Mastery, Chemistry, Discipline, Community - today Discipline

Discipline. Not much inspiration in that word.

Yet, if we are serious about the art and craft and heart and spirit of writing, consistent creative effort and diligent hair-tearing reworking is part of the deal.

Now, it’s true, we do encounter writers who report being able to run, pretty much, with their first draft. Mavis Gallant, a fine and prominent author indeed, often wrote her first and final draft in one sitting. Good luck locating another example.

It probably isn’t you.

The rest of us, inspired or not inspired, need to write regularly.

Writer’s block in the creative process? Use the internet, or your friends, or the back of a cereal box for writing prompts. Stare out the window. Go for a walk. Do whatever is both healthy and helpful for you.

Write regularly.

Soul crushing frustration in the editing and polishing process? Well, the childlike quality of the writer’s process is usually in inverse proportion to the number on the draft. Sorry. But you’ll feel better when you reach the final version. Usually.

Write regularly.

Here are some potential disciplined effort measures. Select one or two of these for yourself. Or create your own.

• No less than 300 words a day, five days out of seven. (Poets pick a number.)
• Self-imposed deadlines
• Word count each sitting
• Number of stories, novels, poems, different forms tackled
• Number of pages produced each day / week
• Number of pages edited / revised each day / week
• Number of hours spent writing / revising each day / week
• Number of words generated each day / week
• Percentage of writing time that is mostly joyful

If we can’t build our mansion today, let us build a birdhouse.