🚦 TREE 277: Just f***ing start, 2 of 3

Scheduled for ‘success’, whatever that means

If you missed part one, read it here.

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One.

After a pandemic year of writing, I had 110,000 words stacked like cordwood, awaiting the spark that would ignite a new phase of my writing and editing career. I’m not claiming victory; a participation medal, in this case, is worth cherishing as well.

When I looked up from my laptop at the end of that process, I began sheepishly admitting to my publishing industry friends that I had actually done so. One expressed amazement, given her many false starts over the years.

I shared her amazement, given my many similar false starts.

I showed her my daily schedule – instructions from a stern boss (me) to a wayward employee (also me):

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Daily Schedule
8–9 AM: F off, buy things, plan travel, send emails
9–11:30 AM: Start writing, JUST F***ING START! (Alternate: Plan/outline/research day’s writing, THEN F***ING START WRITING)
11:30–noon Light proofread, plot next day’s intro
Noon–12:30pm: Lunch
12:30–1 PM: Wrap up morning work
1–3 PM: nap/exercise
3–5 PM: Read source material; take notes
5 PM: Yoga, wine, dinner

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Does that seem like too much for your life and circumstances? Then build a schedule that works for you. Make it ambitious, stop talking about creating, and instead: create. My schedule represents my best, most productive self. Most days, I heed its call.

The work isn’t any good, at first. That’s what revision is all about.

The transit between ‘not good’, and ‘better’, requires a starting point. I toe that line, and step forward.

Congratulations, if that’s where you are.

Now just f***ing start.

Two.

Three.

Meet my writing coach, Michael Phillip Jagger.

Yesterday, tomorrow and Wednesday we are graced with posts and song selections from guest author, Peter Moore. Peter is the former editor of Men’s Health magazine, and – no fooling – once worked as articles editor for Playboy. Now he is a writer and ghostwriter living in Fort Collins, Colorado, and publishing his travel/transformation newsletter ‘The Road 2 Elsewhere’ at petermoore.substack.com.

Grow slowly
Jeff