Writing dates...

As it is the 'week end', I decided to continue my artistic development by joining a writer's workshop that was part of the 'Edgy Women' festival taken by novelist Ivan Coyote. It was called 'Boot Camp for Procrastinators' and really it was a refreshing take on those things you should already know about writing, and how to motivate yourself to write. The most imprtant thing was deadlines; I know I work really well to deadlines so I must create this sense of urgency to get it finished. Also, it's much easier to disappoint someone else rather than yourself, so if you make a deadline for you, you are unable to keep it. Make a deadline with someone else, and it's more likely that you will stick to it.

The rules are applicable to my performance work too. I must have the discipline to see thing through to the end, find out what distracts me and remove it, then have these mini deadlines so that I can keep going and create this urgency. Another important thing is 'first draft'. No matter how hard it is, as long as you have a completed draft you can always go back and revise later.

It was really inspirational; it's really made me want to write and get things done for a change. I think I've felt it before, but being at this stage in my life where I have taken steps to improve my creative career like, for example starting my MA, these practical tips mean a lot more to me. I have a story to tell, but it's always easy not to tell it than to commit it to paper and provide the discipline to make yourself heard. These simple little steps could become habit in the long run and improve the way I approach my work.