Writing Habits/Travel Story Competition

Thought for the Week: Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right. ~    Henry Ford 

Slow Leaks

I’m watering my neighbor’s plants while they’re away. The well water system and hose are in their garage so they left me the garage door opener for access. The other day as I walked over I noticed a lot of water in the driveway. When I opened the garage door, a small wave of water flowed into the driveway. A narrow hose between the pump and the tank had developed a small leak. The pinpoint size breach was not visible, but the thin stream of water spewing out had soaked part of the lawn and continued to flow down the driveway.

What does this have to do with writing? The time leaks that distract us from the writing process can add up to a large chunk of lost time. The “just one more thing” that leads to another and then another until a whole morning is lost. I’ve been guilty of that lately and my writing has suffered. When I scheduled a certain time each day to write and stuck to it, I was far more productive. I asked myself if writing had become less important to me, but that was not it. I needed to recapture that focus, that discipline. I’m gradually getting back to my routine. More words find their way to the page and I’m feeling better about myself. I’ll never be as disciplined as the Olympic athletes are with their training regimens, but I’ll figure out what works for me.

Travel Story Competition
 

Deadline: August 31, 2012
No entry fee. You may enter more than once, but each entry must be submitted separately.

Leap Local wants 500 to 650 word personal travel stories involving local people. Perhaps a  tale of mishaps because you didn't use a local expert. Maybe you want to share a unique circumstance effected by the culture or environment you engaged with on your travels. Whether the story be hilarious, exciting, gorgeous or terrifying - you are invited to enter this competition. Your submission will be judged by authors, travel writers, journalists, and other industry professionals. First prize is $500 USD; there are two runner-up prizes of $150 USD. Winning stories and selected others will be published.