Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Tools

I mentioned in my first post of this year that I had discovered two productivity tools near the end of 2007 that I tried, liked, and used to formulate much of my 2008 writing schedule.

Each is a book, but both are designed to be more than reading matter: they are tools to assist in adjusting one’s attitude and time management with the end goal of producing more work that is higher quality.

The Way of the Cheetah, by Lynn Viehl, is a recipe for productivity with a real kick: read what Viehl accomplishes in a day, and you will sit down at a keyboard and get to work. (Well, you will if you really want to be a Writer.)

The Way of the Cheetah covers every inch of ground a writer traverses: the physical, mental, and emotional stuff; the office and equipment stuff; and the outside world stuff, and it’s all good advice. (Some of it can be put to work immediately, but some of it will have to wait, and that’s part of what I love about this book: it challenges one’s perseverance and patience, and I love a challenge.)

There is much to The Way of the Cheetah that is applicable to life in general—and I mean this in a practical not a touchy-feely way. There is no magic packet of dissolve-it-in-water motivation tucked inside nor is there a ready-mix determination-drink included, but if you bring these things to the table, The Way of the Cheetah can help you to make yourself more focused and more productive.

The Way of the Cheetah is also a joy to read: the information is honest—even when honesty is painful—and there’s just enough humor and sarcasm to keep you on your toes.

How to Find Your Writing Discipline, by Holly Lisle, is one of the best time management plans I’ve run across. This book is aimed at writers, but it would do anyone in need of a productivity-makeover good, and it wouldn’t take much effort to apply the tips Lisle provides to other areas of one’s life.

Ironically, I have used many of the general concepts in this text in my composition courses which led me to two conclusions: a person really can only be taught what he or she is willing to learn, and I’m giving my students good advice—even though it too often goes ignored!

I have always been a lister and a planner, so the basic premise of How to Find Your Writing Discipline was both familiar and comforting for me. For some, the idea is going to be a bit more of a challenge, but to those who feel that way I say give it a try—you might be surprised. (If you’ve never examined where your day goes, Lisle’s book will be a real eye-opener.)

If I were to pull out one element of How to Find Your Writing Discipline that is helping me the most, I’d have to choose the productivity board. Having my plans right in front of me and watching things move (literally) along is a real plus.

* * *

What sets these books apart from the many other writing books I have read over the years is the honesty and practicality of each. Neither claims to be The Answer. Both admit every writer is different and must take what she can from any source and toss aside the rest. Each writer readily admits that working as a Writer is a Sisyphean task not to be embraced by the faint-of-heart.

Best of all, both Lynn Viehl and Holly Lisle are full-time, in-the-trenches writers who give a whole bunch to the rest of us—for free, so spending my hard-earned money on their work gives me the warm fuzzies.

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