Discipline, Determination, and Commitment

It takes discipline to be a writer, particularly if you are freelancing or working from home. There's always something lurking nearby that is screaming out for attention, such as lawns to be mowed, washing to be done, the house to clean. This is where determination and commitment come in. Having your own 'work space' helps; I find it easier to get to work if I treat it as a separate environment. After breakfast and necessary chores, I get ready for work, then I go to work. I give myself regular breaks for tea and lunch, and I structure my work day to get the most out of it.

Deadlines help too and if I don't have a deadline from an editor, I set one for myself. Some people work well under pressure and will leave the work until the very last thing, rushing to beat that looming deadline; for me, deadlines spur me on in a different way. I have to beat them and will do everything in my power to make sure that my work is finished well before time. To my mind, this allows me the freedom to leave my 'completed' draft alone for a day or two, or even a week in some cases, before I come back to it with a fresh eye for a final edit. If I put myself under pressure, I make silly mistakes.

Keeping a work diary also helps me with commitment. In it I record what work I began on a particular day, with a note as to when I expect it to be completed. I then write a note ahead in my diary on the selected date for that deadline. When the work is finished, I note the date it was actually finished, where I sent the finished article, and when I expect to receive a reply from that editor or competition organiser. If the work, in my opinion, is not good enough to be sent anywhere, I file it in a folder in "my documents" and may come back to it at a future date, to work on it some more.

Reading through my diary now and again shows me where I can improve my work practices - and there is always room for improvement. I know that if I commit and am determined, and if I discipline myself, my writing will improve. Success breeds more motivation, and if inspiration is lacking, I'll work without it.