The Elusive Missing Middle by Sharon Heagy

 

Beginning, middle and end. It’s what all good stories are supposed to have, right? Everyone has a story, a life, with a beginning, middle and end. In fact, the stories of our life are like nesting dolls – multiple stories, multiple beginnings, middles and ends. Because of the multifaceted stories of our life, we are often faced with multiple places where we get ‘stuck’.  Just like Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’, we are often faced with at least two roads and until we make a choice we are stuck. We often have little information about what lies ahead but if we plan to move forward, we will have to make a choice or we will end up plunking ourselves down in the muck and mire between the roads, knee deep in the quicksand of indecision and sinking until we can no longer move ahead. 

The same may be said of the Writer’s life. Many projects get ‘stuck’ somewhere in the middle. After taking off like a thoroughbred through the starting gate we end up like an ox slogging a cart with a broken axle through the mud. But what to do? We feel we can’t go ahead and we in no way want to go back. (Although this does help from time to time.)

Sometimes this means we need a break. A change of focus. Stare out the window, do a few menial chores, write a few pieces from prompts, just to get your head in a different place. Often while we are not thinking directly of the problem, the answer to that very problem comes to our mind in a moment of the ‘aha’ variety.

Change your venue. Go to a coffee shop, go for a drive go outside. I was intrigued after reading an article about mental health and physical health and the connection between being outside and healing for both. But it makes sense. What better place to connect with God than in His creation? 

How about going to the end and working backwards. I have a sister who always reads the end of the book before the beginning. It frustrates me no end while it really shouldn’t as it is not ruining my reading of said book, but I feel it is ruining hers. Who am I to judge? I guess I figure it spoils the way it was created to be read. But if we can take our beginning and have a sense of where we want to end up, we could go to the end and work our way backwards until the middle becomes clear. 

We could also just keep plugging away at the middle, writing even if it makes no sense at all until it does become clear.

But above all pray. If we are instruments of the Lord, then He will be faithful to give us a middle. 

O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago…

Isaiah 25:1a

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
    for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24

            

And no matter what, don’t quit. I have a poem upon my wall attributed to Edgar Albert Guest titled ‘Don’t Quit.’ There is also another version that is a little different by John Greenleaf Whittier, but I share the Guest version here.

Don’t Quit
Edgar Albert Guest

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit, Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out; Don’t give up though the pace seems slow- You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor’s cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down, How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out-
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit-
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.

   May God bless you in the middle and pop you out the other side. You can do this with His help. Just keep on writing, one word at a time.

Stalled by Steph Beth Nickel

 

This month's theme is Stalled in the Middle.

As writers, we can all relate in one way or another.

So, what should we do when we've stalled in the middle of a creative project?

First, we should examine our situation (and ourselves) and see what led to our lack of forward momentum.

Did we start the project with an abundance of energy and ideas but soon find ourselves sputtering and coughing and coming to a grinding halt?

Did our life change dramatically, leaving our physical and emotional resources significantly depleted?

Did we simply become bored and move onto something else?

Did we let procrastination win the day so long we're having a hard time getting back to the project?

Do we feel God has led us to set the project aside--at least for the time being?

Let's address these issues one at a time.

Did God call you to set the project aside? Maybe, but be certain this conclusion isn't simply "wishful thinking" or "fatalistic resignation." Here are three things we can do to determine if we should persevere or set aside the project in question: pray, consider why we began the project in the first place, and seek wise counsel.

I often say I put the PRO in procrastination. While there are, of course, times we need to take a break, we may want to ask ourselves a question to see if we're actually procrastinating or recharging. Do I come away from my downtime energized or further drained and unmotivated?

Boredom, it causes all kinds of problems, especially if there isn't external pressure to complete the project at hand. And when that project is a creative one, it's especially hard to push past boredom and persevere. If you need to mix things up a little, why not try writing in a new location or making a list of all the things that excited you about the project when you first got the idea?

All creatives experience dramatic changes in their circumstances from time to time--and this has been especially true over the last couple of years. We may be too physically or emotionally exhausted to even think about sitting down to write--especially a project that seems lifeless and immovable. Again, prayer, an examination of why we began the project, and wise counsel can help. (Note: sometimes, we need professional help, and there is not shame in that.)

And finally, we may simply have run out of steam. There are those who refer to three different types of energy: starting energy, finishing energy, and what may be the most difficult to come by, the energy to persevere when we feel stalled in the middle.

Ask yourself what motivates you to write and what "jumper cables" get your creativity running on all cylinders.

Do you like to...

Take a walk.

Listen to music.

Spend time with fellow creatives. (Even if you can't do so in person, you can connect online or over the phone.)

Listen to skills-related podcasts.

Read a good book.

Fill up your creative well, get back behind the wheel, and see where the road takes you.

Book Review: The 4 Disciplines of Execution - by Sandi Somers

 

TITLE: The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Revised and Updated: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals

AUTHORS: Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling 

PUBLISHER: New York: Simon & Schuster

PUBLICATION OF 2^nd Edition: 2021

COST: $35.50;  Paperback: $25.73;  Kindle: $13.99 (current prices on Amazon.ca)

SUBJECTS: Goal setting in personnel management; Goal (Psychology); Organization.

~ ~ ~

 At the heart of every vision, every aspiration is a crisis…Look deep into the heart of your crisis. Figure out what problem needs solving the most, or nothing else matters.

Beverly Walker

Making explicit goals and expectations is vital to success. The authors of The 4 Disciplines of Execution have proven that following through on your most important priorities will require a significant change in your behaviour and will produce breakthrough results.

 I began using The 4 Disciplines as I’m now focusing on finishing my book of devotionals, revising drafts to the best of my ability.  I’ll give you my examples to help clarify the principles and strategies.

 The 4 Disciplines are:

1. Focus on the Wildly Important Goal: Focusing on one major goal will have the greatest impact for your project. However, doing so goes against human tendency to choose several goals. Yet research shows that the more items you focus on, the less you accomplish. You must move from a dozen “I really hope” goals to one “no matter what” goal.

Become clear in your one goal and set a deadline: “From X to Y by When.”

 My goal is to complete a good draft of 75 devotionals by Christmas. Can I do it? How can I accomplish it?

 My next step to making that breakthrough was to…

2. Act on Lead Measures.

What are lead measures? They are the most important daily and weekly actions that will tell you if you’re achieving your final goal. They can be measured.

 I started working on this project with some devotionals already polished, and others in various stages of completion. I asked the authors’ questions: “What are the one or two most important things I can do this week that will have the biggest impact on reaching my goal? What might I do that I’ve never tried before and that will make all the difference?”

 I need to write or revise six devotionals every week.

This is the single most difficult discipline to set up and maintain. It’s easy to slip a day or two, then a week, and soon you’re not progressing. As a result, you’re more likely to give up or become stalled.  

 How could I ensure consistency? I next needed to…

3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard. “What gets measured gets done.”

This means tracking your progress daily or weekly on a chart or graph—you can use a “writing tracker” app or online resource. Seeing your graph shows whether you’re winning or losing. It also keeps you engaged to see your progress.

 On a daily basis, I listed each revised devotional. I next drew a line graph with two parts: one line showing the trajectory if I consistently revise six a week. The other line tracked the actual number revised.

 Doing this will…

4. Create a Cadence of Accountability. A regular rhythm of weekly checkups ensures consistent engagement. The checkups have several steps:

• ·        Report on how well you succeeded or lagged behind last week’s commitments.
• ·        Ask what worked and what didn’t. What did you learn?
• ·        Plan to make new commitments. Keep your former commitment and add something new. 
• ·         Keep to your new standard.
• ·        If you missed your goal, make up for it the next week. 

 I started late the first week, as I signed out my “holds” copy from the Public Library on Tuesday. I completed only four items. That meant I needed to complete eight the next week. But how? I added a new commitment—to tweak the items most nearly finished. It worked, as it didn’t require much time. And those climbing numbers gave me a better sense of accomplishment.

I’m aware, however, that at least two disciplines are missing from this book.

5. Reward yourself. Sometimes people can be too driven, and as the saying goes, they don’t stop to smell the roses. After each success of meeting the daily and weekly goals, it’s important to celebrate.

 I’ve chosen several mini-celebrations—it's delightful to take tea out on the deck in these sunny October afternoons. A drive in the country is my reward if I meet this week's challenge.

6.  Partner with the Lord in your writing. This is the most important discipline. Our projects or our writing are not all up to you or me.  “For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6 NLT)

 The Lord knows the beginning and the end, what I need to accomplish my purposes—His purposes. I depend on His guidance. I’m also inviting a prayer team to partner with me. In turn I will give them a monthly progress update.

~ ~ ~

Now for an assessment of the book. While it’s primarily aimed at heads of businesses and corporations and their teams, there’s a wealth of examples and practical applications for writers, especially if you’re stuck in the middle—it forces you to creatively think of new solutions.

I found that the concepts covered are intense and detailed. To make the most of your reading experience, I suggest skimming over some corporate examples (or use them as clarification or models). It has been said, “Choose the best and leave the rest.” If you do this, it’s worth a read. It’s worth practising The 4 Disciplines of Execution, plus the two more not identified in the book.  

 

PROCRASTIWORKING by Joylene M Bailey

 

~~~~~

I learned a new word on the weekend. 

Procrastiworking.

I'm sure you've guessed what it means: avoiding the work you need to complete by doing other work instead.

I'm guilty of it. Sitting at my computer, blank page glaring, or feeling stuck in the muck of a problematic passage, I suddenly have the urge to get a drink of water. On the way to the kitchen I remember that I meant to cull through my closet last month. Now's as good a time as any. When half my closet has been dumped on the bed I come across an ancient flip phone. Could I still get cash for this thing, I wonder? Before you can say DON'T DO IT, I'm searching the internet for flip-phone forums. Which, of course, leads to spiralling into the void of YouTube videos on our late Queen's surviving Corgis.

Is any of this helpful for my work in progress?

~~~~~

~~~~~

The one-day writing summit I attended on the weekend highlighted procrastiworking. Only, they described it differently. They suggested that instead of pulling your hair out as you force the right words from your brain through your fingers onto the page, do something else.

Do anything else rather than striving on a [work in progress]. You free your mind to make connections not otherwise made. 

-- Terry & Eric Fan --

writers and illustrators

Hmmm ... I'm still trying to get my head around doing anything else as being helpful. Maybe?

I was definitely on board later in the day, when someone suggested that doing something else creative helped to open up new creative pathways in the brain so that when you go back to the page, creativity for the original project is refreshed, and you can come to the problem in a new way. 

For me, that creative outlet is sewing, specifically quilting. My mood shifts to calm and joy as soon as I lay my eyes on the fabric I'm about to use. And, at whatever stage I'm at in the quilting process, whether choosing the fabric colours & patterns to match or contrast, cutting out or assembling the pieces, machine-stitching or hand-sewing, my mind is busy working out puzzles. Puzzles in the quilt itself, puzzles in my life and in my work. So that when I go back to the work on the page, often the tweaks I need to refine and perfect the problematic passage are right there at the front of my mind.    

It might seem like procrastinating but in actuality it's still working on the WIP.

~~~~~

I like this positive spin on the term procrastiworking. Not only does it take away the burdensome guilt of doing something other than writing, it excites and fulfills me to know that while my hands might be doing something else, my brain can still be working on my writing project. I'm not wasting time. Maybe not even when I'm searching out the names of the late Queen's two living Corgis.

Incidentally, Muick and Sandy are well and happy, and living in the home of Prince Andrew, Sarah Duchess of York, and five Norfolk Terriers.  

~~~~~

All photos above courtesy of Pixabay.com

Joy doesn't have any Corgis, but she does have a Swiss Mountain Puppy, and a Cowboy who loves them both. She writes and procrastiworks from north of Pigeon Lake, Alberta. Find more of her Joy-infused view on the world at Scraps of Joy.