It's not quitting...

I started NaPoWriMo in order to make myself write something every day. Poems don't have to be long, and I really like the feeling of actually completing something, so it was the perfect choice.

In just 5 days I've had something of a revelation.

I do enjoy writing poetry. Sometimes it is the perfect way to express a thought, a feeling, a moment. Sometimes it helps me to kick-start a writing habit that has a tendency to stall through longer projects. Sometimes it just makes me happy.

Poetry clearly needs to go on a diet though, because it has a huge butt. But.

The trouble is I have a passion. A passion project if you will. It sits in the back of my mind and on several notebook pages and paper scraps. It's in pieces, story shards, and from time to time I try to find the words to glue them together. It can't  make up its mind whether it's a book or a script but it is definitely a something, and I'm going back to it today.

So thank you NaPoWriMo, you've got me scribbling daily and I'm grateful for that. I'll look in on you from time to time when the blank pages feel overwhelming and I need a prompt to get me writing again.

5 times when quitting isn't quitting.

1. It did its job.
Hurrah! If it's done what you needed it to do then celebrate the achievement.

2. It didn't work.
Not everything works for everyone. Not everybody gets the same result with the same action. If you find it just doesn't suit you then move on and find something that does.

3. You found a better way.
In the midst of trying to stick to a way of doing things did you stumble across an alternative that works better for you? Fantastic!

4. It's distracting you from your real purpose.
You started it because you thought it would help you move towards a goal but it actually takes up your time and energy that could be more effectively directed. No harm, no foul. Refocus. You've got this.

5. Emergency!
Life happens. We all have our Chicken Licken moments when the sky is falling in.  Don't beat yourself up if things get in the way of your progress. An enforced break does not mean that you have to give up on your dreams. Take a breath and get back to it!