Speedbo: That Last Ounce of Courage

Here they come….Hearts racing. Muscles pumping. Lungs straining. Nerves fraying.

.Only two weeks left.

.Drawing on faith and every ounce of physical and mental stamina remaining, determined Friends of Seekerville thunder toward the finish line of Speedbo 2012!.At this very moment, how “fast” or sloppy your personal track has been the past two weeks will be strongly influencing your current thoughts on the wisdom of attempting Speedbo.

.Were there difficulties prepping in advance so it was a battle to get yourself into the starting gate at all? Did daily routines and interruptions crowd you out as the gate flew open and force you into a too-slow start?

.Did you eagerly and optimistically sprint that first week like a Quarter Horse who can outrun a Thoroughbred at a quarter-mile--only to realize you should have better conserved your energy to go the distance?

.Did you stumble in the first turn with forbidden research or grammar and punctuation issues? Did you get spooked by the progress reports of other Friends of Seekerville and veer off the track?

.Or maybe you prepped well, monitored energy, stayed focused, cranked out that desired daily wordcount and can see a triumphant meeting of your Speedbo goals just a few strides ahead. You can almost hear the cheers.

.Or perhaps you're doing everything “right,” everything is going well...and yet the finish line still seems an impossible speck in the distance.

.Regardless of where you are on the Speedbo track, right about now you could probably use a breather. A little encouragement to call on that last ounce of courage to take you around that far turn and over the finish line. So in partnership with your trusty timer...

.- Take a few minutes to recall why this story demanded to be told. Recapture what compelled you to tell it in the first place. Then return to your manuscript with that viewpoint fresh in your mind.
.- Make a change in your scenery. If you have a laptop, get away from your desk. Try the kitchen table or counter. The chair in the living room. The patio. If you don’t have a laptop, grab a pad of paper and handwrite a scene away from your computer.
.- Think about your favorite books--what appeals most? Incorporate a spark of that element into your next scene.
.- Write a quick letter to an imaginary friend explaining where in the story you’re stumbling. I do this in my writing journal--it’s like thinking aloud--and often, before I know it, I’ve found the answer I need to move ahead with my stalled-out scene.
.- Stand up and stretch. Drink water. Eat a light healthy snack. Do something with repetitive motion---fold clothes, vacuum the living room, lift weights, take a walk, knit a few rows.
.Most importantly, wherever you are in Speedbo, don’t give up.
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Now isn’t the time to rein in and dismount. If it’s all you can do, don’t hesitate to trot or walk that pony the remaining distance. You already hopped off a few lengths back, you say? So what’s stopping you from getting back on? No law says your personal Speedbo has to end on March 31. Maybe for you this is just the beginning. You can finish that book, but only if you don’t gallop off the track.

.Keep in mind what Paul Raymond Martin (author of “Inspiration & Motivation” from Writer’s Digest Books) says:
.“No one has the stamina to write a book. So write a sentence, and another, and another. Sentences become paragraphs. Paragraphs become scenes. Scenes become chapters. Chapters become books. So write a sentence.”.So where are you on the Speedbo track today? If you didn’t participate in this round, do you think you might like to give it a shot next year? Or is it something you may want to try on your own at some point in time?

.If you’d like to be entered in a drawing for a copy of my latest release “High Country Hearts,” please mention it in the comments section--then watch our Weekend Edition for the winner!

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Glynna Kaye’s Love Inspired “Dreaming of Home” was a 2010 finalist in the “Carol Award” and “Maggie Award,” as well as a first place winner of the 2010 “Booksellers Best” and “Beacon” awards. “At Home In His Heart” garnered a 4 ½ star review from national magazine “RT Book Reviews” (and is a Reviewer’s Choice nominee!).“High Country Hearts,” the fourth story set in the mountain country of Canyon Springs, Arizona debuts in March 2012.

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Today is another day of our March Speedbo. Find out more about Speedbo and our exciting weekly prizes here. Comment today for a chance to win! Winners announced in the Weekend Edition.

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