Sally's Ezine for Writers & Speakers


March 31, 2007                                             Because writers must speak, and speakers must write!

How's Your Discipline?

 

Mine is still a work in progress!
In "The Writing Life", Annie Dillard says “How we spend our days… is how we spend our lives.”
(p. 32) When I have a deadline, whether for an editor or a date to speak, I am focused on being ready on time. I set aside time to work diligently and guard it feverishly!
What happens when there is no deadline? I still have articles to write, query letters to send, speeches to hone, yet I dawdle. “Maybe it won’t hurt to go out for lunch with a girlfriend. I’ve got tomorrow to work on that project.”
Yet, tomorrow comes with its own interruptions.
Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. Months turn into years. What do you have to show for your time? The things that you did, one day, one hour, one minute at a time.
Annie Dillard says, “good days are hard to come by.”
(p. 32). So, don’t wait until the mood strikes to get to work on that talk or article. Set aside time today, and stick to it!

 

How to Find Time to Work on Your Discipline:

 

*Keep a schedule. Routines are a life-saver!
*Use a timer to set apart increments of time.
*Section off parcels of work to tackle individually.
*Have realistic expectations of how much you accomplish in each 15    minute interval.
*Include play in your day to revitalize creativity!

 

Assignment:

 

Check out these sites:
ezinequeen.com
greatpublicspeaking.blogspot.com

Is this relevant to your work? Why or why not?
What could you glean from these authors to apply to your situation?
What is one thing you could implement today?

 

Proverbs 25:11



A word aptly spoken

is like apples of gold

in settings of silver.


Read Sally's Blog at:



http://sallyswords.braveblog.com

To Contact Sally:



Sally Ferguson



979 Southwestern Dr

Jamestown NY 14701




sallyswords@alltel.net

(716)488-1254

  

http://www.sallyferguson.net

 


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