Oops ... I Forgot to Write a Title
By Yolanda Smith
I’m a fantastic
forgetter. I’ve advanced through the ranks until I earned my PhD in the subtle
art of forgettery. My cup of coffee is never where I last left it. Folks I’ve
known for years stop to say hello and, without warning, their names tumble
headfirst into my mental basement. I forget to write items on my Walmart list,
neglect to carry said list inside the store, and cannot recall where I parked
my car when I exit the building.
No surprise, but this
transfers smoothly to my writing life. I sit at my keyboard to click clack my
thoughts and soon forget the most important, basic elements required for a robust
writing session. If I want to be successful, I need an abundance of external
reminders of what my essentials are.
To combat my lack of
recall, I have strategically placed single and double-word notes in locations
where my eyes dart most when I glance away from my computer. I’m sharing my
list with you in hopes that 1) you won’t judge me too harshly for disremembering
elementary stuff, and 2) you’ll be stimulated to admit your own struggles
consider which words and phrases might top your own list of vital reminders.
I change my memos as
needed, but these are my current sticky notes:
Move
When I am in the throes
of churning out chunks of material, I forget to get out of my seat. If I don’t
take a break every twenty to thirty minutes, stretch my muscles and get my
blood flowing, I end up with a migraine.
Make Me Care
This is the voice of my
reader whispering in my ear. If I bore her, I’ve committed one of the cardinal
sins of writing. One of my ultimate goals when writing, whether fiction or
nonfiction, is to make my reader care. I want to compel her to take my words to
heart.
Focus
Multiple writers,
myself included, struggle with ADD/ADHD. Perhaps that’s not part of your
personal toil package, but I’m guessing you face any number of other
distractions. When my mind wanders, I tend to … And then I … Until I see my FOCUS memo,
and it drives me to return to the task at hand.
So What?
Sometimes, when my
writing journey is at peak stress level my normal concerns tip over the edge
into Worryland. One of the best exercises I use when I’m worried is to take my
concern to its potential outcome with the question, “So what?”
I might not win the
contest I entered.
So what?
I didn’t get the agent
I was hoping for.
So what?
So what if I never get
published?
The answers to these questions help me identify where my priorities
are (and discover my hidden idols in the process). Because in light of eternity
with Christ, and his relationship with me here on earth, most of my so-whats
fall into the right perspective or fizzle into nothingness.
Surrender
This thought is a
companion to “So what.” It is crucial for me to remember God owns my writing
life. He put me on this journey, and He can change course any time. I must carry
it all in open palms for Him to shape, use, or discard as He sees fit. Without
reminders, my resting hands morph into a tight-fisted grip.
Ask
This one is a
no-brainer, but since I’m amazing at forgetting, I keep ASK in the most
prominent spot on my desk. I am abundantly aware if I’m to write anything worth
reading, I need the Lord’s help. But sometimes, if I’m not careful, that
awareness sits like a dusty book on a shelf. Being aware of a need is not the
same as doing something about it. The simplest thing in the world is to request
aid, but it’s astonishing how quickly I forget to ask God for help.
Odds and Ends
I keep many other
reminders tacked on my board and scattered across my desk. Bible verses,
inspirational quotes, and craft must-dos are dispersed throughout my workspace.
These are often large Post-it® notes, and I’m not as apt to read them if I’m in
a hurry. That’s why I keep the most significant missives reduced to one or two
key words written on separate, brightly colored notes so they’ll leap out at
me.
Oddly Enough
It isn’t imperative to remember
all the things at once. A quick glance at one dominant word can jog my memory
and put me on the path of productivity and creativity. And my reminders aren’t
perennial. Some of them turn into habits by and by. The Lord is always
challenging and changing me, and that’s what I love most about this writing
life.
Do you keep reminders handy in your
workspace? I’d love to hear your list. Do you have another method for
remembering priorities when you write?
Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, Stuart Miles, and Yolanda Smith).
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