Today the calendar announces the start of a new month, and a chance to begin again. There is no one looking over my shoulder, checking to make sure I finish my assignments and complete my goals. My successes and shortcomings rest on my shoulders. I am the boss, the worker bee, the strategic analysis, the creative director, the janitor, and the person who gets the morning coffee for us.

I scheduled our monthly review meeting, where we congratulated ourselves for hard-won victories, identify places where we fell short and devise future strategies. We examine the numbers, agree on plan modifications, and narrow the month’s focus. There will be a pep talk followed by high fives. We adjourn the meeting, and I get to work.

What goals have you set for yourself?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I love sitting in my writing spot, stringing words together. A laptop offers astounding flexibility, allowing me to recreate my space at coffee shops, hotel lobbies, or the front seat of my car. Still, I find myself with odd minutes of downtime, times when firing up the laptop is unwieldy or inappropriate. Technology marches forward, getting smaller and more connected. Lately, I have been turning to another ubiquitous device, my phone.

The miracle is the ability to capture those odd moments and harness the power of an otherwise wasted ten or fifteen minutes to write. Inevitably, I am without a laptop, and I no longer need to carry notebooks or worry about pens with no ink. My phone keeps me productive. It is always by my side.

What technological marvel helps with your writing practice?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Obstacles come in many shapes and sizes. Stumbling blocks are often trivial, easy to solve and present a minor inconvenience. Hardships can be hair-raising, complex issues calling for skill, detailed planning and expert help to overcome. Sudden snowfall, flat tires requiring half a day to fix, missed connections, mixed messages and energy spent spinning in circles with no forward momentum can take a toll. Fortunately, we decide how we manage life’s tests.

Some things are best ignored, like unexpected snow. Having a flat tire could be a silver lining when the mechanic identifies a recall and fixes everything in a few hours. There may be humor in a missed connection. New commonalities emerge by asking questions, which reveals better avenues of communication. When we choose our reactions, novel solutions arise, or amusing stories unite us with laughter. We might discover a process filled with happiness.

How do you handle obstacles?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I thought it was spring. Then the forecasters issued a winter storm warning, calling it a blizzard, predicted three to eight inches of snow and temperatures below freezing. I hoped it was some cruel joke until I saw big fluffy flakes fall from the sky. Winter has returned.

Thankfully, my spring cleaning has not extended to the fireplace. My plan is to camp in front of a roaring fire, drink my coffee, write, and ignore the accumulating fluff. Don’t expect me to step outside or ask me to shovel. I refuse to move from my comfy chair until spring returns.

How do you deal with inclement weather?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Some weeks are harder than others. They try your patience. Every step you take is a struggle as you trudge forward. Failing, not reaching your stated goal is demoralizing and painful and a test.

I have no intention of succumbing to defeat in the long run. I won’t be denied. Instead, I recommit to my intentions, and I write and rework my goals. Sometimes though rest is a good idea. Tonight, I plan to relax, recharge and sleep like a baby. Tomorrow presents another chance to win.

What chances will you take?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I don’t recall my first attempt at written goals. I remember having detailed lists when I was in high school. The habit followed me to college. Over time, I refined the format and changed my process to better suit my needs. It has become part of my DNA. Like Howe, I notice when I write my goals and commit to completing them; they get finished. Magical, right? I prefer to think of it as a hyper-focus.

It may be a well-established habit, but it requires dedication. Today, I find myself behind on a deadline. The date has passed, and I cannot remove it from the list. I have good news. The task is more than half done and I have reached my anger point. Anger is a great motivator and I am more determined to finish. Knowing myself, I suspect a few late nights and a big push. I also set a new completion date. If I succeed, I will complete the project one week later than initially planned.

How do you cope with missed deadlines?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I love magic. Books have always provided a ready source of the elixir I crave. The book doesn’t have to be a fantasy with wizards, witches, or supernatural creatures. Books about history sweep me away to another time. Treatises, opinion pieces, and even diatribes expose me to different points of view. It doesn’t matter if the author minted their words yesterday or hundreds of years ago. My perceptions are altered, expanded and perhaps changed.

Writing helps congeal thoughts, tightens reasoning and logic and reveals contradictions. Even free writing helps access beliefs, concerns, and troubles we have buried below the surface. Once they see the light of day, they demand acknowledgment, and the process begins anew.

What magic will you find today?
_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Deming was a professor of statistic at New Your University’s Graduate School of Business Administration from 1946 to 1993. He also consulted for private businesses. His seminal work was in Japan after World War II, where he worked with Japanese business leaders on “Statistical Product Quality Administration”. We often credit his principles with the Japanese post-war recovery and its rise to the second largest economy in the world.

I wonder what he would make of the disruptions we face today. His workers lived in a time before smartphones, text messages, laptops, emails, and tablets, before 24/7 access to shopping and dining options, and endless streaming content. What is the multiple we should apply to his fifty interruptions per day statistic? I can deflect, ignore or acknowledge fifty distractions in an hour. It impacts my productivity. I have felt ideas and trains of thought slip from my grasp at the chime of a bell.

Do bells and chirps, clicks and clacks, vibrations and knocks on your door impact your concentration?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer

Sometimes my schedule demands I write late at night. Exhausted, from twelve to eighteen hours of activity and ready for bed, creating a story can be challenging. I have adopted a new strategy to make even my midnight writing sessions productive. The trick is scheduling and planning and working while I slumber. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?  But the results are surprising. The last thing I do before I cuddle my pillow is to decide on the next piece. I may have an inkling, or I might be clueless. It doesn’t matter, I only need a general direction.

Tired, yawning and falling asleep, I assign the problem for my brain to solve. I tell it to conjure a story for the morning. Upon waking, I find a completely formed idea, with a beginning, middle and a satisfying end. I take notes if I feel compelled and hold it tight until my scheduled writing session. On other occasions, a seed has germinated in my sleep. Those ideas I nurture, forming more details throughout the day. Since I started my experiment my nocturnal puzzle solving sub-conscience has not disappointed me.

What writing tricks do you use?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It is easy to fall behind. You set goals, make plans, create schedules, and the world intervenes. The result is you flounder, miss the mark, call yourself a failure. Your great plan lays in ruins. Thinking in black and white terms, in happiness or disappointment, can encourage you to forsake your dreams. Thankfully, colors have countless shades and success can be measured in degrees.

Life ebbs and flows. A writing session may see words appear on the screen without effort. At the next scheduled session, your fingers can’t communicate with the keyboard. Consistency is key, you must create within the day’s constraints. If you do your best, if you compose what you can, then you are a winner.

How many words will you write today?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer