Your Mid-Month Pep Rally from Missy!

Seekerville Pep Rally Time!

Missy Tippens

Missy, here. We’re starting our third full week of Speedbo, which means we’re just past the mid point. Are you hanging in there with us?

I’ve seen some people checking in who are blowing the doors off with their production. Personally, I’ve haven’t written as much as I planned, but I’m pleased.

I know three weeks into any project can be difficult. The first week, kick off week, we fly out of the starting gate. Excited. Motivated. Ready to take on the world. Then in the second week, we may begin to feel tired, a little less motivated…tired of the frenetic pace. We may start feeling a little sorry for ourselves, wishing we could just sit down and watch our favorite TV shows or pick up a book to read or grab our knitting (insert favorite hobby here). We may even start worrying about the dust bunnies under the bed or cooking a gourmet meal or other normal household duties we tend to want to ignore in normal circumstances. :)

And, discouraged that we haven’t come close to our goal, some of us may have even given up on Speedbo by now.

Have you had a bad few days? A bad week? Did you stumble and get behind your goal right out of the gate?

Don’t give up! Don’t let the self-defeating voices get lodged in your head.

IT’S TIME FOR YOUR MIDWAY PEP RALLY!

(Here’s where you picture me with pom-poms, cheering you on—and hopefully don’t get scarred from the thought.)

I’m going to give a few quick suggestions for getting yourself back on track. And, okay, I admit I’ve learned some of these tips after getting off target while dieting over the years. So feel free to take these as motivation if you’ve also fallen down on your getting-healthy New Year’s resolutions.  :)

1  .   Change up your routine. Go somewhere else to write (like a coffee shop or library). Sometimes a change of scenery can get your mind revving again. It’ll also get you out of the house and away from temptation.

2.  Start your day right. Go for a walk or exercise before you write. It may clear your head and energize you. You’ll come in with exciting ideas and fingers itching to hit the keyboard. Along those same lines, don’t just slurp down a quick cup of coffee. Go ahead and eat a healthy breakfast. I’ve found that if I don’t eat, my hunger distracts me.

3 . If you’re tempted to do something (like bake and eat a whole pan of brownies or dust the junk closet) instead of writing, then set yourself a goal and reward yourself. If you can just finish that chapter (or scene or 1k words, or whatever), then you can go bake those brownies or clean out that closet. I’ve found that the temptation to dust fades quickly. The brownies, however… Well, REWARD YOURSELF!

4  .  When the going gets tough, do you start thinking this writing gig really doesn’t matter? Is that voice in your head saying, “Who cares? I’ll never finish and/or sell this book anyway”? Or is that voice telling you no one knows your goal, so it won’t matter if you don’t meet it?

Well, let me tell you that if you’re called to write or if writing is your creative outlet, then this gig IS important to you. I’ve found that I’m a happier person when I’m writing. And believe me, I’ve learned this the hard way! So don’t give up. Don’t belittle yourself or your writing. Tell that voice to GO AWAY. And pray for help refocusing.

5 . Are you worn out? Have you pushed yourself beyond your normal limits already? Are you dragging around dreading getting back to the keyboard? Then go ahead and give yourself an evening off. Go to bed early. Get a good night’s rest. I’ve found that I don’t write well when I’m running on fumes. Nothing is more discouraging than falling asleep while typing! It doesn’t bode well for our stories if even we are lulled to sleep by them! :)

So there you have it! Your pep talk from perky cheerleader Missy. Rah rah! Goooooo Speedbo!

We’d love to have you share your tips for overcoming the halfway slump.

Missy’s new release from Love Inspired, Georgia Sweethearts, IS AVAILABLE NOW (woo hoo!!) at the Harlequin website! Click here to read an excerpt.