Oooh, Shiny!
Here’s something I’m working on, and I figured I can’t be the only one, so here goes: I have the discipline of a thing with no discipline. Honestly, I amaze myself regularly at the things I will allow to distract me. For instance – a doctor’s appointment. Not a major one, not for anything serious, just, say, a checkup. I know I’ve got several hours before the appointment where I can be writing. But if I have any leeway, even a teensy bit, I will give myself silent permission to screw around instead of getting the work done.
Now if I’m pushed up against a wall, you can bet I’ll be working. I’ll be typing in the doctor’s waiting room on my Neo. I’ll only take breaks when I absolutely must.
It’s when I’m not up against the wall that my brain will conveniently forget that THIS is why I get myself into the up against the wall, no sleep, coffee jitters, no email, desperately writing situations.
I’m not stupid as a general rule. In fact I’m not someone you’d want to meet in a dark alley with a Trivial Pursuit game. Yet, even with Sven, even with all this support, all this logic, all this concrete evidence that it will make my life better, calmer, easier, I still will use the most lame-ass excuses to NOT WRITE.
When I, for whatever reason, do manage to sit down and start writing, inevitably, the writing goes well. And fast. And when I’m finished with my pages I think to myself that I’ve finally figured it out. All I have to do is start. Then voila. Problem solved.
Until the next day, when I realize that Fed Ex is supposed to deliver my box of hangers, and therefore I give myself permission to screw off.
Brilliant, no?
So let’s talk tricks here. Not for plotting, or dialog, or creating sexual tension, but for getting the ass in the seat, getting the hands on the keyboard, and doing the pages we’re supposed to do.
What do you do? How do you do it? And, um, since you’ve figured it out, can you please come over and finish my book for me? I’d really appreciate it,.
December 1st, 2007 at 10:25 am
This is me entirely. Especially when so much of surfing can be filed, in a kinda twisted way, under the heading of “networking” or “promotions,” when it’s more like “goofing off.” Yesterday I turned off my wireless connection. Granted, I could just turn it back on, but it seemed to make a psychological impact and I finished quite a bit. Ok, going now…ya know, so I can work.
December 1st, 2007 at 5:30 pm
There are a couple of tricks that I use when I need to write:
I’m no-mail on all my lists and groups. Then when I get my pages done for the day, my reward is signing in the websites and reading what happened while I was writing.
I also turn off my Internet connection when I have to write. It can be frustrating when I want to check a thesaurus online and can’t get on, but if I don’t do this, I’m suddenly blog-hopping when I need to write.
And one of the most helpful tricks I’ve used is the kitchen timer. If I set it for a short time, like 30 minutes, it’s amazing how many pages I can get done.
December 1st, 2007 at 5:46 pm
I am the wrong person to ask. I apply this method to all areas of life, including the gym and my dayjob.
December 1st, 2007 at 6:42 pm
I’m with you Emily, if I can find an excuse I’m there. Just like now, I should be doing some much needed housework but checking out websites was far more important. Or better still I could be putting some time in on one of my WIP, no this is more important.
Susanna love your idea of the timer, will have to try that next week.
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:40 am
I find that if I let myself go through e-mail and websites first thing. I have nothing left to do but write. By checking daily I also find that it doesn’t take me long to read them. I also find that if I tell myself that I’ll write a little before I goof off, I’ll get involved in the story and keep writing for a bit.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:43 am
Wow, some great tips. Thanks! I’m actually going to work right this second, and I’m not even late with my deadline!
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:25 pm
It’s already been said, but what I do is keep email and internet closed while writing unless I have to open a browser to look something up; then I close it again immediately. And I use the timer because I can always trick myself into writing for just 5 or 10 minutes. After which of course you keep going. It really helps to know that not working = not getting paid. Very motivating, that.
December 9th, 2007 at 12:38 pm
Nice article.
I hope you will link to my diary..
Ciao