All writers go through periods of procrastination for different reasons. In order to deal with procrastination you must know what it is. Procrastination is not writers’ block. Writers block is when you’re stuck and can’t think of anything to write about. Sometimes you can get yourself out of a funk of writers’ block and sometimes it goes away on its own but it is not the same as procrastination.
Procrastination is when you have ideas and you feel like writing but don’t write. It can be due to laziness or maybe you just aren’t in the mood. We all go through this. Lately I find it hard to not procrastinate. It’s far too tempting to. The minute I get on the computer I’m pushing the Mozilla Firefox icon knowing darn well I should be writing. But when I find myself going down a regular tunnel of procrastination that’s when I reintroduce discipline. It’s something all writers must have in order to get things done.
So maybe you’ve been procrastinating, need to get that book done but don’t know how to get off your butt. Below are some tips that might help you.
These tips help me rejuvenate my creative discipline and stomp out procrastination. I’m confident they will help you too.
Bribe Yourself With A Reward:
Make a deal with yourself. You’ll write a certain amount of words at a time or (a day) before you can have a reward. This reward needs to be something you really enjoy and something you look forward to daily. For example, don’t have your dessert until after you’ve written a certain amount of words that day. If you love Xbox, don’t allow yourself to play until you’ve worked on your WIP. The reward can be as simple as a television show you love to watch or having a cocktail after work. DO NOT enjoy the reward until after you’ve written something that day. Your desire for the reward will force you to get that writing done and out of the way.
The 500 a Day Rule:
Now come on. Anyone can write five hundred words a day. I’m sure you write more than that on Facebook. Five hundred words is a great goal and it’s easy to shoot for. You can write five hundred words in less than five minutes. If you are really having trouble with getting your butt in that chair and writing, this rule is for you. Make this a daily goal. If you can write more, go for it. But make sure you write at least 500 words. As time goes on you’ll be back to your normal flow.
No Internet Until Work’s Finished:
This is a rule I use religiously. Because I know how easy it is for me to get distracted being online, I always write a certain amount before I get on the net. For example, if I wanna get online then I will open my WIP and write a few scenes or at least start the scene and then I will do what I need to do online. I also break up my online time with my writing. If I am on one site and wanna leave, I’ll write another part of my WIP before leaving that site. Then if there is another site I wanna visit, I’ll write a little before leaving that site and it continues. This is wonderful for those of us who find the net so tempting. The Internet is a huge distraction that needs to be limited if you expect to finish your book in a decent amount of time.
Get Your Spouse and Family to Help You:
If you have a supportive family then they will want you to write. Maybe wife or hubby can take the kids out of the house until you finish your daily goal. Maybe you can drop the kids off at the movies or at a friend’s house so you can have peace. If your family cares, they will want you to succeed.
Write at Work:
If you have a job where you work at a computer or desk all day, use your break time to write. Jot down ideas for scenes or outline things so that when you get home, you’ll be ready to get to that book. Better yet, if you have a chance to actually type some scenes out at work, do that. Use your break or lunchtime wisely. It’s necessary if you intend to finish that book.
Have a Special Writing Place:
Every writer should have their own special place to write. A small place they call their own where they can write in peace or solitude. It can be in the bedroom, the attic, the basement or outside in the garage. This is very important to a writer’s mentality. We need to be in our own world to fully get into our stories. Find a place and designate it as only yours and demand complete privacy. Make it clear that no one can enter while you are writing. It’s proven that if you have your own writing spot, you’ll be in the mood to write just by being there.
If you utilize these tips in your life I bet you it will help with procrastination. The point is you have to get your book moving and the longer you sit there, the longer it’s gonna take. It might be the hardest thing to jump back into that WIP but it’s necessary. If you expect people to believe in your book the least you can do is believe in yourself enough to complete it.
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