When budgets get tight, financial advisors will tell you to "pay yourself first," by putting any amount of money, even as little as five dollars, into a savings account. It occurred to me this morning that the idea of "paying yourself first" with money could also be applied to writing by "paying yourself first" with time.
Time in front of the computer is GOLDEN for writers. It used to be that when you sat down to your typewriter all you had to do was process your wonderful thoughts and creative ideas to the page. Now, when you finally find the time to turn your computer on, up pops email messages, twitter tweets, facebook posts and blog comments. Pay attention to them first and your day flies by with nary a new word or sentence applied to your manuscript.
Theresa, one of my critique partners, vowed to get up each morning and work on her manuscript for 3 hours no matter what. I think of her each morning when I sit in front of my computer. When I "pay myself first" that 3 hours often turns into 4 or 5 and strangely, I still find the time to email and facebook, twitter and blog.
Come on. "Pay yourself first" with time. You'll be glad you did.
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