IWSG: The Power of Ten!

It's the first Wednesday in November 
and that means it's time to post for the
Insecure Writer's Support Group.

Thanks to founder 
Alex J. Cavanaugh
and our awesome co-hosts
for the month:  LG Keltner,
Donna Hole, SL Hennessy,
and Lisa Buie-Collard.




Writing has been going much better 
for me in recent weeks, thanks in part
to my wonderful cousin, Pat.

He's smart, 
successful, 
musical, 
and outrageously funny.

Pat said something 
last August
that I can't get
out of my mind.

I don't remember the context,
because it was at one of those 
family parties:
fueled with laughter,
food, drink, and fun!

I may have been mashing
avocados for guacamole,
but I remember saying,
"Whew!  Ten minutes left.
I can move mountains in ten minutes!"

Google Source

And Pat said, 
"That is The Power of Ten!"
He may have been pouring Fireballs.

"Give me ten minutes,"
he said,
"just ten minutes,
and I'll get something done."







Pat added, 
"Waiting in a doctor's office
or in a checkout line,
I'll put that ten minutes to work,
reading, paying a bill, 
answering an email.

Ten spare minutes at home,
I've got something done.
I use The Power of Ten all the time.
Those tens add up!"

Since that exchange with Pat,
I've been using
The Power of Ten
to kick myself in the butt motivate myself.
It's been a very helpful slogan

If things I must do before I can write
feel overwhelming,
I set my timer and give myself ten minutes.

Google Source

I race with the timer 
to see how much I can accomplish.

That usually gets me moving,
and then I'm on to writing.

Got a spare ten?

I can transcribe 420 words
of a primary resource.

Go, girl, go:
Power of Ten!

















Another odd ten?
I can revise a paragraph
or jot down some rough sentences
to move me forward.

Don't want to write at all?

Just ten minutes, girl!

Even if you sit there 

staring at a blank screen,

you're gonna do ten minutes!

Get cracking with The Power of Ten!

Maybe this little slogan

will help you get cracking too!

Happy writing!