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I have a
I have a problem.
Rather a big one.
Let's start it with this: I have terrible dedication. Horrible dedication. If I don't have someone urging me to do something, I can't really get anything done. I've never finished a draft of a story except for school, I can't finish a reading log.... I'm hopeless. And it used to not matter so much (especially since I discovered NaNo, which is a GREAT motivator), but now it seriously does.
On to serious things.
In my creative writing class, my teacher asks us to keep a small book with us called an Idea Book. And every week, we have to record two words we learn and two quotes we overhear in it.
Hear the danger alarms yet?
It started off fine. I did well with it until the end of October. Then.... I guess I just stopped. Stopped doing the Idea Book. But every marking period, the teacher collects it. And two days ago, she asked me to bring mine in, well, yesterday now. The next day then.
So I was in a crisis.
I ended up filling in all the weeks with words but only a few of them with quotes. So I haven't seen my grade yet-- it isn't up-- but I'm sure it'll be horrible.
And today, before class, we had a little talk about it. I told her about my dedication problem and she was really nice about it, but kept repeating how dedication is really important to being a writer but it was good I at least knew what the problem was. In fact, she paid me quite a few compliments.
But anyway, now I need some advice. I don't want to be stuck like that again. Do you guys have any tips for staying on track with projects and the like?
submitted by St.Owl, age Recarnated, Everywhere
(March 9, 2016 - 4:28 pm)
(March 9, 2016 - 4:28 pm)
Hi St. Owl!
I generally have dedication problems too, and the way I deal with it is doing the thing, and then after I let myself have a little reward, if it might be a show on Netflix, a cookie, a chapter of a book, whatever. Just don't let yourself have it until you've done what you were supposed to do. I realize that this might be somewhat of an issue for you, not having the exact assignment out in front of you to do. So, I started brainstorming, and thought of a thread where people would post words that they had learned. I don't know if you want to do this, it was just something that I had thought up.
Hope I've helped,
~Darth Kitty
(March 9, 2016 - 6:41 pm)
Thank you, Darth Kitty!
Top!
(March 10, 2016 - 4:04 pm)
So, here, shall insert an angry rant and then I will give you some advice.
Angry rant:
It's so stupid that teachers give you an idea book and force you to write down 2 quotes and 2 words you learn. That isn't an idea book! It's a sad excuse for a writing assignment that's forcing you into a box and destroys your creativity!
A writer's ideas just come! I have 3 idea notebooks filled with literally over a thousand story ideas. I carry them everywhere. Why? Because I GET IDEAS at RANDOM TIMES. In the shower, sure. During lunch, uh-huh. In the middle of the night? Why not?
Ugh.
And by grading it, your teacher is destroying ht whole point of writing. Writing isn't able systematically and mechanically generating ideas and bland pieces of prose. it's about yakking up random pieces of art whenever you feel like it!
Again, Ugh.
Now, the advice:
For general dedication, just sit down and get it done. Really. That's all I can say. Or figure out why you have trouble. Say you procrastinate. Figure out some motivation.
For this assignment, though, just write a few weeks advance.
(March 10, 2016 - 9:52 pm)
I feel ya. We have these torturing little things called reading logs and trackers that I always forget to do completely. Or just don't want to. Because I already know what homework I have I don't need to write it down, and I read for the fun of it, and reading logs ruin it. So usually I'm stuck at the end of the month with one or the other due and a bunch of blank pages. And I can't count how many homework assignments I've done at at least 11 at night. And not to mention I haven't studied for a test since first grade. I don't have many tips, but just letting you know. I have a few similar problems.
(March 11, 2016 - 3:01 pm)
Ugh. I can totally, relate to you, St. Owl. I can't seem to remember a thing and always put it off 'till the last minute. Really, the only way I ever get things done is by having a reminder, like a sticky note or a little piece of paper that says somthing like: Do dishes before snacking!! Seeing this helps me remember that I get to relax after it.
The only other words of advice I would have to offer are... wel... Just Do it. Grit down and get it done. Then you get pug sundaes! Yay!
When I'm tempted to put off something I know I must do, I ask myself: Am I going to want to do this more later than I do now? If the answer is No (which it usually is), then I do it right then to get it out of the way.
Admin
(March 11, 2016 - 5:32 pm)
Savvy: I feel ya. My reading logs are... well, disastrous. I can't do them. I pick up books at random times and multiple times during the day. They can't expect me to document everything!
S.E.: Actually, it's rather important and good for writing skills. I get what you're saying, but the main idea of the idea book is to learn how people talk. It's also for dedication but obviously that didn't work. I do think the name is rather silly, but my dad was talking to a novelist he knows and she says she does exactly that, with the quotes, and to be an author it's necessary. I've come up with a good many plots without them, but, well, I get it about how people talk....
(March 11, 2016 - 6:33 pm)
It's awesome to have an idea book! I have a ton of them scattered randomly among various locations. And I write snippets of conversation I hear all the time. But it's forcing people to write the exact same number every week. Like, last week, I wrote about 8 conversations down in my idea notbook. This week, only 1. The week before last, 14. It doesn't matter.
Wrting dialogue is super important, I just don't like the force. I do it, I just want more freedom, if ya know what I mean.
(March 12, 2016 - 9:49 am)
I don't really have dedication problems - I really try (and usually fail) to get stuff done - but I have HUGE concentration problems. I get distracted by NOTHING!!! Randomly staring off into space!!! My mom sometimes tells me to do homework in my room, but I get distracted by my books and end up reading for like 15 minutes at a random point in a random book!!! I also end up singing random songs that are stuck in my head, or practicing dances for the school musical. I just don't want to have my entire day be all about SCHOOL - wake up, go to school, do school stuff/classes, come home, do homework, go to bed, go BACK to school. THEY ARE KILLING OUR CREATIVITY!!!
I would give advice, but I myself am still trying to solve my problem and don't know how to fix it.
(March 11, 2016 - 8:45 pm)