Pro-crast-i-nation time, COME ON!

[scarletpeaches]

Writers write, right?

Sometimes they procrastinate, too. How do you waste your time and how do you stop yourself? Well obviously a good way would be to start tippy-tapping on the keyboard, but when you find your mind wandering, how do you get yourself back in the groove? Rewards? Chaining yourself to the desk and throwing the key out of the window three floors up?

It's less about writer's block, than writer's self-discipline...:box:

[Honey Nut Loop]

i force myself to write a certain number of words. Then reward myself with a short mind wandering session. Then force myself to write another number of words. Small goals until my mind starts whirring again.

[emeraldcite]

How do you waste your time and how do you stop yourself?

I'm here (although, it's not wasting time) and I can't (it's addictive)

Sometimes, I get more writing done when I'm at work (during my breaks) than I do at home.

The reward is in the writing. :)

[Sage]

When I first started BIC, my friend asked me if I rewarded myself for doing it each day. I said that the reward would be the finished novel. She suggested candy.

I ended up ordering chocolate suckers from Sees. Those are a treat 'cuz I'm here in Ohio where there are no Sees, so the only time I could possibly have them are Christmas & Easter. Also 'cuz they're something that I can suck on for a long time, which makes it seem like a longer reward. They'll work 'til I get used to having them every day, & have to find something else to be special.

[scarletpeaches]

I paid myself £200 after my last completed book, out of my savings, and blew the lot on new clothes from warehouse shops; I got loads for my money. It might not seem like much, but as I'm between jobs (lots of hospital appointments prevent me taking a full time job) it was a hefty chunk of my reserve-account.

I can't afford to do the same thing after NaNoWriMo this year, but the deadline should be motivation enough. It'd be interesting to hear what everyone else does, though.

[My-Immortal]

I didn't officially enter NaNoWriMo (I was already working on a novel and didn't want to try and start something new just for Nov) but I'm going to try and match the 50,000 word goal. I didn't really do anything special after I finished my last WIP - I suppose because until it gets published I don't really consider it finished. (But I do like the idea of having a reward for writing it....hmmmm....)

As for procrastination - pretty much this. Going online and reading the new posts here (though, I consider this forum educational).

Generally, I procrastinate most at the beginning of projects. Once I have a couple of chapters done I find it easier to get back into the story and keeping the BIC each day.

Take care all and good luck with your writing goals.

[Optimus]

Encouragement for us all...

http://www.scriptsales.com/boards/showthread.php?t=3257

[brinkett]

How do you waste your time and how do you stop yourself?
Of the two computers I use to write, one is connected to the internet and one isn't. Guess which one I waste more time on? Guess which one I switch to when I want to 'stop myself'? :)

[DamaNegra]

I waste soooo much time in stupid things, like staring out into space, IM, going out for a snack I end up not eating, watching my brother play nintendo, playing games on my computer, almost everything is a potential distraction for me, I'm hyperactive.

The reward thing seems like a pretty good idea, I could reward myself chocolate for every 3 pages I write :hooray: that's an excellent idea!! I love chocolate!!

[Jamesaritchie]

Well, forums are about my only "waste" of time. I tend to get the writing done day in and day out. I like writing.

But I do, sort of, have a reward system. Long ago, my wife and I struck a bargain. The bargain was that I could buy whatever I wanted, however extravagant, as long as I earned whatever we need to live on, plus at least twice as much money as whatever I want costs. If I wanted to blow $500 on a fountain pen? No problem, as long as I earned a thousand above and beyond.

Then this Faustian bargain went up to my having to earn four times as much as whatever I wanted cost. Then five times. And finally ten times.

It's actually a pretty good bargain. It keeps me writing, keeps me focused, keeps me supplied with junk no one really needs. But I have a problem. There's this Mont Blanc fountain pen from the Platinum Collection, see. . .

[Celia Cyanide]

Dancing, drinking, going to concerts, schmoozing, having a social life...and smoking. I associate smoking with productivity, sitting at the typewriter, typing and smoking. But in reality, I think it's just makes me lose my concentration.

I like to pay attention to when my mind is wandering toward something that is actually helping me with my work. Sometimes, it feels like you're procrastinating, but you're really working. You may not be typing, but it's still happening for you. I just have to make sure I'm not fooling myself.

[Jaycinth]

I snap on the head phones, then I paint my fingernails. Once I have several coats of laquer on, the ONLY thing I can do for two hours is type. Even when things 1 and 2 interrupt me, I just wiggle my wet nails at them.

(If ANY of you EVER tell my family that I own 'Quick drying' nail polish I will personally come to your house and sing in the front yard at 4 AM)

[Celia Cyanide]

Even when things 1 and 2 interrupt me, I just wiggle my wet nails at them.

Oh, you mean when Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Cat In The Hat try to distract you while you're working? I thought I was the only one they liked to bother. I HATE it when that happens! :)

[Jaycinth]

Oh, you mean when Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the Cat In The Hat try to distract you while you're working? I thought I was the only one they liked to bother. I HATE it when that happens! :)

There's also this thing in sox.

This thing in sox, this thing in sox,
Looks like a weasel,
Claims he's a fox!
Fliks about saying
"I am!, I am!!!"
Fetch me my Glock,
and I'LL can his spam!!!

[veinglory]

I lost my home internet connect and p[romptly wrote a 30,000 word novella in 8 days. That made me think about how much of my 'writing' time is spent actually writing. Maybe I shouldn't get a new internet ready computer?

[scarletpeaches]

Good idea. Now that everything 'outside' my writing is dealt with successfully, I have peace of mind - and peace of mind makes for procrastination. I may scissor my internet cables as I did before, or else give the laptop cord to my dad to mind for a week or two, during NaNo.

[henriette]

umm...smoke a joint?

[SC Harrison]

This is going to sound sad, but...

Once I've mustered the willpower to disconnect from the Internet, if I still can't get motivated to write, I flip to a random page in the dictionary and search for words I'm not familiar with, like:

Fleer-To laugh or grin coarsely; mock; jibe; a derisive word or look.

I don't know why it works, but it does. Maybe it just helps remind me how much I love words.

[Nakhlasmoke]

The Internet is my downfall. I like to call it "research", but really, I'm just lying to myself.

I've been sticking pretty well to my writing challenges recently, although trying to get my first novel up to scratch for sending in to an agent, is making me want to tear my own eyes out in frustration.

I haven't really gotten to the point where I reward myself. Having a book published will be a suitable reward, methinks.

[WVWriterGirl]

The bane of my writing existence is Everquest II, and online MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game). I can lose hours playing EQII. The only good part about it is that I don't have to think about what I'm doing, so my mind can wander and the music's pretty good.

[Carole]

The bane of my writing existence is Everquest II,
My younger son is addicted to Everquest..I guess it's going around, huh?

[WVWriterGirl]

It's such a great game! I just can't stop. When we had the original EQ, we had a cable connection. I had three copies of the game and three subscriptions...everyone above the age of five at my house HAD to play. Now that we have dialup, we only have EQII on one computer and share the account (I don't think I'm supposed to, but we do anyway...can't afford any more than that)...but it's bad enough.

[Carole]

Once I've mustered the willpower to disconnect from the Internet...
I am always connected...I have been giving serious thought to pulling the cord at night just before going to bed. I tell myself that if I get up and have to do something other than click to log in here or check email, I'll be more likely to just go ahead & write.

As it stands, the only way I can *just* write is to shut everything else down including music. If there's music going, I wanna be surfing...if there's no music, I'm more of a mind to just go ahead and work.

[Button]

I'm with those who play games. :)

I like games with nice plot lines as it keeps me thinking about writing while I'm not writing.

I especially like to play when I have to edit. I'm not much of a procrastinator about writing as I am about editing.

Oh, and to stop my procrastination, I read books I like. It instantly gets me in the mood. I think about what the cover of my novels should look like. ;)

[jst5150]

Stuff like this: http://jasontudor.com/bio_ask.html

And "Battlefield 2"

And "Dawn of War."

And writing music.

And Scrabble with my wife.

This book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684801280/qid=1131131524/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-8374098-5911068?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)explains plenty about my procrastination. :-)

[KelseyF]

I'm constantly online. It's too easy for me to procrastinate. I either start surfing the three message boards I'm on, reply to my *constant* flow up new email, watch Desperate Housewives (over and over and over...love it), or just open up a good book, usually one which I won't be able to put down which gives me one more procrastination oulet for the next couple days.

I really need to come up with a way to quit my procrastination. Maybe I'll start that rewards thing.