Procrastination, Thy Name is Lacey
I should be writing.
For the past three weeks, I've been working on a story I love. My characters speak to me constantly, day and night. I dream about them, and wake up eager to continue telling their story. When I do sit in my chair and put my fingers to the keyboard, the story flows. Right now, I've got inspirational photographs stuck to the cork-board beside my computer, and the house is quiet.
I should be writing.
But I'm not.
Why? It's the weekend, and I'm a born procrastinator -- two things that don't go hand in hand. Given a choice between what I "should" be doing and what I "shouldn't", I'll take the latter any time. That's not to say that I've been surfing the 'Net and finding ways to waste time all day. This morning alone I've filled out cover art request forms, worked on the next issue of my newsletter, answered email that had been piling up for much too long... all good stuff that needed to get done. But I haven't written.
And the longer I go without writing, the guiltier I feel. The guiltier I feel, the harder it is to get in the mindframe to write. It's a vicious cycle.
I should really be writing.
My house is full of distractions. From the email that keeps pouring in (I can't seem to find the self-control to turn it off while I write) to the cat's adorable whining for attention and the constant temptation of having the DH walking around the house in silk boxers and nothing else, it's easy to tell myself I'll write later. After I make a cup of coffee. After I feed the cat. After I indulge in a mid-afternoon quickie...
Did I mention I should be writing?
I'm making it sound as though I rarely actually write, but that's not true. I work 40-60 hour weeks at my day job, and I still manage an average of 10,000 words a week. Oddly enough, those words get written on my laptop, in the small kitchen area of my office, between 6am and 8:30am. There are absolutely no distractions there. Aside from my husband who works with me, there isn't another soul in the entire building (and honestly, morning quickies don't take that long). I don't have internet access on my laptop, and I can set up by the window, watch the city come alive, and just write.
Maybe I need to go in to work today. Then I'll get some writing done.
Or maybe I just need to say no to email (much, much easier said than done).
If you've got any tips for keeping the procrastination monster away, I'd love to hear them. And because I really need all the help you can give me, everyone who posts a comment today will be entered in a draw of any of my AQP books -- your choice.
And now, I'm going to go write.
... Right after I send out the promo announcement for this blog post, check my email, clean my desk, clean the cat litter, answer email, pull the weeds out of my garden, cook lunch, answer more email...
Lacey
http://www.laceysavage.com
For the past three weeks, I've been working on a story I love. My characters speak to me constantly, day and night. I dream about them, and wake up eager to continue telling their story. When I do sit in my chair and put my fingers to the keyboard, the story flows. Right now, I've got inspirational photographs stuck to the cork-board beside my computer, and the house is quiet.
I should be writing.
But I'm not.
Why? It's the weekend, and I'm a born procrastinator -- two things that don't go hand in hand. Given a choice between what I "should" be doing and what I "shouldn't", I'll take the latter any time. That's not to say that I've been surfing the 'Net and finding ways to waste time all day. This morning alone I've filled out cover art request forms, worked on the next issue of my newsletter, answered email that had been piling up for much too long... all good stuff that needed to get done. But I haven't written.
And the longer I go without writing, the guiltier I feel. The guiltier I feel, the harder it is to get in the mindframe to write. It's a vicious cycle.
I should really be writing.
My house is full of distractions. From the email that keeps pouring in (I can't seem to find the self-control to turn it off while I write) to the cat's adorable whining for attention and the constant temptation of having the DH walking around the house in silk boxers and nothing else, it's easy to tell myself I'll write later. After I make a cup of coffee. After I feed the cat. After I indulge in a mid-afternoon quickie...
Did I mention I should be writing?
I'm making it sound as though I rarely actually write, but that's not true. I work 40-60 hour weeks at my day job, and I still manage an average of 10,000 words a week. Oddly enough, those words get written on my laptop, in the small kitchen area of my office, between 6am and 8:30am. There are absolutely no distractions there. Aside from my husband who works with me, there isn't another soul in the entire building (and honestly, morning quickies don't take that long). I don't have internet access on my laptop, and I can set up by the window, watch the city come alive, and just write.
Maybe I need to go in to work today. Then I'll get some writing done.
Or maybe I just need to say no to email (much, much easier said than done).
If you've got any tips for keeping the procrastination monster away, I'd love to hear them. And because I really need all the help you can give me, everyone who posts a comment today will be entered in a draw of any of my AQP books -- your choice.
And now, I'm going to go write.
... Right after I send out the promo announcement for this blog post, check my email, clean my desk, clean the cat litter, answer email, pull the weeds out of my garden, cook lunch, answer more email...
Lacey
http://www.laceysavage.com
posted by Lacey Savage at 9:06 AM
6 Comments:
Wow! I thought there for a minute I'd written that post! :)
I used to write as an excuse not to do housework, now I do housework as an excuse not to write. Why is it so hard to sit down and do something we love to do? [And get paid for?]
everything you say is SO true..and the more we desire to, or ought to, the more distractions will insinuate themselves..I'm having that kind of day myself..i promised a review this morning, on an emergency basis, and i haven't even begun the first sentence of the very lengthy book! i want to sit outside, but it's too hot and humid..I have SOOO much to get done on the computer...but I just don't want to do anything but vegetate..it's an awful feeling..thanks for putting into words so much better than i did..
Annie
1) Hie yourself away to someplace without distrasctions.
2) Set a reward for yourself if you accomplish the goal.
Well, I'm sure you'll all be glad to know that your wonderful words of encouragement worked! :) I was able to sit down to write and managed to add another 2,500 words to my WIP (I rewarded myself with a quick glimpse at my email every time I finished a page -- that seemed to work well!).
And now I can actually give in to all those distractions, guilt-free... at least until tomorrow, when the cycle starts all over again.
Lacey
No, no, no, no! Procrastination isn't named Lacey, it's named M.L. LOL! If you hear any good tips, I need to hear them, too, my friend! :)
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home