Over the weekend I hit a new low for avoidance behavior. I watched 10 episodes of a show that I figured I'd rather have my fingernails pulled out than watch. On the bright side I still managed to get some editing done.
I found some tips that I'm going to use to help me keep writing when the going gets tough, hopefully you'll get something out of it too.
- Set a daily goal and reward yourself. I've talked to people who eat a piece of chocolate after meeting their goal or allow themselves to watch their favorite television show. The TV tactic is much easier if you have a digital video recorder (Tivo) because you can store it until you've met your goal. It's easy to say "oh well, the show's on in 10 minutes and I can't miss it!"
- Pay yourself an hourly or per page wage. Then withhold activities like movies or that new sweater you're dying to buy until you can afford it with your "writing money."
- Set a time for 15 minutes or 30 minutes and force yourself to write until the timer goes off. Then take a break and repeat.
- Have a competition with your critique partners or friends. Keep track of daily page counts or hours and set up prizes for the winner.
- Remove games from your computer (that includes solitare, Alice) and even the internet it that's a distraction for you. Or, a better option would be do your writing on an Alphasmart so the only option you have is to type.
- Most of us are readers first, so don't let yourself start a new book or read a current one until you've met a writing goal.
- Give yourself a day off so you have something to look forward to during the week. Days where you failed to produce anything don't count as days off.
I'm planning to use a couple of these tips to keep me moving. Do you have any tips to add?
11 comments:
First off, Lisa, I got mixed up on the day my blog was due and sent it two days early. Sorry for crowding you.
I loved your blog. Many good suggestions there. I remember writing my first book to buy my teenage son a computer because I was sick of him using mine. Every time I would wander too far astray, I would remember my goal and sit down.
Now I work for the feeling of pleasure that comes following the words, "The End." Blissful, running through the wildflowers barefoot joy, weight off the shoulders euphoria, shout outloud relief.
Alice
Good blogging, Lisa. And a great list of ideas to keep going. I've tried the timer idea before, for 15 or 30 minute bursts. It worked great for me. Thanks for the reminder. It's a good way to just write, head down, full steam down the track.
Really, Alice? You're barefoot in the tulips when you're done with a book? When I finish, I feel sort of melancholy, like I've just left new, special friends I've grown to love behind.
I'd rather run joyfully naked like you. (tee-hee)
I'll have to work on that.
Alice, did you say naked through the wildflowers? I was sure I read that in there somewhere. I always knew you were a hippie-girl at heart. ;)
I believe in negative reinforcement. If I don't make my page goals for the day, I have my DH whip me silly.
*oops* That might be too much information for this blog.
*ahem...*
The timer one would make me cringe. My mother used to set the time when I was a kid and it was time for me to practice piano. I LOATHED the piano. As a result, everytime the oven timer goes off in my house I jump and shout for joy. (People find this very odd when they visit my home.)
I do use the book-reward one. When I finish a manuscript I read about 10 novels between the time I finish and start another. It's my own personal book-reading-party. Come to think of it though, I sometimes will pick up a book to read when I have writer's block like Alice mentioned in her post. That usually gets my ideas flowing too.
Great suggestions, Lisa!
Limiting the internet is my number one key--I keep finding ways around that but I have a set of internet rules and that helps. I have to be viglant or the net sucks me back in. I've also done the TV thing, but not having cable helps that tremendously--I get a certain number of netflix DVD's a week and that limits TV watching. I like deadlines---X contest in X weeks, Y query here, deadline there. I like being shoved up against a hard deadline . . .and never mind, Eli has me thinking dirty. :)
Oooh, as I was working I just remembered what is really effective for me: artifical deadlines of dead space! Like we are going to see a movie at 7:20 so I tell myself, I have to hurry and get some writing done before we leave. So I make appointments and then I treat the appointment like an imposition and write to till that time. Goofy but it works when you have a big stretch of time starring at you.
Lots of good suggestions. Some more twisted than others. BTW, Danita is naked, I am barefoot. Really!
Alice
who likes the dead space threat, too.
Great blog, Lisa! I think my biggest avoidance issue is when I'm feeling overwhelmed I can't get anything done, so I make a list of everything that needs done, and one by one tick them off until they are finished. Then I can sit down and get the writing done when I don't feel like everything is hanging over my head.
I like the idea of running through the wildflowers naked - but I'm afraid the poor things would wilt from the sight!
So I'm away from the blog for half a day and you all start talking about running around naked. I can't leave you women alone at all! Sheesh! ;-)
As I procrastinate getting to work on the last 30 pages of this #$@@*&%!! book, I reread your blog, Lisa, you know, the part where you suggest I get rid of computer games, even solitaire (which I no longer play, having moved on to Jewel Quest, so there) and I am appalled, horrified, aghast at such an idea. Those mindless games are how I let the whatever side of my brain that takes care of creative thought, work. I occupy the non-creative side with matching jewels and watch them fall and make the nice little squares go from brown to gold.
So pretty...
So there!
Alice
who thinks it's too cold to run naked anywhere but in the house and maybe once around the deck.
And by the way, speaking of avoidance issues, how about this excellent time consuming blog thingy???
Alice
Touche, Alice. Touche.
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