August 21, 2006
THIS I CAN DO …
I found this on Alison Kent’s blog this morning –> she got it from Paul Guyot, and I’m going to steal it because I love this:
“Discipline. The single greatest asset a writer can own. Better than talent, better than imagination, better than anything.
“If you have discipline, you are light-years ahead of anyone trying to write without discipline. It is no coincidence that the best writers I know – both prose and screen – are also some of the most disciplined.
“And it’s no coincidence that the majority of people I know who have yet to taste any real success as a writer lack discipline. And most of them don’t even know it.
“Stephen J. Cannell, of TV and multiple novels, is disciplined. Up at 4:30am EVERY day, works out for an hour to an hour, showers, eats and WRITES. Every day.
“Sheldon Turner, one of the “hottest” screenwriters working in Hollywood, is up at 3:57am every day. Yes, 3:57. Like the gun. He writes for ninety minutes, then works out for an hour, then back to the keyboard. Every day. Ridley Pearson, Nora Roberts, Michael Connelly, John Grisham. Disciplined. I was going to write “extremely disciplined,” but realized that is wrong. There are no levels of discipline. You are or you aren’t. It is black and white, despite what your ego may be telling you. And it’s not simply sitting in front of the keyboard every day. I do that and I have the discipline of a six-week-old Irish Setter. It’s getting up at the same time every day, and doing the same thing every day. A job. Sometimes I’m at my keyboard at seven, sometimes eighty-thirty (like today), or sometimes nine or even ten. If I did that at a regular job, I’d be fired.”
So why do I love this so much? Because, given the vagaries of the publishing industry, this is one thing truly within my control. I can do this — discipline. This is what endurance sport has taught me, and continues to teach me — and it’s partly why I run.
Lee Goldberg, however, argues that you can’t always force creativity. Then again, Nora Roberts – in the last RWA Romance Writers Report – says if she waited for inspiration to strike, she’d be without a job. “Inspiration’s bullshit in my opinion,” says she. “I have plenty days when the words don’t want to come. I push until they do … keep at it until that wall crumbles or you break it down.”
Moi? I like to clutch onto the notion that — given equal dollops of talent and desire — it’s drive that will win out over pure dumb luck. Maybe that’s wishful thinking?? Maybe I’m just control freak? Still … the track record sure looks impressive 
My Path: Lost Lake Trails
My Time: 47.12 mins
My Beat: Like a Woman — Nina Simone
Posted by Loreth @ 6:26 pm | THE RUNNING LIFE, THE WRITING LIFE
Lee Goldbeg Says:
Nora Roberts is right. I should have clarified my thoughts. In TV, you can’t wait for inspiration to strike…the show is shooting on Monday whether you are feeling creative or not. I guess what I am saying is that I have faith that if it’s going badly now, I will “get inspired” in time to meet my deadline, whatever that deadline may be. I notice that the closer I get to a deadline, the less uninspired I am!
Bailey Stewart Says:
I’d be fired by now, but with mother there can be no discipline, no guaranteed time to write. She’s been up three times so far, during “my” time and I can’t guarantee she’ll stay in bed now. Oh well, I’ll have time when she’s gone …
Loreth Says:
Lee — we simultposted :). I’d gone to find the exact Nora quote, and inserted it while you must have commented — this was my addition to my post: “Inspiration’s bullshit in my opinion,” says she. “I have plenty days when the words don’t want to come. I push until they do … keep at it until that wall crumbles or you break it down.”
I don’t believe it changed the context at all. And thank you for popping by. I love your blog — am a regular lurker.
Loreth Says:
(((Bailey))) that’s a whole ‘other’ commitment.
Angela Smith Says:
First of all, what an inspiring picture and article! Thanks for sharing. Writing definitely takes discipline. I work full time in a career that doesn’t support my writing, so everything I do (the writing, promos, etc.) is on the side. I’ve given up a lot of fun things so I can have time to write. Though sometimes I’m tempted to just cry and give up, I never could or will!
Scott F Marlowe Says:
I work as an engineer at my day job while, on the side, I’m trying to get my writing career going. I find the discipline from the former comes in handy with the latter. As far as forcing creativity… I think creativity can be forced, but is the writing “good”? That’s something else entirely…
“Sometimes I’m at my keyboard at seven, sometimes eighty-thirty (like today), or sometimes nine or even ten. If I did that at a regular job, I’d be fired.”
Not for those of us with “flex-hours”.
While most mornings I’m at work by 7:30, no one complains when I get there at 10.
Toni Says:
I agree completely, though I don’t think it is necessarily what time of day we start, just that we write as much as we can every day. For some of us that is 8-10 hours, for others it is just a couple of hours at most.
Greta post
XXX
meretta Says:
Excellent post, Loreth. Thanks for reminding us all that discipline gets us across the finish line! You are so disciplined, you set a fine example. Good job, my friend.
EXCELLENT showing on the Five Peaks race, as well. Hugs to DD on her cold. Hope she’s better by the time school starts.
And I agree with Toni’s comments and will add. Discipline doesn’t necessarily mean you sit and write at the same time each day, it might mean rearranging your sked so that your hours are achieved in different time frames every day.
Bailey Stewart Says:
Who’s Greta?
Loreth Says:
Greta Garbled
:) 
That’d sum me up.
Loreth Says:
Toni — I know it’s just not possible or even desirable for all, but I think one thing that working at a set time every day does have going for it, is that it becomes habit — you take the decision, negotiation and the emotional factors out of it, and it becomes more likely you’ll do it.
And when you do it so early in the morning, you have way more control over all those other external factors, like kids. Telephones … life in general. I’m guessing that’s why so many people do it.
Loreth Says:
You’re right Scott — quality is another issue. But as Nora Roberts says, she can fix a crappy page, but not a blank one. There’s some merit in that.
Hang in there, Angela !! You’ve got good company