The fine art of procrastination
Procrastination. The fine art. The sweet science.
The bane of a writer's deadline.
I don't remember how I procrastinated before the Internet came along, but I'm sure I found something to lure me away from the humongous manual typewriter I wrote my two "practice novels" on. Procrastination and writing go hand in hand. Nowadays most writers (including myself) write on computers, and most of those computers are connected to the Internet. Some writers can claim research as an excuse. I can't. I'm a fantasy writer; what I write, I make up. Don't need the Internet for that. That's the main reason why I'm so productive at my family's mountain cabin -- no Internet, no TV, three radio stations. That's it. I get an amazing amount of work done. Hmmm, I wonder why?
To stay on track (and on deadline), I'm going to have to "just say no" to surfing. I love chatting with my blog/livejournal/yahoo buddies, and I'll admit to being a news addict. I'm going to have to limit my surfing/chatting to half an hour in the morning, and half an hour at night. Heck, I'm even thinking about getting one of those little wind-up kitchen timers. Because when I'm online, I lose track of time. I think we all do. Of course the exception is responding to comments on my blog and answering fan emails. I'll always make time for that. : )
Lisa
The bane of a writer's deadline.
I don't remember how I procrastinated before the Internet came along, but I'm sure I found something to lure me away from the humongous manual typewriter I wrote my two "practice novels" on. Procrastination and writing go hand in hand. Nowadays most writers (including myself) write on computers, and most of those computers are connected to the Internet. Some writers can claim research as an excuse. I can't. I'm a fantasy writer; what I write, I make up. Don't need the Internet for that. That's the main reason why I'm so productive at my family's mountain cabin -- no Internet, no TV, three radio stations. That's it. I get an amazing amount of work done. Hmmm, I wonder why?
To stay on track (and on deadline), I'm going to have to "just say no" to surfing. I love chatting with my blog/livejournal/yahoo buddies, and I'll admit to being a news addict. I'm going to have to limit my surfing/chatting to half an hour in the morning, and half an hour at night. Heck, I'm even thinking about getting one of those little wind-up kitchen timers. Because when I'm online, I lose track of time. I think we all do. Of course the exception is responding to comments on my blog and answering fan emails. I'll always make time for that. : )
Lisa
posted by Lisa Shearin at
8:15 AM
3 Comments:
Wow, wow and wow...thankyou for the first two chapters! I'm now tormentingly convinced I'm desperate to get my hands on A&M!!!
Thanks for your procrastination...I love reading your blog.
Take Care,
Lorna (from *shock* sunny Scotland)
Hey Lorna,
Wow, sun in Scotland. Better get outside and take advantage of that.
; ) I've told my husband that when we go to Europe, Scotland is the first place I want to go.
Yeah, the internet is so distracting. I got more done (writingwise) before my husband put the wireless card in my laptop. But you can go into setup and create an arbitrary time limitation for online useage, so the computer itself will kick you offline. It's annoying, but it keeps you honest.
Scotland is pretty, just don't try to go in August unless you've booked ahead. I was backpacking Hadrian's Wall, thought I'd detour up as I went along, and couldn't get anything but dormitory-style space at a youth hostel here and there.
Of course, that could have just been my luck that year. I was in Dublin the same time as a U2 concert...
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home