Discouragement and the Older Writer
Is discouragement with writing any different for the older
writer? The older writer has the same pitfalls as any author in addition to a
whole other field of sinkholes.
A lot has been written by and for
writers about not giving up. Advice pours forth like rain in April and nervous
writers drink it up. For the older writer, many distractions, problems, and setbacks have their own unique characteristics. A
different group of life events causes them to have serious setbacks. Some of the
most troublesome for their writing careers are not things like school starting,
getting married, a new career, or a demanding job. They are painful
interferences, like the death of a friend or loved one, being diagnosed with a
serious illness, caring for a sick parent or loved one, or even taking the
grandkids in for a week. It is understandable that these things can cause an
author to set their writing aside and even give up on it entirely.
How to keep writing no matter what
1. Find ways to stay positive.
Life is too precious to waste days being
anxious or depressed. Find a good book on how to stay positive. If you’re
pressed for time, keep it in the bathroom and never sit down without reading a
page.
Being happy and being positive are
decisions we make. Choose to be happy.
2. Keep in touch with friends.
Relatives are wonderful, but it’s friends
who listen to you vent and cheer you up when all is grim. Take time out for
lunch with a friend, see a movie, or just chat over tea and coffee.
3. Establish ties with other authors.
This one not only got me to be a writer, but my author friends have
kept me writing every time I was ready to give up. Find
other authors in your area; your local library is a good place to do this. If that
doesn’t work, they are easy to find online.
4. Keep writing every day despite what life
throws at you.
Joe Konrath, (if you aren’t familiar with
him, check out his blog) one of the most successful eBook authors, writes 3.000
words a day, every day, and he will
stay up into the wee hours to maintain that word rate on days that he is busy
with other activities.
We don’t have to write 3.000 words a day
like Joe, but try to dedicate even 30 minutes a day for writing. Every week I
write a list of about five, to-dos for my writing. The first one on the list is
the number of pages I will write that week. Rather than a daily amount, I keep
it weekly, to about 14 or more pages a week. I seldom skip a day and try to do
even a page or a beginning of a chapter. Find a method that works for you.
5. Look into helpful tools.
Try a mini recorder, carry a small laptop, an iPad, even a
small notebook to take advantage of any downtime when you’re away from home. I
have a friend (much more technically advanced than myself!) who uses a voice
activation tool to record her writing directly to her computer. Don’t let an opportunity
to write pass you by.
Dear Readers,
The months after the holidays can be a good time to write,
but unfortunately, these are the time of colds, flu and other illnesses. Or on
the brighter side, you go south for part or all of the winter. My distraction
was a two-month struggle to get over the flu, and during that time, I didn’t
care about much of anything except how miserable I felt. I fell behind on my
writing and I gained six pounds.
Criticizing myself for that indulgence got me nowhere. It
took time, but I finally got back on track. The best way not to get into that
state is to stay on track in the first place. That thought inspired this blog.
Hope you find it helpful,
Marla
Some suggested reading:
Learned Optimism: How to
Change Your Mind and Your Life, by Martin E.P. Seligman
Happy for No Reason,
by Marci Shimoff
