I often find that if I concentrate on an issue or concern hard enough, I’m offered clarity from the cosmos in very concrete ways. I’m going to a contemplative prayer session later and the daily meditation that I read online from a completely difference source, today was about…contemplative prayer. Have I mentioned that my spiritual and religious life tends toward the mystical? I haven’t?  Well, I’ll be talking about that in some future posts.

Anyway, today I was also reading a post by writer E.P. Carlin (http://theabberantpen.wordpress.com) titled “Going Pro in 2013”. In it “Ed” discussed discipline, writing and pursuing his “writing resolutions” in 2013. It’s as if he read my mind! For the last four days I’ve been thinking about the very same thing and have come up with a very similar plan. Talk about validation!

I started a short story over a year ago. I think it’s a good story idea but I haven’t worked on it much. I’ve spent most of the time I’ve devoted to writing on this blog.  Like E.L. (Ed), I’ve decided that I have more time for writing than I’ve been spending on it primarily because I haven’t been as disciplined about it as I could be. So, I’ve decided I’m going to finish the story this year and I’ve got a plan on how to do it. In his post Ed said, “I may not have a job to go to at the moment, but for now, I’m making writing my full-time job…”.

My new writing “office” is the library. My home is fine for blog posts but I’m very serious about writing the story within strict standards in terms of construction so I need to concentrate without distraction. I’ve always loved public libraries for working. I love the smell of the books, the relative quiet, the cubbyhole workspaces and the activity. I love being with the readers, writers, sleepers, gazers and little kids. (The activity doesn’t distract me because I can observe without being involved.) Just like Ed I think it’s important for me to “keep a regular work schedule” and come to my office weekly to write.  And I joined a Meet-up for writers where members come together once a week to read and review each other’s work. That should help me with discipline as well.

I’ve also set measurable goals, which is another one of Ed’s suggestions. Along with the short story, I hope to post more to this blog. I’ve done well increasing the number of posts so far. My last goal was to post at least every month. I achieved that in 2012 and then some. I think with more discipline I can take on the “one post a week” challenge. Consider this week one. Thanks Ed and thanks Cosmos!

How’s your writing going? How disciplined are you? How do you feel about the library? Do you use it as a place to write, read or something else?