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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Writing Distractions

I’ll be the first to admit, I have bad writing habits. I’m distracted easily. It’s called the internet and cell phone.

Even if I’m on a deadline, it happens. And it usually happens like this:

1. I go to my writing place and set up
2. Fire up my laptop and open word doc
3. Write a few sentences…
4. Hey, I got an email!
5. Check email.
6. Check Facebook.
7. Check Twitter.
8. Starting writing in doc again
9. Oops, my phone went off. Got a text. I MUST check.
10. Yay! Another email.

So of course I’m going to give a suggestion-Turn off your distractions! If you’re like me and the internet is just too tempting, then go to a cafĂ© that doesn’t have wi-fi so you’re forced to write. And leave your phone at home. Or on silent.

But if you’re also like me, you might need to do a little bit of research on the internet, or ask your online writer friends for some pointers. And that phone-what if you HAVE to make an emergency call? My phone is a double threat because I automatically get emails too, so what if I get a super important "must read now" email from my agent or editor? Not like that’s ever happened, but just sayin’.

Maybe I’m better at making excuses than getting rid of distractions. But I still make my deadlines on time and I work well under pressure, minus all the stressing and freaking out.


Well,  maybe I should start to work on some of these habits. Now if you’ll excuse me, I just got an email….


17 comments:

Candyland said...

Ha! This sounds exactly like me!

Lindsay said...

This is me too. lol. :)

barb@blogfully said...

Love it!!! It was like reading my own personal readings- haha!!!!

Amie Borst said...

You mean I'm not the only one? Phew. So glad to hear that.

Aubrie said...

Oh yes, checking email is my biggest distraction! I'm waiting on a few partials right now and email is all I can think about!

Cate Gardner said...

For some inexplicable reason time moves faster when your on twitter. One minute you have three hours to write, the next you have half an hour.

Karen Roderick said...

It used to be Facebook, now it's reading blogs! My internet went down for a month and I finished the manuscript I'd been working on for almost 3 years! Point made.

Unknown said...

This is fantastic advice! Some I need to follow!!! I am distracted constantly and need to get my act together!!! I love blogger too much sometimes!

Windy Aphayrath said...

Love this post! I'm so guilty. Probably the reason I have about 25K to write in 4 days ....

Beth Fred said...

Try not to get too distracted and thanks for checking out my interview today!

Meredith said...

Ugh, I so need to start going to cafe or someplace where I absolutely cannot access the Internet. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow, if I have any willpower :)

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I'e checked my closets, the basement, the attic and garage -- where are you hiding? I can so relate to this.
Thanks for dropping by Giggles and Guns.

Lenny Lee said...

wow sounds like lots of people got the same problem. i get a lot of distracting from my brothers and my sister. sometimes i just lock myself in my bedroom with my tablet and pencil so i can write stuff.
...smiles from lenny

Vicki Rocho said...

When I MUST get writing done, I leave the house. Park at the library or Barnes & Noble. Both have wifi, but if I close out of everything but my WIP, I'm usually okay.

Haven't written much this week. But hey, I've been enjoying some great blogs and fun email!

(tomorrow might be a library night...)

Jaydee Morgan said...

I'm easily distracted as well but I seem to be able to hit a deadline as well. Perhaps distractions really aren't so bad - at least, that's what I tell myself ;)

Steena Holmes said...

Amazingly, I find I write better at work. go figure.

Karen Lange said...

Have you been sitting in my office? :) This is me, but add checking the regular mail, throwing a load of clothes in the washer, stopping to chat with hubby who unexpectedly arrives home at lunchtime, and fielding a call from a very pregnant sister who just needed to talk...

Thanks for following my blog. Will enjoy reading your posts.

Have a good week!
Karen