I’ve been writing a novel for years now. I’m so close to completing it, I just need to tie down a few loose ends and it is so unbelievably hard to get myself to do that :-(.
I could do it over the course of this weekend, but I’m now in full procrastination mode.
Somebody kick my ass and tell me how to get out of this tail spin.
Thank you!
Posted Apr 1, 2022, 6:49 PM UTC
hey, if you dont want to work on your manuscript, then dont. no one is forcing you (i hope).
I do want to, I can’t get started :-(. I’ve been so close for so long now.
I just need to tie the loose ends together.
The fear of success is strong in you. Have you ever considered a career in the fast food industry? You've got the drive of a lifetime French fry cook.
Git it!
I honestly believe a fear of success is a major component.
I do not want a career in fast food because I don’t know how long I could hold back the desire to kill one of my customers.
Anxiety has robbed me of a life of achievement and some rewards that go with that.
I can give you permission to finish your novel, even encourage you, but you have to give yourself permission to finish. The struggle is real. I know you can do this.
Trust me, the frygrease stinking bedsheets get less glamorous with time.
I love that :-)
Thank you so much. It’s a great way of thinking about it. Give myself permission to finish it.
I will use that. Thank you!
Make a space for it on your bookshelf. Libraries abhor a vacuum. The universe will conspire to help you complete it.
If you can, try grabbing a writing buddy (in person or online, shouldn’t be too hard for a one time event. If it were me I might post on a forums I’m in ‘who wants to join me for a weekend write-in’) and set a time when both of you are going to work on your projects. The real time updates will force you to get started and stay committed during that block of time.
That’s a great suggestion but I would not know who to ask.
I’m a hermit. I’m terrible with finding like-minded people because, you know: hermit.
Give yourself a reward. Go..buy a tub of ice cream, maybe and promise yourself you won't eat any until you've worked at least an hour on the book.
The hardest part is just getting started. Once you force yourself to sit down and address the first problem, it often draws you in so the rest of the problems just fly by. So really, you just need the motivation to sit down & go after that first one. So...bribe yourself :)
Thank you, I will.