Writing for a living requires that I build up a flow of words that can secure my success in freelance. Most of the writers I know want to write what they want to write. I discovered that building a career often requires that I write what I can write so that I can get to a position where I can write what I want.
No matter what avenue I am coursing down, I have to find a way to get the words moving. Stalling does nothing except build up a dam that holds back the opportunities and kills the motivation. It is almost physically painful to look at my to-do list and realize that I have 15,000 words of must do before I even touch on the want to do.
Before the tornadoes, I wrote when I had designated to write and if that time was lost to other things in life then so were those words. Deadlines would show up and I would be left scrambling at the last hour to make it happen. The backlog left my own words malnourished.
During the recovery, I had to write when I could write. The quarters were too tight for me to try and hide away from everyone. Chaos may not be conducive to creativity but it can prefect focus. I knew that when I sat down I had to get it done, so I did. I found that I had more time for my own writing which made doing the other writing more tolerable.
Now we are back in our home and balance is slowing returning. NaNoWriMo launched on the 1st and a call to action from several friends has pushed my words to the forefront. I have discovered that if I pour out words in small doses instead of trying to create a marathon of paragraphs, the backlog fades away. Even the unexpected trials of life are unable to derail words that have already hit the paper.
Tips for How I Build a Flow of Words for my Writing Success
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– Start first thing in the morning. I get up, make coffee, do my prayer/quiet time and then I write. Some days I write for clients and other days I write for my blogs or books. EVERY MORNING I start off with words on the paper.
– End the day with more words. My NaNoWriMo writing has flourished the last thing before I go to bed each night of the challenge, so far. I blame that first day of waiting until midnight se we could get started, but any excuse works in a pinch. No matter why I write or what I write, I put words on paper at the end of the night.
– Use every opportunity. One thing the tornadoes brought me was an air card so that I can have Wi-Fi access anywhere I can get a cellphone signal. I would never have made the investment without having to, and since our lines were disconnected because I house was discombobulated, I made investment. Now I can hook up when I am waiting at the doctor with someone, riding in the car with the family, or sitting at practice with the kids. Those pieces of time are great for adding a few paragraphs to a story, outlining a new eBook or researching an article for a client.
– Stop complaining. The amount of time I have in my day is the exact same as Einstein, Mozart, Edison, and the list goes on. They accomplished amazing things with the time that they had. I have fancy gadgets and gizmos that save me time and yet I flitter away that and more. The day that I accepted that the choice I made for how I spend my time will determine the opportunities I have tomorrow was the day that my writing success became visible to my heart, my mind and even my wallet.
Building a new business or opportunity my not be easy, but it is simple. Have a plan, do the plan, and do it consistently. Writing stirs my heart. Encouraging others encourages me. Finding ways that I can combine those to joys into one requires that I push beyond what I want and do what needs to be done. I can build a successful freelance writing career if I continue to do all that it takes to build a flow of words for that endeavor.