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• 8/26/2009 3:05 PM Clare London wrote:
  Hey, there was so much in this that was apt for me at the moment, as I find myself drifting towards the whining!
  
  Yes I take what time I can to write, and I hope I make the most of it. But I still rail at the restrictions and frustrations: whatever encouragement you give about the small, building steps of word count, I still drive myself beyond that, and can find myself wanting. But what came across best to me from this was the basic importance of attitude.
  
  Acknowledge reality, let loose the dreams, lose the whining, make it work the best I can.
  
  I often say that I think most people end up exactly where they put themselves. I'm sure that applies to me too. Of course there are limits - finance, social background, family - and you did touch on the fact that choice still has to operate within that.
  
  But I guess the thing is to choose the place you're in, rather than complaining it chooses you.
  
  I would say that the small word count steps is so critical because I think some people are paralysed by imaging a goal too far ahead. Then the rest of life seems to conspire to hold you back from that. But yes, if you want something, you can and will get it - you need to be pragmatic about it in the context of your world, think sensibly and *step* towards it. To me, that makes everything easier to juggle.
  
  Doesn't stop me being impatient and jealous of people who appear to have better time and resources, but that's another thing I'll choose to work on LOL.
  
  Got to mention that 1000-word pattern of yours. That's so true! I've just written more in the last hour than in the whole last 24 - yet the opportunity's been there for me the same. We did a time and motion study at work years ago (I was in a bank) and they built in an automatic 15% daily downtime to allow for people being less productive at certain times. Maybe our writing pattern has its own weird rules like that
  
  God, we had a flat like your house, I remember it well. We didn't even have enough room for a bath, only a shower, yet we still fitted in all our stuff. Now we have 2.5 bedrooms and a garden and an attic and we can't fit in a fraction LMAO.
  
  I need to work on my attitude. make things work, then I'll make things happen. I sound like some evangelist LOL.
  
  Thanks again for a great session.
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  1. 8/26/2009 4:34 PM Jordan Castillo Price wrote:
     Hiya Clare,
     Glad to hear the info is sounding apt to you today. I think it's funny how there's advice and ideas floating around all the time, and we only really hear them when they relate to us; otherwise we filter them out.
     
     I got 2000 in today so I'm really pleased. I deleted about 2000 so it doesn't show in my story count, but I know I'm that many steps closer to finishing my project well.
     
     I really love the idea of that motion study, though it's got to be weird to be taking part in it and knowing that you're being watched staring into space, checking your personal email, or whatever. (Although I suppose we don't do those things with people staring at us.)
     
     It'd be an interesting thing to do at home where you can be completely honest with yourself. I do think writing may not take as much time as it seems to. I tried adding a non-writing to-do list today to break up the writing time and it seemed I got way more done.
     
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• 9/1/2009 2:14 AM Charlotte wrote:
  Hello Jordan,
  
  I've been listening to your podcast and reading your work for a while now but I must confess this podcast has really challenged me as a writer. Challenged in a good way, challenged in a way that empowers me to recognize that this thing called writing is not some curse but a gift. And shifting the voice in my head that insist on being a victim into a voice of choice really resonated with me because I continue to be astonished at the things I am able to do for others. I find myself time and time again wondering how I was able to do the impossible for everyone else but myself. It dawned on me, if I made the choice, CHOICE to spend my precious time on writing, the one thing I love more than anything in the world, just perhaps I would see some real accomplishments happen over time.
  I enjoyed the idea of stepping out of this sense of victimhood and into self actualization, the conscious choice to make writing my priority. To reclaim that piece of myself that matters most to me. And so I wrote the words "conscious choice" on little cards and placed them around the house to gently remind myself, to hopefully allow myself to enter into the bosom of creative expression. And I'm taking each day to peel away the habit of making excuses and allow myself that time to write. Each day it becomes clearer and clearer, life is really the sum of our choices and I'm making every attempt to chose writing, the one thing I love to do more than anything.
  So thank you for your words, you've been a great role model and I appreciate hearing the truth of the matter.
  Thank you so much for this amazing and inspirational podcast.
  peace and prosperity,
  Charlotte
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  1. 9/1/2009 7:08 AM Jordan Castillo Price wrote:
     Hi Charlotte!
     I'm so pleased to hear that the issue I was thinking about had this much resonance with you! For myself, I know I can encounter a similar concept several times, but when I'm in a spot that I need to hear it, that's when it sinks in.
     
     I really like the idea of your note cards because the tone of them is very neutral -- they're not overly syrupy Pollyana, and they don't have that mean edge that tends to masquerade as "tough love." They're just matter of fact. Conscious choice.
     
     Thanks so much for writing!
     
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