I participate in an on-line writing group called Scrivener’s: http://aussie-scriveners.blogspot.com/ My motive in joining was that the more writing I do the better writer I become. Each week we write a relatively short story, the theme for which is suggested by a “prompt” by one of the group’s members. I was pretty enthusiastic when I joined in January, and I would often have my story completely written well before the Sunday night deadline.
Lately this writing commitment is taking more discipline than I’d imagined.
The fun, easy times come and go, and last night I squeaked in just under the midnight deadline to post my story. Even though I had quite liked the prompt – “write about a heart that never stops” – I didn’t sit down at the computer to write until very late in the piece.
I can see that having a writing discipline is very much like placing oneself on the yoga mat. It works well to do it early in the day, before that conniving part of one’s mind conjures up some other things to do instead. Some of these distractions could be quite noble, as in doing the laundry or skimming cookbooks for tonight’s dinner recipe. I can also  get sidetracked by taking a phone call mid-practice or going out to the kitchen (a long way from the yoga room) for a glass of juice.
I didn’t write a Pulitzer prize short story last night, but I did build a little more writing muscle by putting myself in front of the computer and doing it. I etched the writing groove a fraction more deeply. I do know from the yoga practice habit that my resolve will return dividends. Some of the gains will be as expected and even more will be revelatory.