Distractions, always distractions (Moved from Novels to Roundtable)

The Lonely One · Dec 19, 2008

What are some of the distractions you use as a crutch to keep from writing? We all have them, whether we give in to them or not. I was thinking maybe if we identify some of what keeps us away (or mentally away) from the keyboard, we can extinguish them more easily.

Mine are:

Spend time with the fam

Spend time with the dog

AW (I somehow see this cropping up more than once)

Clean

youtube music videos/ computer games I feel I have to beat since I started them, though in reality nothing bad will happen if I don't.

television

"I wrote all day at work, my brain is mush."

"Who cares if I don't, no one is going to see this garbage anyways."

That's all I can think of currently. I'll try to take these things into consideration when they crop up.

What are some of yours?

CaroGirl · Dec 19, 2008

My job.

But if I extinguish that, I extinguish my ability to pay the mortgage.

The Lonely One · Dec 19, 2008

CaroGirl said:
My job.

But if I extinguish that, I extinguish my ability to pay the mortgage.

I know what you mean, I think many of us have this one. I should clarify, though, I don't mean extinguish as in don't do those things that are on the list, I just mean not to use it as an excuse.

No, I don't expect us all to quit our jobs. That would be bad--I'd likely have to sell my laptop for food, since I'd be a bum, and getting a working pen would be difficult without money or transportation to go buy said pen. And paper, psshhht, forget about it! The economy is tough as it is

.

citymouse · Dec 19, 2008

5 Welsh corgis. 5 borzoi. 3 cats. 7 parrots. 1 partner. 1 house. Multiple loads of laundry. I shop fresh for food every day. The list goes on.
And I write.

As for no one reading my so-so work. I wrote the first three of my novels in five weeks. And is shows! It also out sells the other two by close to 2:1. Go figure.
C

Severian · Dec 19, 2008

School.

Studying.

Guitar playing.

Work.

If I could just give up on the school I'd be set lol but as it is I have to spend a lot of my spare time revising as I'm in my last year at the moment. My girlfriend is also quite a drain on my time (but I'd never tell HER that).

CaroGirl · Dec 19, 2008

I have 2 dogs, 2 kids, 1 husband, 1 hamster, 1 largish house to clean, a full-time day job, a flatscreen tv, and a pile of unread books. I belong to 2 IRL critique groups and 3 cooking clubs. My kids do 2 activities each every week.

Of all these, I probably should watch less tv.

AnonymousWriter · Dec 19, 2008

School.
Studying.
My beloved sports.
My mind and body been frazzled and exhausted.
The amount of books waiting to be read upon my shelves.

Jeremy · Dec 19, 2008

Ugh... Too many... Way too many...

Work
School
Wife
New-born son
Family and Friends
Reading
TV & Movies
Video Games
Several other Hobbies...

I should probably give stuff up if I really want to get anywhere as a writer... I just have too many loves in my life and how does one choose to stop loving something?

ishtar'sgate · Dec 19, 2008

Not too many now that I'm working to deadlines. The fear factor keeps me writing. Well, not today. I'm late decorating the tree and I can't find some of my tree decorations and I seemed to have lost my cute little village and...

psykeout · Dec 19, 2008

2 dogs that demand attention and a wife that works a schedule opposite to mine.

alyssalynne · Dec 19, 2008

surfing the net
playing with my new kitten
work
cleaning

superman skivvies · Dec 19, 2008

I waste time on the internet. Then I feel bad for being at the computer so long. So I leave. Then I come back later with the intention of writing. Then I find the internet again. I'm currently in the seventy-ninth cycle for today.

Woven · Dec 19, 2008

I'm a mom, so that one title alone includes homework, piano practice, TaeKwondo, reading aloud and general time spent with the tikes.

When left to my own devices:
TV - I'm addicted. It's terrible.
Computer- namely this place at the moment
Work
House cleaning
Playing my flute

NeuroFizz · Dec 19, 2008

We all should leave our number one choice blank because we are posting (and reading) here. Kind of ironic.

Ren · Dec 19, 2008

Baby
Cleaning
Reading
"Research"
Spiritual commitments

starrykitten · Dec 19, 2008

Email
Research and "research"
Napping
Adjusting my environment
Dealing with kitteh
Using the "this is the kind of choice I need to think about for a while" line way more than could ever be true

The Lonely One · Dec 19, 2008

NeuroFizz said:
We all should leave our number one choice blank because we are posting (and reading) here. Kind of ironic.

Truly.

Alexandra Little · Dec 19, 2008

judge Judy

youtube

Judge Judy on youtube

excuse me, i hear her ~~yelling~~ calling me...

jeany · Dec 20, 2008

I wish cleaning was a distraction for me!

Makai_Lightning · Dec 20, 2008

I'm completely afraid to read this, because the last thing I need is more ideas on how to waste time.

Youtube. Shows on youtube are like miracles. And then you can download them and take them anywhere with you....

Wikipedia. I start with basic research on one thing (check wiki's sources and see how legit they are, as opposed to blindly following wiki, and I consider it a good start), and end up everywhere else in the world. It's like playing the wikipedia game with yourself.

Getting stuck at medical websites. It disturbs me how sickeningly interesting I find some disorders and such. I go there for one thing, and then it's like wikipedia again.

Internet, in general, really.

Baking... especially when we're low on snack food, which is, like, all the time. (Mmmm, mint chocolate cookies.... molasses spice cookies... I made them yesterday. Yum.)

Chilling with friends.

Mall.

AIM or MSN Messenger--particularly when I'm supposed to be doing homework too.

Oh I'm sure there's a lot of things...

tehuti88 · Dec 20, 2008

I don't have "distractions." I just have too many days when I don't feel like writing so I do something else.

There, at least I'm being honest with myself!

willietheshakes · Dec 20, 2008

Hold on -- I'm supposed to spend time with my family?

nevada · Dec 20, 2008

AW. AW. AW.

I got rid of my TV so it no longer is a distraction.

AW

Trying to find a job when the housing market has fallen apart.

AW

Telling myself it's crap, why do I bother?

AW

Diana W. · Dec 20, 2008

AW, reading, television, my wife, work, daily life. All in no particular order!

Susie · Dec 20, 2008

Mr. Susie
chocolate
AW
email
did I say chocolate?
All my men on AW

Distractions, always distractions (Moved from Novels to Roundtable)

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Love Addict

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