Distractions Getting You Down? What Are You Afraid Of?

Current Project: Revisions Blindsight
Status: 25% complete

I’ve come to the conclusion that distractions are in the eye, ear, mind, etc., of the beholder.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that insisting on a ‘perfect’ environment for writing is one way to not write. We often view obstacles as roadblocks when we are afraid. After we work through our fears, we view obstacles as problems to be solved. 

Then we find solutions.

So if you find yourself distracted to the point of non-progress, take a step back. What are you afraid of?

Although I can tune out visual distractions fairly easily (like a messy desk), I have a hard time tuning out auditory distractions when they reach a certain decibel level. Since my husband’s hearing is deteriorating, but he likes to watch TV and hates closed captioning, this has been problematic. I don’t like to isolate myself in my office when he’s home in the evenings, but that’s when I write blog posts, catch up on email, etc. 

All summer, while I felt overwhelmed by visiting grandchildren and by the revisions waiting to be done on two manuscripts, I kept asking my DH to turn down the volume, although I knew he wouldn’t be able to hear and would have to turn it up again. Then a few weeks ago I realized that if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got. 

Why was I stuck in a ridiculous rut? Why was writing a chore instead of a joy?

Fear. I was afraid that I’d never get the revisions done. I’d missed several deadlines already.

I gave myself permission to take ‘as long as necessary’ to polish my manuscripts. As an unpublished writer, I can do that. So what if I pitched my book at a conference and got a request before it was polished? At least I had a good premise and presented it well.

My sister and I partnered to help us both get our writing back on track. We meet online most mornings for a couple of hours and report our progress to each other. We’ve both made steady progress and our production has increased over time. I’m on track to finish one manuscript by the end of the year.

Writing is a joy again. I’m feeling happier than I have in months.

And, guess what? A few days ago, I bought noise-cancelling headphones to wear when I work at night in the living room. 

(Bonus: they’re great for webinars, too!  And my DH, God bless him, has made an appointment to see if hearing aids have progressed enough to help his unusual pattern of hearing loss. Ten years ago, they hadn’t. But technology has come a long ways in ten years.)

What Are You Afraid Of?

I'm afraid of spiders.

Seems kind of silly when I see it in black and white like that, but I can't help it. I've been scared of spiders since I was a kid. Creepy-crawly eight-legged little predators that skitter around in the dark and hidden places--what's not to fear?

Except...

I'm not afraid of spiders when I encounter them outdoors. They only make me shudder when I see them inside. What's up with that?

I think it's because spiders belong outside. When they're in the yard I see them for what they generally are -- beneficial pest eaters. When they're in my house, well, my fertile imagination assigns them all kind of strange and horrific motives for being where they don't belong (and, oh, how the skin between my shoulder blades is crawling right now just thinking about it!).

The thing is, I'm adult enough that unless a spider jumps out at me unexpectedly (don't laugh, it's happened), I can usually talk myself through capturing it and dumping it outside (or stepping on the icky thing like it deserves...ahem). But the first sight of a spider crawling across the floor, along a wall or, worst of all, on the ceiling still gives me a little twinge of that old "eek, there's a spider in the house!" feeling. I doubt that'll ever completely go away.

I'm starting to call the fear that's kept me from finishing a novel as my spider-in-the-house fear. It's the fear that creeps around the dark corners of my mind and whispers in my ear that I'm writing crap that no one will want to read; that I'm doomed to failure so why bother trying. Totally irrational, I know. What I'm writing right now may indeed be crap, but I can't improve if I don't write. I'm getting better at squashing that fear-inducing arachnid with a metaphoric rolled up newspaper whenever it waves it's creepy little legs in my direction. I might not be able to kill it dead, but I can keep it subdued long enough to reach my goals!

How about you? What are you afraid of?