I FORGOT TO USE MY SPEEDBO BADGE!!!! EEEEEEK!!!!
You've heard this before. Zig Ziglar has a "Born to Win" seminar and the book that goes along with it. So what is it that makes us "born to win"? Luck? Chance? Fate? Destiny? Hard work? Industry? Paying people off to gain importance???
You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. Zig Ziglar
ATTITUDE - PLANNING - WORKING - ACHIEVING
I love motivational speakers. I love the kind who aren't afraid to hold a mirror up to your face and ask the real question: "What have you done to make your dream come true today?" Because, while months like Speedbo and NANOWRIMO are cool, and some of us do better with the crowd mentality, right now, right here, I'm not talking to a crowd.
No.
I'm talking to you. Young, old, male, female, and the occasional cute dog and cat. (I think Patti Jo's cats REALLY DO READ SEEKERVILLE!!!)
ACCOUNTABILITY
You are knee-deep in the second week of a fun, motivational month geared toward creating new habits, good habits, work habits that enhance your writing career. (Either that or you're here for the GREAT VIRTUAL FOOD!!!! Double chocolate brownies coming your way!) But if you're honest with yourself, what makes this month different? Why are you able to achieve more writing time and higher word counts in March?
PREPARATION - SCHEDULING - SACRIFICE - STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD
I know some of you cooked meals ahead, took care of taxes in February to free up March, caught up on winter projects so spring goals take hold and a great many of you have shrugged off television, facebook and even possibly reading to meet your March Speedbo goal.
EXTEND YOURSELF - SEE THE GOLD RING - REACH FOR THE STARS
My goal for you... if you're gutsy enough to accept it... is to make this your norm.
NOBODY BUYS A BLANK PAGE
NOBODY BUYS AN UNFINISHED BOOK
NOBODY BUYS A HALF-BAKED CAKE OR IDEA
NEW YEAR'S EVE CAKE 2013, FULLY COOKED!
1. Raise your hand if you've made the commitment to get up early and write! (GO YOU!!!!)
2. Raise your hand if you've made the commitment to give up TV or most TV. (I'M PROUD OF YOU!)
3. Raise your hand if you've learned to either limit or avoid time-sucking-machines known as social media. (NOW WE'RE TALKIN'!!!)
4. Raise your hand if you've set a reachable but challenging daily goal and you're meeting it 80% of the time. (If you met 80% of your goal in Major League Baseball, we'd change your name to Jeter and have a parade in your honor!)
5. Raise your hand if instead of reading about writing, you put your butt in a chair and write! (Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout, people!)
Actions speak louder than words.
I'm from the "SHOW ME" state. (State-of-mind, that is!)
"90% of the game is half mental." (Yogi Berra)
"No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
"There is no try. There is only do or do not." (Yoda)
From Zig Ziglar: "Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now."
That last one is brilliant and wide-ranging. It works for diets... (the cookie now vs. the healthier body in four weeks) It works for raising children (you want peace and quiet now, but giving in to little demands sets the stage for much bigger ones later on.) It works for our jobs (working into your lunch or twenty minutes over today, makes your tomorrow more productive) It works for dating! (why settle for less than what God wants you to have? I love this song, it speaks to this beautifully!)
The words "He can change the way you look at this big world"... Love 'em.
It is never too late to step out, step forward, start over. If your first ten days weren't perfect, well heck. Mine, either! But we don't let that stop us.
We pull ourselves up, dust ourselves off and start all over again.
Today is the FIRST day of the rest of your life: What you do with it is strictly up to you!
Stop in, grab a brownie and leave a comment to be tossed in the new, patterned cat dish for a $25 Amazon card, a gift from me to you to use as you wish!
Because I'm proud of you, and that's what Seekerville's all about, my friends!
I found a new favorite quote "I don't believe in miracles, I rely on them" totally not sure how that fits in with NO LIMITS or born to win, though. Ruthy, has anyone told you lately that YOU ROCK?!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt makes me tired to even think about keeping up with Ruthie.
ReplyDeleteI'm from the Show Me state, geographically. But I get the state of mind thing.
Oh, and I love, love, love those Amazon gift cards.
Coffee's in the works.
Ruthy, Thank you for the encouragement. I am amazed at what I am accomplishing this month. I never thought I would be able to write a novel and I am getting closer to finishing my first one. At this point it is at 72,000 words.
ReplyDeleteIn the first 11 days only 3 were less than my goal but the other days more than made up for them. According to my goals I should be at 11,000 but in reality I am at 16,859.
One of the things that amazes me with this month is that I have done it with vertigo and headaches. Not an easy task but I so want to finish this book and work on my second novel and two Children's Chapter books.
Tonight I was in the middle of a critical scene when it was time to go to church, so had to stop. But my mind kept working that is until I began teaching the children in Cubbies. But I picked right back up with it as soon as I got home.
Please enter me in the drawing for the gift card.
I want to thank all you in Seekerville for being such an encouragement.
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ReplyDeleteWhile reading your post, Ruthy, I was reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses. Philippians 3:13 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before"
ReplyDeleteThe only was to change the future (and achieve the outcome we want) is to look forward and not backward. #NoLimits
Ruthy - I know I could never keep up with you! Early morning writing will never be my cup of tea. My motto is if I'm half asleep my work day goes faster. :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a night owl, so I can definitely stay up. However this year I'm focusing on weekends to write.
Please throw my name in the cat bowl for the Amazon card.
Oh, and my Westie, Crosby, just looks at the pictures on Seekerville. He refuses to learn to read. Too much effort according to him.
I'm not raising my hand for early writing, cuz that ain't ever going to happen....oh wait, I'll STAY UP to write in the early morning, so I got part of that, sorta.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten rid of the television completely for about 6 years.
I TRY to limit my social media by not getting rid of it, but hiding a lot of stuff to keep me from being tempted to read everything.
Um, not been keeping tabs on my goal, probably should....
I've got my butt in the chair for editing.
I've trimmed back my blog reading and commenting, my Twitter conversations (*sobbing loudly*) and my pleasure reading. Now, I'm one of those people who HAS to read, or I start to feel my brain dying.
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm using my reading time as the carrot. If I don't do my extra 2K a day, I don't get to read that new Anna Quindlen book, or start that third in the Cinder series, or crack open the Anne Lamott memoir my friend sent me.
Nope. I have to work for it.
So far, so good!
(No need to put me in the cat dish.)
Gooooooooooood Morning, Seekerville!!!!
ReplyDeleteWorking backwards (they do this on Daniel Tiger on "Backwards Day!!!!" I love Daniel Tiger!!!! He's a fave!
Virginia, my buddy... I do the same thing, mini-reward system. It works for me, too, to have that reward when I've accomplished a task/goal. #nolimits !!!
Melissa, you're a night owl! It's funny because I often pass Melissa and Virginia in the 1K1HR harbor around 4:00 AM... they're finishing. I'm starting. But we're working and writing, so either way: YAY!!!!!
I love that you kicked the TV to the curb.
LOVE IT. (But I do love Daniel Tiger)
Terri, Westies are so stinkin' cute! You tell Crosby I posted a cat pic just for him. He'll be pleased.
ReplyDeleteWeekends work, too! Good for you, I am so stinkin' proud of you, Terri! Whatever works. We find whatever works and we make it a habit. If you can do something for 3 weeks, regularly... You've created a habit. And if that habit is eventually a career, well... How cool is that?
Rhonda, I love St.Paul. His story of conversion after cruelty can be applied in so many cases today when cruelty and apathy are on the rise.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that our stories FIGHT THAT RISE. And so we write... and strive to make a difference. That is so beautiful, thank you for sharing it!
WILANI!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYOU ARE ROCKING THIS! YOU ARE NAILING IT! #NOLIMITS IS YOUR NEW NICKNAME!!!!
I love that you're working under discomfort, not because I want you unwell, but because it's frankly necessary. We can't wait for the perfect time, the perfect set-up to write.... we have to MAKE the perfect time, even when it's less than perfect!
And I do what you did: When I have to stop I let my brain meander through that scene, and other scenes, to envision where it should go... and then I go there!
SUHWEEET!!!!!
Helen, that is an excellent point! I was born as an energizer bunny. So we can't compare to others. You are so wise!!!!
ReplyDeleteBut we can do our own self-comparisons. Push our own limits. It's never good to measure by someone else's time/success/efforts because God made us each, so very special!!! But I love the brave new you that's tiptoeing into a Brave New World.
That rocks!
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ReplyDeleteMarianne! I love that quote!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing that! It's 4:40 here, my body knows it's only 3:40, but I've got coffee and a laptop: I'm ready to rock and roll!
I'm on limited time this coming weekend, so I made sure my edits were done, and now I can concentrate on 1K/day for the next four days... Exactly what will keep me on track for my goal of finishing these last chapters of cowboy book 2.
Happy dancing!
If I want to get anything finished I need to make a start & commit.
ReplyDeleteWow Ruthy, I really needed this post today. In many areas it spoke to me. I especially loved Zig Ziglar's quote, "Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now." I have printed that out and will be posting it in my office at home and work. It is so true of me. I tend to go for what I want now and then get upset with myself because I have compromised my ultimate goal. It is time to get out of that rut.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much for this post. It. Spoke. To. Me.
Please enter me for the gift card.
Blessings to everyone today! Go forth and Speedbo!
Smiles & Blessings,
Cindy W.
Mary Preston, tell us more!!! What is "start and commit"????
ReplyDeleteCindy, I love that quote, too. I love the essence of it, the challenge to look at the big picture. Sometimes we have to make the hard choice... or the self-denial... to commit to the larger good.
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT! SO GLAD YOU DO, TOO!!!
Put me in, Coach!! Put me in!
ReplyDeleteKeep sharing how you're doing this week in Speedbo for your chance at books, giftcards and a critique.
ReplyDeleteIf you sorta want to win those or sorta want to reach your goals.
I sorta wanna all the above.
ReplyDeleteGoals are good! Ambition is a great slave but a bad master... but good habits and work ethic are NEVER A BAD THING!!!!
Thanks, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping this one. Good stuff here—worthy of a re-read every now and then! :-)
I'm in the same camp of no tv and rewarding myself with a good book after a completed project.
Zero words yesterday—but I'm hittin' it today.:-)
Mary Hicks, I've had to do that this past week, too! There are a few family days that I have to scale back my goals... and I do that lovingly! Because I planned for them two months ago. I'm a huge fan of planning ahead and working ahead, that way I'm rarely stressed as I juggle. Because if I have to stop juggling for a little bit, I've built in a work cushion!
ReplyDeleteGo you!!!!
Great motivation post today, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Melissa J. I will NEVER get up early to write! HA! I am just not a morning person.
However, I will give up watching television or going to movies to write.
Great post today filled with tons of motivation. I only watch one hour of television a week. Most of the time I'm writing, reading, or spending time with my family. I don't have time for mind-numbing television. Good luck everyone!
ReplyDeleteI got tired reading the post so I got a cup of coffee and a bagel. I could use a gift card. I have a wish list going.
ReplyDeleteRuthy, I loved, LOVED this post. You could be a motivational speaker with your pep and your upbeat attitude. :)
ReplyDeleteI need the motivation. This month has held two days of jury duty, lots of unexpected things and an upcoming Spring Break trip. I've gotten maybe half of what I'd hoped to complete done by this point. I know, it's March. And I've set my mind to Speedbo, so of course there are obstacles. I'm learning how to work in spite of them.
I haven't been able to get up early, but I have stayed up a bit at night to do some writing. I've cut back on my blog reading to open up more time for writing. And I'm trying to simplify my own blog efforts for the month.
Thank you for being such an encourager, Ruthy. And please put my name in the cat dish for the gift card. :)
Ruthy
ReplyDeleteYou inspire.
You kick butt when necessary.
Always done in LOVE and with our best interests at heart.
Thank you.
the day's still young. have not done anything on Speedbo goals today - yet. Got minimal done yesterday. It's been minimal all Speedbo month, but a little is better than nothing. I'm still struggling with giving myself permission to pursue. It's hard to say "no" to little eyes looking up at you with the tried and true "But I just want to hug you Momma..." line (followed by the "I want" statement - little guy has figured out Momma's buttons *sigh*)
can always start brand new - even if that brand new start happens more than once. one of these times it's gonna take... blast it.
name in cat dish please.
Tina: still want to be in on the other stuff (like the critiques, especially...)
p.s. my guilty TV is THE VOICE. other than that, I've given it up.
I tried paying people off. Doesn't work. I AM ONLY JOKING.
ReplyDeleteDoing okay with goal, could be better. Clearing some time this evening to draft two chapters that I am excited about as they will better show what's going on in the hero's head.
KB
Double chocolate brownies, yum!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouraging post, Ruthy. My internet was on the fritz for about 48 hours this week. The thing I really missed was my Pinterest board for my story. Otherwise, I got a lot of work done on my story.
I've got a couple of shows I like, but I DVR them and fold clothes or exercise while I watch them. It saves me about 20 minutes in commercials, and I multi-task.
Wilani, you're doing great! Way to go on that word count.
Have a great day, everybody!
TV is still a problem, not current broadcast TV so much as the oldies stations where I am reliving my youth. Facebook is not a problem, I don't "troll" it any more. I post my own stuff and if people respond, they respond. I go on this site almost daily and another site almost daily, but I consider that part of my professional outreach and not a time suck. Housework, unfort., isn't an issue, we still have the Christmas tree up, undecorated and in a corner, sigh. I do carrot and stick, but only when I don't feel like working. Yeah, I think I'm going to make it this time, a complete second draft of "Well With Her Soul," the book I did the first draft of for NANO.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ruth, you are always encouraging. I will have a brownie.
KB
Ruthy, you're Seekerville's No Limits cheerleader!! Love all these inspiring quotes but especially Zig Ziglar's "Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now."
ReplyDeleteWe will have company for a couple of days so I'll need to work harder to catch up or I won't make my goal. But, hey, I can. Whatever it takes.
Janet
Ruthy , , I'd say you've missed your occupation and should be a motivational coach except you're too great of an author to stop that! And I would cry if you did. So, I'll just take your little pep talk and see if I can transform it into some more words. I've kept on track with Speedbo so far - now I'm ready to reach higher!
ReplyDeleteOkay, when our blogger isn't identified in the first paragraph, I try to see if I can figure out who it is by the writing style.
ReplyDeleteOOPS!!!
Totally missed this one! I was hearing TINA's voice in my head, not RUTHY's.
Honestly, girls, you two are cut from the same work ethic cloth!
Great post, RUTHY! Truly motivational!
Thank you! This is exactly what I needed. I'm not making my 1K word limit, but I'm writing and feeling really excited about it. No matter what I am making it happen. You guys are the best!
ReplyDeleteRose, whatever works for you, darling girl! And that's the secret:
ReplyDeleteThere is no secret.
It's simply finding what works/fits best with us and our circumstances and then makin' it happen. Which you clearly do!!!
From Zig Ziglar: "Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now."
ReplyDeleteSo simple. So true.
Love this quote.
LOVE inspirational speakers, RUTHY, and you rank up there with some of the best with this post, girlfriend!!
ReplyDeleteMARIANNE, LOVE that quote too, my friend -- SOOOO true!!
And I have a feeling that Ruthy has heard that "she rocks" enough to build a mountain in Yellowstone, but you can never have too many compliments or too much encouragement as far as I'm concerned!!
Hugs,
Julie
Kelly Bridgewater, I'm in your camp!!!! If you were like, um... camping, that is!
ReplyDeleteYou are a prime example of prioritizing. And if we prioritize, we can build our own success in any part of life.
Whoever said life comes without sacrifice??? A life filled with sacrifice enriches the soul of the liver.
Not like the gut-liver.
The "living life" liver. Because if you're thinking the gut-liver, well that's just gross.
LANI!!! I am BLOWN AWAY by your grit and determination, even in the face of vertigo and headaches, my friend -- you go, girl!!
ReplyDeletePraying you have another supernaturally productive day minus any ailments!!
RHONDA SAID: "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before"The only was to change the future (and achieve the outcome we want) is to look forward and not backward. #NoLimits."
AMEN AND AMEN -- GREAT SCRIPTURE, my friend!!
Hugs,
Julie
Good morning Seekerville!
ReplyDeleteI'm a little behind on my Speedbo goals but I'll get caught up next week.
I'm a firm believer in making choices to get you where you want to go.
I've never lost 20 pounds, never read the Bible through in a year, or wrote a book by accident. It's all on purpose.
I've always told my kids, I don't care what you decide to do w/your life, just be happy with the results of your choices. If you stay at home, figure on your budget not being as large as a two-person income. If you have 8 kids instead of 2, guess what, it cost more to do EVERYTHING. Want to become a doctor? Great! Want to run a bulldozer? Fantastic! I think in here I also let them know we will not bail them out for their decisions. Now get out there and enjoy life.
So I always love your advice Ruthy. Want a publishing contract? Write a book.
I haven't gotten any official words down this page, but my setting was hampering my progress. So yesterday afternoon was setting research time--and I've got it squared away now! Better yet, I'm excited about it and I think it'll give me ideas for new scenes. So the story is starting to come together. I'm excited about that.
ReplyDeleteAnd can I say how I WISH I'd taken care of taxes in February? Ugh. Need to knock that out sometime soon. Very soon. My poor husband is getting nervous. Of course if I win that Amazon gift card, then I'll have more books to read and... Oh, well. :D
Ruthy, thank you for this invigorating post. Makes me want to go home and write, but alas, I am at work and "they" won't let me lol. Please put my name in the drawing for the Amazon card. I have kept your quote from a few months ago: how blessed are we to live in a time when we can carve the niche of our own career???? I am holding onto that. I have gotten into a routine of writing every evening. I've seen my word count go up. Speedbo has been great, but I see myself continuing on after it is over. And finishing some books. Only God knows what will happen after that. I'm just along for the ride lol. Thanks for the encouragement and help. I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteCathy Ann, LOL! I'm so sorry it tired you out! The bagel and coffee will help!
ReplyDeleteThe gifts of ambition and self-help and inspiration are some of my favorites. Even before coffee!!!
Jeanne, you're on track, day by day! We're not all driven by the same cogs, but if we take the cogs God gave us and just work them regularly, they stay oiled...
ReplyDeleteAnd an oiled cog works so much better. More fluid, more responsive. You go, girl!
And I know interruptions first hand. With my sweet buddies here during the day, a big family and a farm, I'm no stranger to things getting in the way. That's part of the reason I do my writing when no one else's time is constrained because if they're all sleeping... on one end of the clock or the other... I can write.
Then we're all happy!!!
Deb H, I hear you on the big eyes and little voice! Which is why I waited until my last one was a teenager to write, because those six kids needed a mom... and who knows the right or wrong of all that because I see successful young mothers writing away...
ReplyDeleteBut I can look at my grown children and know they've been launched successfully, so no guilt here. I get you, totally!
But for you, there's a window of time either before Guppy's up or after he's in bed, whenever you're more awake. And right there you've got your 1K1HR.
(Ruthy cracks the whip....)
And then hands out chocolate!!!
Kaybee, laughing! We can always do better, but if we're doing something, that's way better than nothing!
ReplyDeleteWe move on, day by day....Day by Day/Godspell
Love that song.
Jackie and Deb, I have my faves, too. The Voice, NCIS, Castle.... I DVR them and fast forward through the commercials and some of the interview stuff on The Voice.
ReplyDeleteI've gotten a couple of ideas from TV. Falling for the Lawman came from a TV show episode Beth was watching and something caught my eye and became "Falling for the Lawman" last year.
Janet, that's so true! First, the cheerleader thing...
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I love positive thinking, I believe we plot ourselves either toward success or failure, and I also believe it's very hard if not IMPOSSIBLE to see that it's our own flaws leading one way or another.
Personal choice weighs heavy in our day to day lives, so I'm always working ahead because I'm guilt-laden if I don't.
I'm grabbing another virtual brownie.
Cindy!!!! I am so stinkin' proud of you! And huge thank yous and hugs for kind words!!!
ReplyDeleteIf God is with us, who can be against us?
I love that this is going well for you. Happy dancing!
Myra, I actually stole the post from Tina.
ReplyDeleteShh.
Don't tell her.
You were fooled by the fact that I actually tried to make it look professional.
I'm such a slacker.
TRUE CONFESSION
ReplyDeleteI wrote TWO posts for today.
Why?
BECAUSE I FORGOT I WROTE THE FIRST ONE WEEKS AGO AND RE-WROTE IT. COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
:)
There is such a thing as getting too far ahead of the game, it seems.
LAUGHING AT ME!!!!
Jeri Hoag!!! Even if it's 300 words/day, that's 108,000/year.
ReplyDeleteA BOOK AND A HALF, HONEY.
We stretch and grow... Bit by bit!
Sally Shupe, you are the perfect example!!! Everyone should print out your wise words and post them.
ReplyDeleteI'm not kidding, that's the common sense attitude of steadily plodding along that makes all the difference!
Everyone THINKS they're self-motivated, that life doesn't allow them to produce.
The opposite is true.
Most of us need some sort of directive/timeline/paycheck to produce to our max capacity. When we see that American productivity is down, that's what it means. We're a little too content with doing less and less.
So your attitude of doing a little more all the time is the growth factor!!!!!
This is awesome!!!!
Wow, Ruthy! You could be related to Zig Ziglar. This post is definitely going into my Seekerville notebook.
ReplyDeleteDo you have me under surveillance? You busted me with #5! I'm putting the book away. :)
Sally, laughing! For years I had various numbers of six kids in college so I had to do taxes early to do their FAFSA and CSS PROFILE. So that has spurred me to always do them early.
ReplyDeleteThis year I hired an accountant and started a smarter system to make things easier throughout the year, so that is a huge blessing. But until this year, I did it myself and those FAFSAs and Profiles and I'm so glad that's over! YAY!
I'm glad your setting is resolved! I kind of learn my setting in the first book of a series... and then I layer more of it in as I edit. But I know authors who have the entire setting pre-planned (which means they probably mess up less, of course! Darn them!)
Connie Queen, yes, yes, yes, yes and yes again!
ReplyDeleteI'm that kind of mom, too, and I'm sure there were moments when my kids wished Sympathetic Sue was their mother, but God had other thoughts.
They got me! :)
You are a forward thinker. I love that. And your words made me smile!!!
Connie said, "I never lost twenty pounds or read the Bible through in a year or wrote a book by accident. It's all on purpose."
ReplyDeleteRuthy nods and hands Connie the microphone!!!
Thanks for the post Ruth! I'd love to win the gift card!
ReplyDeleteSpeedbo>>> I finished another scene and it hit me it filled in a conversation I'd already written and I didn't even realize or intend it! (My MC's sister in law tells him to show her husband what he wanted to show him. Well, today, he just finished carving what he was going to show his brother!)
I'm already over 1/2 through my word count goal for the month.
Jill, LOL!
ReplyDeleteThat's priceless. Put it away and get to work, darling!
Becky, sometimes we set up a later scene without even knowing it...
ReplyDeleteI did that today, when I realized that my next scene was the perfect catalyst to set up the black moment later...
Because emotion begets emotion...
And who is more emotional than an ex-wife who thinks she can waltz her way back into the family bosom with no warning?
The minute I saw that I was happy dancing in my chair!!!!!
:)
Pam, I love that one, too. It's one of those simple truisms that keeps me looking forward every day... to where I want to be in six months, in twelve, in eighteen...
ReplyDeleteI love Zig!
MYRA SAID: "Okay, when our blogger isn't identified in the first paragraph, I try to see if I can figure out who it is by the writing style."
ReplyDeleteLOL ... I do the same thing, Myra, only I guessed Ruthy and YOU didn't!! ;) Of course it helps that we get an email on our Seeker Loop telling us who's up next ... ;)
Okay, I forgot to check in with my Speedbo progress. I'm doing agent and final edits on a book going to my editor soon, and I got 35 pages done yesterday, which isn't too bad considering I was on Seekerville and had lots of paperwork to do and am a TOTALLY RIDICULOUS EDIT QUEEN!! Am halfway through the book now, so my Speedbo challenge is being met. I'm no Ruthy, but I'm happy!! :)
Hugs,
Julie
Julie, I love that enthusiasm! Enthusiasm for life, for God, for love, for others... it flows out of you like grace.
ReplyDeleteWhat a special and wonderful gift you have... better yet? You SHARE IT all the time.
God sure blessed me the minute he had you kick my butt in a contest!!! :)
SO I had an idea...
ReplyDeleteMy husband works nights. Wonder if I could send the remote control to work with him?
KB
The good thing about Speedbo, and getting back to this manuscript, is that I'm seeing some flaws and things that need to be fleshed out. Like Henry's issue is feelings of inadequacy, and I realized I need a strong scene to show him failing at something, so that's happening tonight, TV or no TV.
ReplyDeleteKB
Ruthie, I haven't officially signed up for Speedbo (but I keep meaning to!), but I have to say this has motivated me to work more on my WIP. I don't have a lot of time in the morning (I'm already getting up an hour earlier to focus on health and fitness goals), so I've been taking my laptop to work and writing during my lunch break. It helps that I have an actual office with a DOOR to keep out my pesky co-workers!
ReplyDeleteSo far, I've added about 4,000 words this week, since I started on Monday. I'm totally a self-editor as a I go, which is a hard habit to break, but when I only have about 45 minutes, an hour tops, for writing, it really motivated me to keep moving this story forward!
Have a wonderful day, and I won't tell you how I went back through my MS last night and edited what I wrote over my lunch break while sitting on my deck last night, basking in sunshine and the sound of birds chirping. :)
Go Ruthy,
ReplyDeleteI agree Marianne, Great quote.
No Limits.
Yay. I'm off to write.
Kaybee, have him hide the remote.
ReplyDelete:)
You're welcome!!!
And I love when I see a flaw and realize how I can fix it! Deepen it!
That makes my day!
RUTHY said: "You were fooled by the fact that I actually tried to make it look professional."
ReplyDeleteUm, that could be it. You didn't sound like your usual snarkily effervescent self. More like Tina-the-official-Seekerville-drill-sergeant.
I'm trying to decide which "you" I like better--LOL!!!
STEPHANIE!!!!SHHH.... I SELF-EDIT EVERY DAY. EVERY SINGLE DAY. DON'T SNITCH ON ME, OKAY????
ReplyDeleteAnd look at you, using your lunch hour! I'm so proud of you! God puts so much within our reach, but he can't spoon feed us! He expects us to do our share.
Oh. That God!!! :)
Awesome 4K this week, I'm dancing in the streets!
Myra, it depends on the day, really, and don't try to decide.
ReplyDeleteBecause you'll pick one and that one might never appear again! And then we're in a muddle!
Remember Rocky? And he couldn't see the opponent and Paulie, his trainer said "Hit the one in the middle!"
That's how you have to handle a Ruthinator. Like the one in the middle and ignore the extremes.
:)
Sandra, you had very little to say.
ReplyDeleteThat means she's feeling GUILTY.
Good.
(evil snicker lingers as lights fade)
What an invigorating, motivating post, Ruthy! I can almost hear the cheerleaders in the background.
ReplyDeleteI'm SO not a morning person, but planning and goal-setting I can do. The mini-kitchen renovation that is getting underway here proves it. (And Julie says a reno trumps Speedbo, but I don't entirely agree. I just have to work extra hard to fit both in these days.) This week I've given up some of my favourite TV shows in the evening to fit in an extra hour of writing. How's that for dedication??? ;)
Give up reading?! I. Think. Not. But the other stuff, yeah, I'm all in! Thanks for the pep talk, Ruthy, I needed it round about now. I read this earlier but didn't stop to comment so I could write. And guess what? I double my word count today and the afternoon is just starting. How cool is that? You should produce motivational writing rants. :-)
ReplyDeleteTHE OTHER THING I did today was get a professional head shot taken. If I can figure out how to get it on line, you won't have to look at the Rice Krispies Christmas Tree any more.
ReplyDeleteKB
KELLY B--You are one of the few people I've met who doesn't watch television either. :) We watch some sports, but that's about it. Occasionally the news. I just don't have time for it. :)
ReplyDeleteKAYBEE--yay on the professional headshot. I look forward to seeing it. :)
ReplyDelete.
ReplyDelete.
… "thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Corinthians 15:57
Zingers from Zig:
"Most of us need a check up from the neck up."
***
"You can get anything you want if you can help enough other people get what they want. I said 'anything', NOT 'everything' you want!" (Laughter here.)
***
"Successful people do by habit what unsuccessful people do not like to do."
Hi Ruth:
I've given many motivational talks and I can assure you that motivational talks can only prime the pump*. The ultimate test of any motivational presentation is to remove the need to be motivated at all. Like Zig often advised: "do by habit what needs to be done to be successful."
BTW: I've seen Zig perform to a crowd of over 5,000 and you would not even need to hear him to be motivated. He must have ran five miles all over that huge stage!
QUESTION: Ruth, are you getting better at an ever accelerating rate or are you actually an historical fiction writer at heart? It's not that I love your contemporary fiction less, but that I love your historical more!
Vince
*Has anyone reading this ever actually primed a pump? Does anyone still even know what it means? I'd say, Helen, Mary, and Ruth may have primed pumps. I have but I was a kid at the time. (There was a wonderful folk song about priming the pump that was very motivational.)
Ruthy, your energy and enthusiasm always inspire me!!!
ReplyDeletePlease put me in for the A. card!!
Thanks!!!
Hi Terri:
ReplyDeleteNo one actually has to keep up with Ruth. All one needs to do is keep Ruth in sight out in front of you. That's achievement enough to be successful!
Which Fish Is Right?
ReplyDeleteI've looked at the school of fish picture and I just naturally thought the red fish was right since the crowd is almost always wrong. Is the red fish a wise contrarian (like me) or is he just clueless like a bachelor holding an infant?
Oh, brownies sound good, don't they! I really appreciate the motivation, especially as it's college midterms time!
ReplyDeletePlease put me in for the Amazon card! Thanks and happy Speedbo-ing!
Sarah Claucherty
Oh, brownies sound good, don't they! I really appreciate the motivation, especially as it's college midterms time!
ReplyDeletePlease put me in for the Amazon card! Thanks and happy Speedbo-ing!
Sarah Claucherty
Julie said that???
ReplyDeleteOh, Ruthy will never agree. I do the renovations after I write. But my way drives normal folks crazy, which is why my kids hike their brows when I describe myself as normal. :)
Doing renovations is my reward. I get 1k or so done? I paint something. Get another 1K done? I put on the second coat! So yes, it's taking me forever to get things shaped up in this quaint old barn of a house, but I'm totally, unequivocally living my dream.
So my goal isn't to drive normal folks crazy... but to show there's a couple ways to skin the cat!
Sarah, sweet thing, you're in! Midterms brings so much back to mind. I would send care packages to my kids so they'd know I loved them to pieces... while expecting them to ace the exam.
ReplyDelete(Low pressure mother, right????) :)
So glad you stopped in!
Carol Garvin, I am so stinkin' proud of you. You have no idea!!!! I will be your cheerleader any time!
ReplyDeleteKAV!!! KAV!!! KAV!!!!! i'M SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!! I'm so excited for the world!!!! Go you!
ReplyDeleteLook south, on the now-melted-snow roof of the big yellow farmhouse: That's me, waving!!!!
Jeanne, I'm so proud of you, too. Giving up TV is huge, even if it's not for writing. Even if it's just a common sense, life's too short thing.
ReplyDeleteYou rock.
Vince, I love this!
ReplyDeleteA. My daughter says I've always been a historical nut, so maybe it's a genetic flaw, but I do have lots of fun with those historicals!!!
B. I'm filling in cracks with these crazy fun novellas, but I think part of it was landing that fun Red Kettle Christmas gig BY ACCIDENT!!! and then realizing I loved writing in yesteryear sometimes!
C. I love you.
D. I have primed pumps, LOL! And we actually have a pump that needs priming at the local cemetery, so when I go there to tend the garden at Grandpa's grave, I have to prime the pump... and now I'll think of you, every time!
E. I've only seen Zig on TV, but I loved him. And yes, the energy was crazy!
I love all these Jackies!!!! Jackie Smith, you're in!
ReplyDeleteVince, I think it's an inclusive fish pic.
ReplyDeleteThey're all okay.
I'm okay. You're okay.
LAUGHING!
That's my fave Yoda quote!
ReplyDeleteYes- I'm Speedbo-ing... Appreciate the camaraderie as well!!!
Thanks so much for keeping us going.
Go #Speedbo2015! #NoLimits!
Preach it, Ruthy! What a great post.
ReplyDeleteBut I have to admit I was EATING A BROWNIE right when I read the part about compromising what you want most for what you want now.
Oops.
Thanks for the reminder! :)
Is it only March 12th? Whew! I still have time to finish this story!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the almost-mid-month motivation, Ruthy. You and Zig work well together.
Love your quotes. And pics.
And aren't you generous with the $25 Amazon gift card!
#NOLIMITS!
Ruthy, I'm not an author but I LOVE TO READ YOUR POSTS!!!!! They make me want to get out there and DO SOMETHING!!!! Thanks for that! I needed that today! I appreciate your keeping me focused on some goals I have been letting slip lately....OK, I AM FOCUSED again....all because of you, Ruthy.....Love you, girl :)
ReplyDeleteK.C., I'm with you! #nolimits #Speedbo #gogetem!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMissy, there's a plate of cookies on the table....
ReplyDeleteAnd all I wanted while I ate my stinkin' cabbage was a COOKIE OR FIVE!!!!!
I know. I hear ya. But I'm too cheap/frugal to go buy all new clothes. Oy!!!!
Deb, we love these mid-month pick-me-ups!!! I remember how often someone would post just the right thing when I was writing/hoping/praying/working and waiting for that phone to ring!
ReplyDeleteTotally a Holy Spirit thing!
Valri, I love what you said! That's the best thing about motivational speaking, the highest compliment ever!
ReplyDeleteIn a book or performance, the highest compliment is tears... so they say!
In motivation, it's creating the desire to make yourself/the world/your place/your life better... without becoming a jerk! :) Go you!!!
Vince and Terri....
ReplyDeleteVince's advice is solid. I have some kids that are runners. Last year in a 200 mile relay race in California, my kid was in the lead... and got lost. He's from New York, what does he know about wine country? Anyway, no cell phone, and he had to borrow someone's phone to try to find help to get back on the race course...
I'm always keeping tabs on someone's tailfeathers! Happy to pass along that good advice, and if you happen to lead the race someday??? Make sure the turns are well-marked! :)
Ruthy, I'm impressed by your early morning hours. You do realize some of us would be curled beside our computers in a fetal position, if we kept your hours.
ReplyDeleteJanet
Ruthie, thanks for the pep talk. I gave up falling asleep during my husband's tv choices of sports and crime during prime time. Couldn't miss NCIS though. Other than that prime time is writing time. My speedbo total so far is 8280.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Ruthy!
ReplyDeleteAnd in PERFECT timing. I stumbled a bit with my #Speedbo goal recently. After a morning of errands and a commitment tonight.....I thought about skipping my writing time. BUT, I sat down, checked in with FB #1K1HR, put hands on keyboard.....and SURPRISE, made my daily goal....writing an interesting CONFLICT scene!
Thank you!!! Grabbing a brownie!
So much fun is being had here at Seekerville I'm tempted to write something and I don't even write, now that's what I call the power of suggestion! :)
ReplyDeleteKnowing everyone is working so hard though assures me some good future reads so, GO SEEKERS GO, GO WRITERS GO!
Love that Zig Ziglar quote, such a great line to remember to prioritize you goals to achieve what you want most!
Janet, I hear you! If you're a night owl, of course my hours would be D-E-A-T-H.
ReplyDeleteTo avoid death, we need to find our comfort zone... So for me, it's 4:00 AM. Virginia and Melissa pass me in 1K1HR as they're leaving from the night shift, and I'm coming in for a day shift.
I'm too tired after the day job to produce anything worthwhile at night... but they're amazing at night!
BETTIE!!!!
ReplyDeleteBETTIE!!!!!!!
BETTIE!!!!!!
8280 IS AWESOME! And I love that you traded off prime time on tv for writing production time.... And you're both happy!
(Although, my heroes are never sitting glued to the tv in fiction... for hours... comatose.... I'm just sayin'.) :)
Laughing! Real life heroes are a little different! Of course my heroines are all slim, so I guess it goes both ways!!!
Sherida, that rocks the big kahuna! Go you!
ReplyDeleteThere are often times when we're tempted away, aren't there? But that comes right back to those little choices that add up. You aced this, Sherida!!!!
Ruthy! You are my favorite cheerleader! YES to everything you mentioned. It's tough going this month to keep up with my goal, but much like the cookie vs healthy body analogy, I must keep typing to reach a healthy word count.
ReplyDeleteSo wise, Ruthy. So wise!
Tina said, "Keep sharing how you're doing this week in Speedbo for your chance at books, giftcards and a critique." Since I love prizes, I thought I'd better come back and post a Speedbo update.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I'm not as far along in my goal as I'd like to be at this point. My goal is to write a complete first draft. So far, I have almost completed three chapters, and I've done some additional research that hopefully will help the other chapters come together.
Second, I've done much better this week about writing each day. I'm sad to say on March 4th, I didn't add a single word. :( It was an exceptionally long day at work, and I just...okay, okay...no excuses. I dropped the ball. However, since then, I've adopted the philosophy that one word is better than no words. So on days when I'm dragging, I remind myself to write one word. ;) Of course, words are like Lays potato chips...you can't have just one! :D Then before I know it, I write more than one word. And in the spirit of trying to write everyday, I plan to take my laptop with me Tuesday when I go for my shoulder surgery. That way I can write my "one word" while I'm waiting for them to call me back.
Ruthy, YOU are the Zig Ziglar of the writing world, imho. :)
ReplyDeleteLOVED this post - - even though I'm a late arrival today (busy day--but a productive day, and it's not over yet!).
I am honored and thrilled that you featured my Delilah's photo today (yes, my kitties truly are Seekerville fans). ;)
My personal Speedbo goals are going well - and I AM determined to keep moving forward.
Hugs, Patti Jo
Go Ruthy! What a great motivator you are. Peppy, too, I've noticed :-)
ReplyDeleteLoved this way of putting things in perspective: If you met 80% of your goal in Major League Baseball, we'd change your name to Jeter and have a parade in your honor!
Hope to be back later to read all these comments (!)
Nancy C
I'm really trying to pound 'Show Me' into my head. When I'm writing a first draft I notice that I will tell how something is if I know I'm heading to a part of the story I am more interested in writing.
ReplyDeleteMy goals this month had been to finish second drafts on two of my manuscripts. I wrapped on up Sunday night. It was the one I was most concerned about word count-wise. It was the first suspense story I ever wrote, guess it was hard for me to keep that suspense up! haha I wanted it at 55k and it was only at 48k. Very happy to say it is now a 55k story and the second draft is complete.
I feel like the story I just finish is always my favorite one. Is this true for everyone?
Anyway, I am slowly working my way into the second draft of my other manuscript. I'm 13 pages into it now. This one has the right amount of words, but I know it gets thrown around a lot in the middle. It's going to be a rough one to mend I think, but I'm looking forward to the challenge.
I'm kind of enjoying when I come across places where I've gotten lazy in my stories. It gives me a chance to cut the nonsense and focus on showing the story. In my personal life I like to workout or rather that feeling after a workout. I feel the same way when I'm working on showing my story. It feels like a workout for my writing skills. When I'm done I feel like I have stretched my imagination and flexed some writing muscles.
I'm having a lot of fun with this! Definitely just allowing myself to get lost in writing this month and am loving every minute of it.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I loved all the quotes! The last one from Zig Ziglar was like a massive shot in the arm! This is why I am checking in and reading day after day. You are energizing us and inspiring us! I am happy to say that today my total is 18538 which means I am on track with my goal of 1500 a day. I will have quite the road ahead, but I believe it and I am going to work for it!
ReplyDeleteTonight I am squeezing in double writing in that I am writing for Speedbo and writing for my weekend job. Thank you for inspiring us all!
I would love to be entred in for the gift card, but I must admit, I am over the moon with the awesome dreamer mug that I won. I keep brining it to and from the office like it is a travel mug. It reminds me that my dreams do not have to stay home. I can take them with me everywhere! Which is good. There are a lot of great characters to encounter when you work in radio. :)
Cheering you all on!
Very late to the party tonight. I worked both my jobs today. Then when I got off work tonight, my husband said he had lost his cell phone when walking the dog at the park. He had me walk out there with him to call on my phone and somebody answered. He had found the phone, but had taken it home with him 50 miles away! So we had to drive there to pick it up. What a night.
ReplyDeleteI still have about 200 words to write, too.
Please enter me in the drawing for the Amazon card.
I don't think anyone can keep up with you Ruthy dear.
ReplyDeleteI'll say it. (Now that pretty much everyone is done talking for the day ;)) I'm having a rough month. I'm about "this close" to going all George Banks at the grocery store with the hot dog buns. I doubt I'm going to hit my SpeedBo goals but part of that will be prioritizing some other stuff instead. I've got two books up for preorder (end of April) that I need to finish editing and that's gotta come first. And a for pay project I took on. It's easy but time consuming. But I'm working away. When I'm not being pulled 30 different directions. I'd figured on 15... Not 30...
Love you Ruthy. And I'd love that card ;).
Carol, LOL! Your name is in, sweet thing!
ReplyDeleteI'm good at pre-planning now. I know what I can get done daily and I never overbook that because I have to balance big family and day job. So I plan on that and if I can do more, I do... and then I'm always ahead and never frustrated.
You put two books up for preorder.
TWO.
Oy.
Yes, prioritize that because Amazon isn't happy if those get messed up, and if you fall short of your set goals, you should take great pride in how wonderfully you're doing! Huge congratulations on your continued success, brave girl!
SANDY SMITH!!!! OH YES, WHAT A NIGHT, DEAR GIRL!!!!
ReplyDeleteOY!!!!!!
Bless you, I've done things like that. I once took the wrong bag home from the airport 50 miles away... and it was someone's shower chair and stuff in the bag! How could I do that?
Tossing your name into the dish, dear one!!!
Ruthy, Thanks for such a great post! One of my fav sayings re writing: BICHOK - Butt in chair, hands on keyboard!
ReplyDeleteI'm waving back at 'cha - getting up at 4:30 every day to write for 2 hours.
Put my name in that fancy cat dish. I love me some Amazon card!!
Great reminder. Encouraging post. I'm stoked with this challenge. Most days I reach my 2,000 word goal. But the days I don't I'm mighty close and other days I go over. I'm finding I can write creatively other times than just the morning. Throw my name in the cat bowl I can always find ways to spend an Amazon gift card.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the post today. Encouraging :)
ReplyDeletetoss me in the new patterned cat dish for the card please..
Not that I'm trying to ruin your analogy, but honestly, if a half-baked cake were up for sale, my husband and brothers would be waving their money first in line. They're the sort that relish that inevitable center of a loaf of banana bread that never gets fully cooked. The heavier and gooier the baked good, the better.
ReplyDeleteBut your encouragement is great! Thanks for keeping us all going!
Great post, Ruthy! I just finished your novella in "The Homestead Brides Collection"... Is it safe to say I want to write like you when I grow up? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the encouragement and seat-kicking to get motivated!
Great post today. Please include me in the date.
ReplyDeleteJan
Great post, Ruth. I wrote my first book at 5:00 a.m. every morning, as soon as I got my husband off to work. Structure and routine was how I stuck to it. Now, in my old age, with all the time in the world, I grab a writing moment any time of the day or night. I'm a writer who needs structure and deadlines.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done much fresh writing for Speedbo but I'm doing a lot of revising and editing. That Amazon card looks ... grrrreat!