Self Doubt & My Writer’s Contract

I started writing a blog with the intent of getting myself writing regularly. The idea was that if I blog regularly, take a look at different stories from an analytical point of view, as well as finally completing a version of a story I’ve referred back to a few times over the past couple of years, giving me the momentum to keep myself writing regularly.

I’ve been looking at an old TV programme, an old sitcom episode, analysing and applying the various bits of story structure I’ve picked up over the years.
I’ve more or less written notes out, but I feel like I’ve got nothing new or interesting to say, and take a long time saying it.
So yeah, my habitual, ingrained self-doubt is still there, nagging away at me.

I do intend to get that analysis finished though, ideally over the weekend.

In addition to that, I’ve taken a template for a ‘writer’s contract’ from VeehCirra, originally from The Writer’s Help.
The idea is to make a series of public commitments, to announce my intent to do certain things by a certain point.

Anyone reading should feel free to borrow the format, here are my commitments:

I, Joe Bloghead, commit to make my writing goals happen in the remainder of 2011.  I will take small steps everyday that will move me in the direction of my dreams. I promise to make writing a priority in my life and stop putting my goals on the bottom of my to-do list.
I commit myself to:

• writing blog posts at least twice a week.
• write at least 3 analyses/reviews by the end of the month
• work on a short story I’ve been working on on and off, to finally get at least a finished version all the way through, by the end of November
• aim to write 1000 words a day in the above short story
• start working on redrafting the story as soon as I’ve finished the first version, ideally before the end of the month.

Action is the natural enemy of doubt, (as some smart person probably said at some point), so it’s about time for me to get moving.