Tipsy Tuesday

I hosted a "Table Talk" at my local RWA chapter this past Saturday. We discussed how to have the sort of discipline it takes to be a writer yet still have a life. The best tip I have?

Pay yourself first.

Yes, that's a holdover from my day job as a human resources person--specifically talking about savings accounts and 401k plans. The idea is to have money taken automatically from your paycheck and deposited to a savings account and/or your 401k account. You won't miss money you don't "see", and if you wait to save until after all the bills are paid, groceries are bought, etc., you won't. So you need to pay yourself first.

The same applies to your writing. If you say "I'll write when all my other stuff gets done", you won't, because the other stuff is never done. There's always more vacuuming, more dishes to be washed, more laundry, etc. Pick a time when either you're at your most productive or when the house is quiet (i.e., before everyone else gets up or after they've all gone to bed)--whether it's 15 minutes or an hour, set the time aside and keep that appointment with yourself.

And then write.