Struggle and Persistence

I have a relatively new crit partner, and in addition to trading work and brainstorming with each other, we've also been trying to keep each other accountable on weekly goals. Last Sunday when I sent her my goals for the week, I was horrified to see that I had 15 rather serious goals to achieve. She challenged me to completely mark 5 off my list. I'm happy to say that I crossed off 10 (which included writing this blog post).

One of my goals was to write for at least an hour per day on my new project. This proved to be harder than it seems.

My permanent desk muses:
one of my cats and the PowerPuff Girls

Saturday in particular was a day of writer's block. I struggled, staring out my window, messing with my cat, hoping that the PowerPuff Girls would save my from my strife. I stared at the words I had already written and though, "Eh. Who cares?" It was a rough day.

Then I came across this blog post from one of the fellow Campaigners. It helped me remember that my first draft doesn't need to be perfect. No one else has to see it. As long as I keep at it and keep working, it will come together in the end. And then I can come back and cut out that superfluous scene where they're watching a movie, right? :)

As long as I remember to edit the life out of it before I start sending it out to my poor crit partners. *innocent whistling*

We all have those days when it's hard to get the words out. But on a first draft, it helps to turn off the perfectionist inside. Let's just hope I can keep it up.


What do you do when you run into writer's block? How hard do you try to polish the first draft? Do you edit while you write? Or revise everything later?

Where'd the Mojo Go?

First, remember to sign up for the What's the Score Blogfest for June 1st. List songs you'd like to be in the soundtrack to your WIP, and win prizes just for participating. Click above or on the right for more details.
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Mojo Jojo, from "The Powerpuff Girls"
Courtesy of Wiki Commons

My mojo's disappeared. My muses have left the building. And the more I hunt, the more avoidy it all gets.

Maybe Mojo Jojo stole it!

No, I can't blame him. This isn't a new development. This started during April. I thought, well, I'm concentrating on my blogging for A to Z, and I had to finish my classes and some freelance work. So I let myself take a break.

Bad idea.

Nine Muses dancing with Apollo, by Baldassare Peruzzi
Courtesy of Wiki Commons

I'm trying to find the mojo again. It's hard to get the ball rolling. I want to dance with the muses and find my way back into my work. And I think I'll be much happier when I can.

How do you get the muses to start dancing for you again? What do you do when the mojo eludes you?