Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Just Do It vs. Know Your Limits

Wow! An actual post about writing! You might start to think that this blog is about writing or something.

I always hear people warn that you have to know your limits or else you’ll end up stressed and overworked. Always try to push further, but beware of straining yourself, physically or mentally because then you won’t get anything done at all. Then on the other side I hear people bitching at you to get over yourself and just do it.

It’s hard to know what to follow.

One of the most interesting things about writing is that the process is so different for every person. For some people “Just do it” will push them to do what they’ve been putting off. For others, me included, it will paralyze their ability to write because all they (and by they I mean I) can think about is how they have to do it. Others hear “Know your limits” and can get in the habit of calling it a day because that one paragraph was super tough to write.

The point I’m trying to make? Neither one is right. Or maybe both are, but only as much as you can make them work. You have to figure out what’s right for you and don’t stress yourself when you can’t just do it, or you have no idea of your limits.

But that’s my opinion. Feel free to ignore it.

10 comments:

  1. There is no point doing anything that stresses you out, especially if it stresses you to the point of paralysis. If trying to hit a daily word count gives you hives, don't set yourself a daily word count. With so much advice out there and so many people chiming in with their opinions, it's easy to think you have to work a certain way, and you don't. You just need to find your way.

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  2. What's right is what works for you. Not for me or anyone else, but for you.
    I'm a just do it and with a word count goal person because that's what works for me.

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  3. If I "knew my limits" I would have stuck to writing historical fiction or maybe given up altogether (since my last two historical fiction manuscripts did not sell). So I took the risk to try an urban fantasy and ended up with the biggest book deal of my career so far. I don't know if "Just Do It" really applies to something as complex as writing. It's more appropriate for getting off the couch and onto the treadmill. "Dream it, risk it, stretch for it" might be more appropriate.

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  4. Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

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  5. There have been times I've pushed myself too far without much in the tank but fumes- that's when it becomes problematic.

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  6. So far, I've yet to figure out my limits. When I break, I'll know I've gone too far.

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  7. You have to find what works for you and stick with it. And, of course, what's working for you one year might not work the next. Writing is hard. Anyone who sits down and does it is a hero. And finishing something...

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  8. I like to write every day, but there are days when I just cant'. Days when I'm exhausted from kendo, have too much house work or when I'm sick. Sick is the worst, because I'm awake and willing to write, but the germs garble up what I'm trying to say. Once I wrote, "She knifed at him" while under the influence of a fever. Tell me how that's productive writing time?

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  9. Good point about it being different for different people. I'm a 'just do it' person. Keep on swimming as Dori would say.
    Susan Says

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  10. I'll push myself, but only to a certain point since I can only do so much. If I have personal deadlines, I give myself extensions all the time since my work needs to be polished.

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Please validate me.