How to Write More And Quit Procrastination For Good

 Procrastination is a word all writers dislike, yet it's simple to beat. And it's taken me years to figure this out.

You see, procrastination happens when you're not writing. It can even happen when you ARE writing and your mind wanders and you think of random things like, "I need to go out later and buy a loaf of bread." Then all you can think of is the loaf of bread.

So why does this happen?

It happens because you're reluctant to do whatever it is that you should be doing.

So what can you do about it?

It's easy.

You just have to love to write. If you don't love it you'll never want to do it or it will be hard to keep going once you start.

When you love to write, time flies. You get into the state of 'flow' and can write for hours.

The way to beat procrastination is to use the Pomodoro Technique, where you set a timer for 25 minutes and write as much as you can till the timer goes off.

I've used this hundreds of times because it's great for getting me going as I work against the clock.

But once I get going, flow takes over and then I can write for hours.

This is loving what you do.

Being a writer is for the long haul. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme.

Can you see yourself writing for 5, 10 or 20 years?

If not, get a job.

But if you love writing, quit procrastinating and write.

Living The Laptop Lifestyle:
How To Start & Grow A Profitable Online Business So You Can Quit Your Job

https://ruthiswriting.com/books/LLS.html

Freelance Writing Markets: July 2021 Plus Writing Articles That Are Gold!

 Today I have a list of freelance markets for you plus a list of writing articles that are so good that, if you follow the advice, you could be writing and earning even more.

Enjoy.

Writing Markets:

Apex Magazine
Open to submission of short fiction.
Word count: 7,500 Max
Payment: .08 cents per word Plus extra .01 cents per word if made a podcast.
Submissions by online form only. No email.
Response within 30 days
https://apex-magazine.com/submission-guidelines/

Horror Tree
Open to submissions of short fiction.
The story must incorporate how a feminine figure is shaped by male hands through a horror lens. 
Word count: 2k-5k words
Payment: .05 cents per word
Deadline: 5th September 2021
https://horrortree.com

15 Magazines That Accept Freelance Writing Submissions
A list of high-paying freelance markets
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/magazines-accepting-freelance-submissions/

49+ Magazines Looking for Freelance Writers 
A good list of freelance markets including magazines looking for short stories and poetry.
https://carminemastropierro.com/magazines-looking-for-freelance-writers/

Updated Weekly: 2021 Submission and Freelance Writing Opportunities
A long list of freelance writing markets
https://catapult.co/dont-write-alone/stories/2021-submission-and-freelance-writing-opportunities-where-to-submit-literary-magazines-for-writers

Sci Phi Journal
Currently looking for short sci-fi stories that are not character-driven and instead, they want 
"hard SF that zooms out of the personal and lifts off into the structural, the systemic, the epic."
Word count: under 2,000 words
Payment: €0.03 per word
Deadline: 31st July 2021
https://www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/submission-guidelines/

Flash Fiction Online
Looking for short fiction stories across many genres.
Word count: 500 - 1,000 words
Payment $80 per story
Deadline: Open from 1st to 21st of every month
https://ffo.submittable.com/submit


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Writing Articles:

Never Run Out of Blog Post Ideas With These Simple Steps
Timeless writing advice from Neil Patel
https://neilpatel.com/blog/how-to-never-run-out-of-blog-post-ideas/

Why Working Faster Matters Even When You Make Mistakes
4 simple techniques to help you write better and faster.
https://addicted2success.com/success-advice/why-working-faster-matters-even-when-you-make-mistakes/

How To Become a World-Class Email Copywriter in 21 Days
Exact step-by-step 21-day plan.
https://chrisorzechowski.medium.com/how-to-become-a-world-class-email-copywriter-in-21-days-8414821b85f9

Invested In Not Writing
Amazing How Common This Is...
Basically put, writers, over time, develop a real and crippling investment in not writing. And, at the same time, often claim they want to write.
This advice from author Dean Wesley Smith is priceless.
https://www.deanwesleysmith.com/invested-in-not-writing/

If I can write a novel in a day, you can surely write a book in the next six months – Here's how
Inspiring words from best-selling author Michael Levin to get you to sit down and write.
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/if-i-can-write-a-novel-in-a-day-you-can-surely-write-a-book-in-the-next-six-months-heres-how

Can Being a Writer Improve Your Love Life?

 I've been working as a writer for over 20 years now and it has changed my life in so many ways because it's so different to any other job I've ever had.

But can it improve your love life?

I believe it can and I'll tell you why.

Years ago I was dating a man who never supported my longing to be a writer. In fact, he could be downright sarcastic and rude.

So I dumped him because I wanted to write and I knew his stinky attitude would only hold me back.

I began a writing course and starting writing and submitting my work and I began to earn money from the few acceptances I got.

During this time I met and married my husband who was extremely supportive of everything I did.

We've grown together over the past 20+ years since we met. He's now retired (early) and works with me as I keep writing and publishing. He takes care of the financial side of things, correspondence, all our accounts, and looks after my websites.

And we couldn't be happier.

So yeah, being a writer can improve your love life because it needs a supporting and loving partner who understands and can live with us creative types who have a lifelong writing mission

Find out how you can do it too in my easy to read book:

Mission Critical For Life

https://ruthiswriting.com/books/MCFL.html

A List of Inspirational Writing Quotes

 I recently added a new page to my website.

It's a page of writing quotes, inspirational quotes, and inspirational writing quotes.

My hope is that they not only inspire you to write and earn more, but are also useful if you're looking for a quote about writing or quotes about life.

To give you a preview, below are a few of the quotes:

"There's a word for a writer who never gives up – Published."

~ Joe Konrath

"There's no problem for which a great sales letter can't be the solution."

~ Gary Halbert

"I’ve written over 70 books over my 40-year career, and I can tell you that as much as we would like them to, books don’t write themselves."

~ Brian Tracy

"Most people need less done well, not more done poorly."

~ Brian Christiansen

"If you don't have time for what matters, stop doing things that don't."

~ Courtney Carver

"To have more than you've got, become more than you are."

~ Jim Rohn

"If you don't have time to do it right, what makes you think you'll have time to do it over?"

~ Seth Godin

"Lack of time is actually lack of priorities."

~ Tim Ferriss

"In the long run, we only hit what we aim at."

~ Henry David Thoreau

"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship."

~ Buddha

"A donkey carrying a pile of holy books is still a donkey."

~ Zen proverb

"To every man is given a key to the gates of heaven. The same key opens the gates of hell."

~ Buddhist proverb

https://ruthiswriting.com/quotes.html