Two Quotes for the Writing Life

One of my favorite daily pastimes is deciphering the cryptograms in the morning paper. Yesterday's both spoke to the writing life.

"The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture." --Alfred Hitchcock

Substitute "novel" for "picture" and the observation is just as true. If your villain isn't causing your hero enough grief, you aren't going to have a very involving story. Any writer worth the paper and ink already knows this.

"A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn't feel like it." --Alistair Cooke

Procrastination is my greatest enemy (right up there alongside self-doubt). Last week I made a joint commitment with several writer friends to hold each other accountable to get the writing done. We paired up as "change coaches" (a la Margie Lawson's "Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors" course) and exchange daily goals and achievements. Just knowing there's someone waiting to hear if I met my goals is bigger motivation than it might seem. Being held accountable also makes me more realistic about what I can actually accomplish. I don't want to overreach, but neither do I want to set wimpy goals.

Do you have a favorite motivational quote? What keeps you doing something you normally love to do, know you should do, but don't always feel like doing?

Comments

[Carla]

This must be the day for quotes. I just posted my favorite quote on another blog. Here it is again, just for the record.
"If you drop a dream, it breaks."
When the going gets tough, hold onto your dreams.