Hello Fellow Readers and Writers–
If you have a Monkey Mind (MM), you know who you are. You’re in the middle of a project and WHAM! Your MM tells you of another, more exciting project. So you abandon your first book/story, and start on the next one. Problem is, you never quite finish anything. And that’s BAD!
I have a bad case of MM. Always have. That darn Monkey wakes me up in the middle of the night, with a new story for me to write. I really have to struggle to get one project finished before I start the next one. But fear not. I have a plan.
Tell your MM to shut up while you’re working, and you’ll play with him later. In fact, just to satisfy him, get yourself a MM Journal. (Mine is a composition book covered with monkey-themed scrapbook paper.) When you’re not working, let your MM have fun, giving you all sorts of new and wonderful ideas. Write them in his journal, so he knows you’re serious about using some of his ideas.
The trick is to be in control. And you are. He is NOT. Don’t begin anything from your MM Journal until you’ve finished your current work in progress. YOU are in charge. Act like it!
And if you think this advice is just for writers, it isn’t. Have you ever been on task, cleaning out your closet, for example, and you come upon a wonderful “find.” Your MM says, “Let’s go play with this bit of yarn/fabric/nic nac.” And you give in to him. Well, don’t. Remember, YOU are the boss, not him.
Well, I hope that helps all you Monkey Minds out there. Until next time, Happy Reading and Writing to you All.
Jill-Ayn
PS. I just finished the final draft of my collection of short stories and flash fiction. One more line edit and you’ll see Twists of Fate on Amazon! Yea! One point for me…zero for my Monkey Mind. 🙂
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