THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVELIST ROBERT STONE
ONCE JOKED THAT HE POSSESSED THE TWO
WORST QUALITIES IMAGINABLE IN A WRITER:
HE WAS LAZY, AND HE WAS A PERFECTIONIST.
INDEED, THOSE ARE THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS
FOR TORPOR AND MISERY, RIGHT THERE.
IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A CONTENTED CREATIVE LIFE,
YOU DO NOT WANT TO CULTIVATE
EITHER ONE OF THOSE TRAITS, TRUST ME.
WHAT YOU WANT
IS TO CULTIVATE QUITE THE OPPOSITE:
YOU MUST LEARN HOW TO BECOME A
DEEPLY DISCIPLINED HALF-ASS.
(Elizabeth Gilbert)
That is what I did all through November during NaNo.
And you know what?
It. Was. Great.
You know what else?
I'm going to keep doing it, in my writing, in all my creative endeavors, and in my life.
Care to join me?
Ha ha ha! Well, I got at least half of that right. I'm uber disciplined. I don't know if I'll ever kick the perfectionist out of me though.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. I have to haul that perfectionist tendency out of me, kicking and screaming, time and again, but it is so much nicer when she's gone. :)
DeleteCongratulations on Nano! I never dare and am so impressed with those who do!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Although you probably wouldn't be so impressed if you saw the giant pile of...um...stuff I ended up with. :)
DeleteThat made me laugh. I think I got the half-ass right for November anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me laugh every time I read it. :)
DeleteI definitely need to be more disciplined. I have been rather lazy. Half-assing might be a step up for me. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteHmm, does that mean you were quarter-assing? :)
DeleteHa! This week's motivation is hilarious, yet rings true.
ReplyDeleteIt totally is, and does. :)
DeleteThat's awesome. Congratulations on your NaNo! You did an amazing job.
ReplyDeleteI always feel so good when I accomplish that goal. I hope to keep going with it this month...would be happy to be an accountability buddy.
Yeh for you, too! I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do with that ms, but I will definitely keep that accountability buddy idea in mind. :)
DeleteI need to follow the advice from Elizabeth Gilbert. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteThis year I didn't participate in NaNo, but I have been working on a NaNo novel I began two years ago. I am determined to finish it!
You might be interested in Gilbert's book about creativity, Big Magic - excellent!
DeleteGood luck finishing that NaNo novel!