Saturday, April 6, 2013

A to Z Blogging Challenge: F

I can't believe the first week of the A to Z Blogging is nearly over. I hope you made lots of new friends. I'll be using Sunday to visit more blogs rather than take the day off.

F: Finish. Many people say they plan to write a book today and even start it. But lots of people never finish that book they start. It seems a silly piece of advice but it's important. Finish the durn book. I used to belong to the local chapter of RWA and that was a continuing theme. Finish the book!

Finish the short story. Finish the editing. Finish setting up your website or blog. Get to it and finish. How's that for a short piece of advice on a Saturday? What are you trying to finish? Ever have trouble reaching your goal and finishing? Do you know someone who vows to write a book but never quite gets started or starts and never finishes?

41 comments:

Cassmob (Pauleen) said...

Commitment and Finish are like a matched pair...you need one to achieve the other.

Pauleen @ http://troppont.wordpress.com
A to Z 2013

Ermie said...

I can't believe how quickly this week has gone! I'll definitely be using the weekend to catch up with reading more blog posts.
As for finishing, I'm rubbish at th

Kellie @ Delightfully Ludicrous said...

Starting and finishing the two hardest parts of writing I think. In the middle it just flows, but starting and finishing are ridiculously difficult.

Megan said...

Yep, I do need to finish a book I have been working on. My goal is June!

M.J. Fifield said...

Yep. I'm having trouble finishing this whole book thing, but I'm looking to change that this year. We'll see how it goes.

Anonymous said...

I agree. I have a few unfinished projects, but I finish most things, even if they end up in a drawer later.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Great advice, Susan. Just finish it and see where it goes from there!

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Mary Montague Sikes

Dana said...

I have a few things that I've left unfinished, but for the most part, I'm excited to keep going because I want to see how it all turns out. :)

Have a great weekend!

Jason "J-Ryze" Fonceca said...

I love this, Susan, and have always been a great fan of starting, executing, and finishing things (a job well done).

I'd like to add that sometimes "finish" gets hazy.

Life is eternal.

If you set out to write a book, and you write it, but its never edited, published, or applauded -- is it finished?

Does it need to reach an audience to be finished, or simply the last word needs written...?

Where's the line :)

Unknown said...

This week has gone in the blink of an eye! Wow! I am trying to write, but every time I have a spare minute, I get caught up in something else. :(

My blog: morgankatz505.blogspot.com

Inger said...

Great advice, for so many projects we tend to start and never finish.

Robin said...

My goal , too is to finish my WIP. First, to get that 1st draft down and then to polish it. Today though, finish makes me think of this A to Z challenge. It's kicking my bootie and it's only the 1st week. I am determined, though, to finish. No promises on high quality posts-lol. Next year I'll choose a less daunting theme.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

If I start something, I'm darn well going to finish it!

Chancelet said...

Yes, some dreams never quite make it to the finish line... but maybe they do, just not within my hurried get to the final period, final get on your knee and ask, final last pound lost, before I'd like them to. The finished line in those circumstances are still up the road.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Alex, I knew you were that kind of guy.
Jason, what an excellent point. I'm going to use that for a post later. Where is the finish.
It has been a busy week trying to keep up. Let's all finish the A to Z.

Mark Means said...

Some great advice that I, definitely, need to follow!

Christine Rains said...

Excellent post! I know so many people that write, but only a few that ever finish. I'm currently working on the fifth book of my 13th Floor series. I'm reading blogs instead of writing. I need to finish!

Anonymous said...

This week has flown by!

I think a lot of people like the idea of writing a book, but lack the commitment to start. Maybe it takes a certain kind of person to actually start writing and another step further to finish.

Patricia Lynne

Mel Chesley said...

Finishing is tough, but not impossible! I will finish. :)

Cate Masters said...

Great reminder! I keep starting new things all the time. Finishing grows more difficult with each added project, but eventually I do. :)
Love the retirement countdown clock!

Lynn Proctor said...

i usually do like to finish what i started--but i guess some people just end up not liking their original idea or something :)

Margo Kelly said...

So ... I suppose I should stop blog hopping and get back to my revisions?! *sigh* :)

Kirsty said...

I so need to finish my book - wish there were more hours in the day. Though I could have not done this challenge and written but then I wouldn't be meeting all these fab people. Le sigh - it's all so complicated.

Cheryl said...

This has been a good year for me as far as finishing goes. I've written two picture books and am in the middle of a third. The one thing I have a hard time getting to is my middle grade historical. Hopefully next month will see me tackling that.

Good luck with the challenge.

Cheryl

http://www.thebusymomsdaily.com/2013/04/blogging-from-to-z-april-challenge_6.html

Ava Quinn said...

Sigh, this topic hits a little too close to home for me. Finishing is a huge goal I have for this year. My deadline is the second week of June. It may just come down to the wire. OY!!

Kerri Cuev said...

Excellent advice! You can't edit and submit something that isn't finished. Come on writers you can do it!

Unknown said...

Finishing something is so hard! I finished the first book I started writing in 3 months, but then after that, it took me years to finish another one! A new shiny idea kept coming and interupting me. But last year, I made myself finish. Finish writing, finish editing, and this year, finish publishing.

Rinelle Grey

Karen Jones Gowen said...

For me starting is even harder than finishing.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

There is such a sense of accomplishment when we finish something. It's a real boost to the ego.

Anstice Brown said...

I definitely needed to hear this. I need to get on and finish my novel once and for all! I have a terrible habit of starting and then abandoning projects when I lose enthusiasm. I need to stick with it. Thanks for the reminder.

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Right now I have so many unfinished projects, it's driving me a little crazy! Must. Finish. Something. :)

Anonymous said...

Susan, I sincerely enjoyed your "F" word post. (I just love double entendre's like F-word). You made a superb observation in a concise and punchy manner. In short, you made me want to get off my perch and start that novel. So as soon as this challenge is over, May 1st, I'm taking a crack at it. If it seems I've got something worthwhile underway, I'll see it through and thank you on the fly leaf. Thank you also for you sweet commentary on my post as well. Cheers, and nice to meet you.

Unknown said...

I know what you mean that finishing is the hardest thing to do. I have a knitting project that is so close to being done but I just haven't done it yet. So easy to procrastinate! Inspirefly

Julie Flanders said...

Great word for F, and something I needed to read today. I've been putting off finishing the editing and revising I need to do on my NaNo project. This was a good reminder to stop stalling and just do it!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend! :)

Border-breaking bound said...

The motivation to finish is so hard! Halfway through one thing, something else is bound to strike one's interest. Now, to finish that scarf I started...

Unknown said...

Finishing is such a great accomplishment, not even worrying about what will happen next. For me right now, I just need to start.

Al Penwasser said...

Well, thank goodness I finished seeding the yard. Because, if I didn't, sounds like there'd be heck to pay.

The Happy Whisk said...

Excellent post. Finishing is good. Very good, indeed.

Anonymous said...

It wasn't until I actually finished a draft of a book before I felt comfortable calling myself a writer. It is important to finish.

Jolie du Pre said...

Still in the process of finishing my novella. I liked this post!

Kristen said...

I do have trouble finishing things, but they are things I have hanging over my head from my old job. Things I don't want to do. I need to just get them done so I never have to think about them again.

From A to Z, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com