Hello!

It’s link-up time! I hope you’ve had a great week.

If you’re new to Five Minute Friday, welcome! We offer a one-word prompt every week and encourage bloggers, writers, and wannabe writers to freewrite for five minutes flat on the given prompt.

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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: START

 

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Setting my timer for five minutes, and . . . GO.

Some people say starting is the hardest part.

I know it’s mostly true for me. Let’s be honest — finishing is hard, too.

I’m good at starting multiple things at once, then not finishing any of them. I’m guilty of this habit with books as well. I can start four or five books in a period of two or three weeks, then dip in and out of them without fully committing to finishing one at a time.

My writing life can be similar. Sometimes I get so excited about so many ideas all at once, and I get distracted by all the options. I may even start brainstorming or outlining a number of different projects, then never see them through to completion because I get another idea that sways my attention.

But sometimes starting really is the hardest part. Sometimes I overthink things to such a great extent that I persuade myself the effort is not worth it. I won’t succeed, so why even bother trying?

I let fear creep in and rule the day. I shrink from the work that would be required to do a good job, so I don’t do anything at all.

Can you relate?

Do you start many things and not finish, or not start at all?

What steps can we take to overcome the obstacles we face in this area, especially as writers?

Maybe some accountability would help. I’ve found that just speaking my ideas out loud to someone else helps a lot, especially if I ask them to follow up on me to see how I’m doing with my goals.

Do you have someone like that in your life?

If you’re struggling to get started or to finish what you’ve already begun, take some time this week to prioritize your goals, then share them with someone else. Ask them to check up with you every now and then (or every week) to see how you’re doing. Then just start.

 

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                 Photo credit: Natalie Bardo

 

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RELATED RESOURCES:

Start with Your People:
The Daily Decision that Changes Everything

by Brian Dixon

start

BUY NOW ON AMAZON
Affiliate links used in this post

I haven’t read Brian Dixon’s new book yet but I’ve heard a lot of wonderful things about it, and I’ve sat under Brian’s teaching and coaching a number of times. He knows his stuff! I really appreciate his values and priorities, and I’m sure this book will reflect his heart.

 

Start-Up Guide for Online Christian Writerswriters

I wrote this ebook as a resource for Christian writers looking for direction and guidance on the next steps.

GET YOUR COPY HERE

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If you’re looking for some motivation and accountability in your writing life,
be sure to sign up for the 31-Day Writing Challenge happening October 1-31, 2019:

start

Registration is open until September 30th

JOIN THE CHALLENGE HERE

We also have an optional paperback journal available that includes all 31 of the prompts we’ll be using in October. You’re welcome to get the journal even if you don’t plan to participate in the challenge:

writing challenge

ORDER THE JOURNAL HERE

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JOIN THE LINK-UP BELOW with your own five minute free write, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:

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