Nothing distracts me. Nope. I don't get up fifteen times an hour for more coffee. Bowl full of Kissables downstairs? Don't think twice about it. Giant cat meowing up at me from the floor? Don't hear her, nor do I stop to pick her up, set her on my lap, and pet her incessantly until she settles down.
Distractions are simply not an issue in my life.
Are you rolling on the floor laughing right now? Yeah, me too! I get distracted every ten minutes. It's not easy keeping my rear glued to the seat. I'm sure you find a way to get writing in, one way or another, so I'm not going to focus on the daily distractions of writing. What about the broader aspects of writing, though?
Earlier in the year we set writing-related goals. How are you doing with them?
Did you intend to read five books on writing craft this year and realize you've read zero?
Did you tell yourself you'll take an online course once every three months, but you haven't signed up for any?
Or was this the year you were going to either design your website or hire it out, but it keeps getting shuffled to next week's to-do list?
What distracted you? Did the task seem impossible when you thought about it? Did you fail to write your goals down? Or did you think that you'd have plenty of time to do them--later?
Don't beat yourself up. If something is important to you, you'll do it. The key is to write it down and to plan for it. There's nothing worse than letting time slip past you and realizing you have not done the things you wanted to do.
Go ahead and review your goals for the year. What has distracted you? Do you still want to accomplish them? Maybe the idea of reading five books on the writing craft doesn't really appeal to you. Consider other ways of learning. Do you enjoy the internet? Print off great articles on writing and collect them in a binder. Maybe you would prefer interaction? Join a writing group or take a college course.
If your goal was to start your own website, talk to people you know who have experience with websites. Look into design programs. Take a seminar on website design, or take an online course about HTML code or WYSIWYG programs.
If your life is beyond busy, consider dropping most of your goals off your list. Life feels better when you don't have bottled up expectations in the back of your head. Go ahead; make a new list with only one goal: writing.
What distracts you? A giant cat? Loud toddlers? The bag of Doritos in the cupboard? Telephone? Internet? All of the above? I'd love to hear from you!
Enjoy your weekend!
I'm a goal setter so I am doing my goals but it is easy to let life interfere. If you want something badly enough--you do it!
ReplyDeleteTerri, I have the feeling you meet ALL of your goals. You just seem very driven. That's a good thing!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
As I started reading your blog, I thought, "Wow, Jill is so strong. How does she do it?" Then you confessed that you weren't super woman after all! Whew! I'm glad to know I'm not alone in my struggle with distractions! I usually have to get up for another cup of coffee every time I hit a dead end in my writing!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I visited your website and just am amazed by it. You inspired me to think about getting mine up and going. And also, I finally signed up for Facebook, but have NO clue what the whole thing is about! I plugged in your name and got your picture, but beyond that I couldn't figure out how it all worked!! I'm so clueless! If you have any tips for me, I'd appreciate it!
Jody, can you hear me laughing?? I am SO not strong! The internet, in particular, distracts me. I have to set limits on it like a little kid!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words about my website. I use Yahoo! Geocities web-hosting service and I used their SiteBuilder design program. It's fun! I'm thinking about writing a basic How-To guide to designing your own website. I'd like to add an "articles" page to the site and post it there. We'll see...
I'll go to FB right now and "friend" you. Good for you for signing up! Don't worry; it feels weird for a while, but after people start finding you, it's pretty fun.
Have a great weekend!
I was recently thinking about this very topic....how I would be a far better writer if I could live in a cave 6 months out of the year. Lonely and sad - but maybe published :)
ReplyDeleteThe internet is my biggest distraction. I get so caught up in blogs and comments. Of course, food is always calling, and during this season, American Idol sings to me. There is always something, it seems. It's good to hear others are just like me!
ReplyDeleteTess: Cave writing--I love it! I know I'd find something new to distract me even in a cave. Walls to draw on? Sticks to bang? Yeah, I'm not safe anywhere.
ReplyDeleteSherrinda: I think part of my problem with the internet is that it connects me to people. The blogs are our watercooler. Although I enjoy being alone to write, I still need the connections.
Thanks for stopping by!
i'm currently indulging in my biggest distraction: blogs and comments and posts. it's bad. real bad.
ReplyDeletebut i think i'm going to have to do something like sherrinda. just set up a time once a day to do it. but until i get the motivation to do so...i'll just keep my internet browser open behind my word document...
Now Jeannie, it is only on the weekdays that I am limiting myself. Weekends are back to my glut of blogs. Oh...and today...my comp day at home all alone!!!!!
ReplyDeleteActually, at times that is, the thought of getting distracted distracts me!
ReplyDeleteI wish we were all sitting around a table at a coffee shop right now. Wouldn't that be fun? You all make me laugh!
ReplyDeleteJeannie: I've recently limited myself to the internet on weekdays anytime between 8:00 and 5:00. (I'm like the addicted-to-videogames teenager. Not pretty). After 5:00 I do not allow myself back on. (This is hard!!) Oh, and I have to make my page counts :)
Sherrinda: have a fabulous comp day!
Anil: Thanks for checking out my blog. That being said, sorry I'm distracting you...oh, I can't lie...I'm not really sorry! It's Friday after all!
Coffee never distracts me - it calms me :) LOL
ReplyDeleteMy distractions are my husband who is on the go all the time so the idea of spending a day at home is like going to prison. :) And so I tag along every where thus cutting down on my alone time with my laptop :)
But he's kinda of a cute distraction - I'll take it!
I hear you Jaime--husbands are a cute distraction! This month I've had to really think about what's important to me. I've had to place the self-imposed limits on the internet. I've had to say goodbye to an activity that gave me tremendous joy, but I didn't have time for anymore.
ReplyDeleteI hope I'll always remember that my family is more important than getting in a few more pages. I also hope they'll always remember that I'm a much nicer person when I have free time to work!
I can't write well at home. I have a routine where I buy a large delicious Peet's coffee and take it to Newport Beach library with my laptop. I even bring lunch as they have a nice outdoor area. I get distracted at home. Love your blog.
ReplyDeleteFood! Food always distracts me! Most especially ice cream. And my email! Or blogs! :) I should be writing right now. My hubby and my baby are both asleep... but am I writing? No. I'm visiting people's blogs (love yours, by the way). Oh well. C'est la vie, right?
ReplyDeleteI have two big distractions...DD #1 and DD #2. lol... They are three and two and it makes it very hard to focus during the day. So a lot of my writing takes place at night, but sometimes I'm too tired or want to spend time with hubby. Ack! Maybe it'll get a little better when they go to school. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Gutsy Writer, I'm so jealous right now! Newport beach? I don't think I'd ever write anywhere BUT there! And summer is on it's way...
ReplyDeletePromise to stop by and fill me in one the beach-y stuff again!
Katie: Food! Yes! Doritos and chocolate are my downfall. I believe any Taco Bell commercial aired past 9:00pm should be outlawed. Seriously!
ReplyDeleteRalene: Awww.. Sounds like the sweethearts keep you busy. I can personally attest that when they go off to school, you'll get a ton of writing done. Trust me! Enjoy them now while you can.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Blogging has distracted me. I just posted about it, and hopefully I'll manage to get a handle on it. Great post! It sounds like you're getting on top of it all... maybe. LOL! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteLady Glamis: Do we ever really get on top of it all? Not in my world! I just do the best I can. Thanks and good luck.
ReplyDeleteYou know what distracts me? Thinking. The "what if?" thoughts. "What if people think this first chapter is too boring?" So then I ponder on changing it for thirty minutes. Then, "What if my word count isn't big enough?" So I go through a scene two or three times trying to figure out where to add more when the scene is just fine as it is. These thoughts can wear me down, particularly if they're publishing/marketing thoughts. So my new goal is to do what I think is right and try not to second guess myself.
ReplyDeleteOh Cindy, I know those "what-if" questions well. I'm pretty neurotic when it comes to my writing!
ReplyDeleteI try to remind myself that every book I write is an improvement. I also try to look at the pre-publishing phase as a Master's course in writing. Each book I study on the craft of writing improves my work. Someday I'll get there...
Thanks so much for stopping by!