Been thinking about this for a while as it seems like a dreaded disease that takes hold of many writers.

Would anyone be interested in joining me in a new group to get the discipline of our writing going?

The problem seems to be mainly getting started. Dorathea Brande recommendation was to set a time when writing was to start, so the mind could get geared up to it, and the writer would be ready, come hell or high water, phone off the hook, email programme closed, pen or keyboard in hand at the appointed moment in time. And start. At whatever stage the writing or editing or other task is.

I have found that the technique does work for me, but that I am often lazy in setting my target time. I seriously want to double my writing time, which comes down to one session of a couple of hours a day to two or even three sessions.

The Fast First Draft is working brilliantly,with writers uploading their personal challenges and then updating. But there are numerous drafts after that, plus editing, plus brainstorming, plus research, that doesn't necessarily fit a word count.

With a group setting out their individual challenges and updating what they did, (very briefly, as this mustn't turn into yet another procrastination task,) we may well come up with other effective techniques. Though, I think the Dorathea Brande technique would be good place to kick start the challenge.

If there is any interest, I would be very happy to put the proposal up on the list.

Would anyone be interested in joining me in a new group to get the discipline of our writing going?

Is that not fighting fire with fire?

Anyway of getting fired up suits me.

I'm interested. I was actually logging in now to see whether there was such a group already. I'm currently rewriting my novel and miss the 'easy' wordcount targets of a first draft.

Thanks Amanda, I'll put on the proposed group list.

Yes, I'm interested!

Thanks popsicle.

Freebird has recently quoted Dorothea Brande in the Children's Group (On Writing) as saying she didn't like writing, but she loved having written.

Quite a scarey thought, but there is no doubt that I finish the day happy if I have done a lot of writing and related writing work and if I haven't done "enough" whatever that may be, I'm pretty dejected about it.

I am now 63 with dozens of ideas in mind, so I seriously need to up my game here.

Sorry - only just twigged that you need members to sign up in advance, in order to go live.

So is the intention to use the group to post writing targets, or to set writing challenges?

My idea was to post specific personal challenges - fairly immediate eg:

Going to write for 2 hours today or
going to start writing at 7pm or
going to revise chapters 3 & 4 on Sunday or
going to send out submissions to 6 agents tomorrow.

I can also see that "going to get the second draft finished by the end of July" could work for some people but I was primarily thinking of smaller specific bites.

More long term ones such as going to get novel finished by end of the year could also be put up if a member felt this worked for them.

The idea is to make an appointment with self to get actual physical work done, as in the Fast First Draft, but applied to a whole range of jobs, gearing to a time and or a day in some way, rather than words written.

Suggestions and techniques could also be made to keep us on track.

Assuming there's no critting commitments, couldn't you do that as a sub-group within Fast First Draft?
I only ask, because groups with fairly narrow paramenters tend to peter out after a few months, while it's easier to adapt an already established group which contain members who might like to join in.
But, you know, just something to consider.

If it doesn't work, it doesn't work, Naomi, nothing lost.

Frankly I want to yank up my output.

Let's see what interest there is.

Bump.

Anyone wanna join our group??

Great idea!
I'll join if i decide to become a full member in a month. Am caring for small twins and planning would help me so much.

Sounds an excellent idea - yes, I'd be interested in joining!



Frances