Can’t find time to write? Don’t feel like it? Lost your nerve? If you’re not writing, you might be suffering from simple procrastination–but I’m here to say, it’s often not simple at all. Take it from one who has polished procrastination to a high art: Not writing can be eerily complex.
For one thing, there’s always a reason not to write.
A Dark and Subtle Drain
“I have to clear my email in-box, catch the matinee, finish the sports section . . .” Add to that: “What’s the use? I’ll never find an agent, finish the novel, write well . . .” But what if these distractions and loss of nerve aren’t merely annoyances, but a dark and subtle drain that is at odds with your highest aspirations? Read More »
Not a glamorous topic, but if you’re not getting writing done, I can almost guarantee that you have No Schedule.
On the Myth of Free Time
If you’re waiting for a free hour or two to write, you’re on a course for failure. There is no free time; it was all committed long ago. And if you’re on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, you are seriously running a time deficit. The world with all its attractions and obligations will always expand to fill 24 hours every day. So free time–we have none. But we have available time that can be borrowed from somewhere else. Alas, this is the harsh reality. Something has got to go. TV, reading blogs, shopping, brushing teeth. No, keep that last.
A Tailored Writing Time
The picture here is me my at my keyboard during my scheduled writing time. All right, me and my cat. But I’m not going to tell you my schedule. For you, it’s irrelevant. I can’t tell you the best schedule to have because it must suit your circumstances and preferences. Morning, noon, night. Long session or short bursts. You know what you like. Read More »
