaps join a writer's group? Find a mentor. Maybe there is a local, successful writer who you enjoy that you could contact and get some ideas from.

Peruse topics you like to read about, and consider a new twist on the idea.

Fantasies of what things "could be" are never as satisfying as doing something concrete and actually accomplishing something. The feeling of purpose will become addictive once you take the baby steps you need.

Good luck on your journey!

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