There’s an old saying that goes, “If you’re going through Hell—keep going. That’s no place to stop.”
The same can be said about first drafts, editing, and most of the business tasks associated with being a self-published author. Many of the tasks aren’t in our wheelhouse as creatives, or we do them so infrequently that we lose the momentum and muscle memory that comes with repetition.
Every new year, instead of making resolutions, I choose a focus word. One year it was “health,” and another it was “abundance.”
I keep that word in front of me and try to make decisions in support of it the entire year.
This year, my word is “consistency.”
Striving for consistency, I try to keep my practices and habits simple so I can avoid decision fatigue. Rather than a marathon writing session to hit a deadline, I try to write every morning for two hours. I know what every meal will be each week. I wear the same outfits day in and day out.
It’s not easy. It gets mind-numbingly boring. But I’m trying to build a muscle so strong that it won’t atrophy when I choose a new word next year.
Do I blow it? Sure. But rather than “starting over” with my diet, or my errant word count, I keep going. I don’t try to catch up. I don’t wait for a milestone like a Monday or the first day of the month to start again.
I keep going.
Because, dear friends, sometimes it feels like Hell.
To your success,
Chelle
When Writing Means Business, Storytellers Read Indie Author Magazine
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