Navigating Road Blocks - I Need Your Help!

Thursday, April 17, 2014
Here it is, my turn again to write for the Muffin. These Muffin days are seriously my favorite days of the month. I hope you look forward to them as much as I do. The best part is the feedback and conversation from each of you - the readers! Since Easter is right around the corner, I was hoping to come up with something profound that might tie in with an Easter theme. Then I reminded myself not everyone celebrates Easter. I talked myself into a spring theme and talked myself right out of that one too…I think the snow outside was the determining factor in throwing that idea in the trash. It’s April in Wisconsin and I’m still sending children off to school with snow pants, hats, and mittens…I’d tell you what I think of that but the expletives are inappropriate.

Organization? Motivation? Determination? Time Management? My mind has been reeling about what to write. Another book review? Author interview? I talked myself in and out of so many titles and topics it is ridiculous. Truth be told, I do this to myself every time I sit down to write. I have an internal conversation about whether I should write a post for my blog, work on my book, read a book, review the work of others for my writing club, and the list goes on and on. Most days I talk myself out of writing and I scrub the floor, wash diapers, or fold laundry. The more I thought about this I realized I had found my topic. Unfortunately, my topic isn’t really profound at all, but hopefully will inspire some great conversation from you – my friends! (I'm sure you've noticed many of my road blocks in the two paragraphs you've already read...)

Here goes the great big question: WHAT IS STANDING IN YOUR WAY?

If you’re anything like me, YOU are standing in your way. That little voice in your head is telling you:
• That idea isn’t good enough
• No one is going to read that
• Don’t you have better things to do
• Your effort could be spent better elsewhere

Those are my road blocks, but I’ve heard some others as well:
• I want to go over this one more time before I send a query
• My book hasn’t been well received, I’ll ditch the idea
• I can’t stand one more rejection

And the follow up question: HOW DO YOU GET AROUND THOSE ROAD BLOCKS?

Here’s where I want to hear from you...
• Do you have an accountability partner helping you stay focused?
• Do you have a cheerleader reminding you about your goal?
• How do you get around your road blocks?

Crystal is a mother, church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, three young children (Carmen 7, Andre 5, Breccan 6 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, and over 200 Holsteins. You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

11 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

Crystal--My writing critique group helps me around road blocks. If I think something is not worthy of submitting--and I'm planning on totally discarding it--my critique group will encourage me to revise it/slash it and submit it. If I'm stalling on something--and haven't worked on it for a while...my critique group will ask/prod/"bully" ;) me about it.

Writing colleagues (at least mine) keep a writer accountable...and on track.

Anonymous said...

I, too, am in a writing group. Even if I accomplish nothing else literary each month, I WILL cough up a piece of writing for the group!

Unknown said...

Great post. I hate to admit it, but fear is a big factor. The self-doubt is crazy difficult to overcome some days. thanks for the encouragement to keep writing.

Tara Huck said...

Nice job on this post Crystal. It is what I think in print. No idea how to overcome, but alas we must carry on. See you at circle in May?

Karen Cioffi said...

I agree with Julie. Fear, subconscious or conscious can be a big road block to reaching our goals. It's important to find out what they are, if any, and knock them out of the way.

I think another big road block is the lack of focus on what we really want.

Interesting post, Crystal!

Crystal Otto said...

Sioux,
I really think you're right! I've been coming up with excuses to skip writers group with my friends. I'm going to get back on track ASAP!!!
Thank you :)
Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal Otto said...

Peihome,
I love it! I'm going to start working on something to "cough up" too!
Thank you!!!!
Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal Otto said...

Julie,
Thanks! I wish we could just pour some 'self doubt remover' into our morning coffee.....
Thank YOU for the encouragement!!!!!
Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal Otto said...

Tara,
Thanks! Yes, you'll see me...and I'm working on something completely different. I hope you'll love it!
I'm excited to hear about your new self-publishing project too!!!
Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal Otto said...

Karen,
I think I'm the poster child for lack of focus...you bring up a GREAT point!!
Hugs,
~Crystal

Margo Dill said...

Love your honesty here! I think for me it is focus and my other responsibilities. Although I've been trying to take what my mom says to heart about cleaning. She told me, "One thing I wished I wouldn't have worried about so much when you were little is having a clean house." Okay, well she only had to tell me that once. :) (Of course now I often find her sweeping when she is over here babysitting!)

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