Help! Not Spending any time on my book!!!

mixa

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Joined
Mar 16, 2007
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55
Hello All,

For the last two months, I have written sod all on my book........I am just too lazy..I keep looking for excuses to not write..e.g

playing basketball
watching tv
starting my shares investing
surfing the web
borrowing hundreds of books (novels and comics) from the library and reading them
reading my old books
going to the gym

the only three times I got some writing done in the last 2 months, were

1. I went to the library, after 2.5 hours of reading comics I started writing....500 words.
2. Went with my fiancee to her school (shes a teacher) during her half term holidays, so while she did some marking and reports, I wrote 1000 words.
3. As above.

AHHHHHH, I have no will power...my problem is I keep on procrastingating...do it later....

Its not even writers block that I have, as once i sit down and focus, I can get the words out, and right now I have a picture of where the story needs to go....

so what is it, why have I lost my initial enthouasiasm.....:confused:

Do I need someone to watch over me, to make sure I do my quota - homework:confused:

Please can someone offer something which can jumpstart me again..:eek:

I realise its a bit of a cop out, as some might say, well its upto you whether you want to write or not, and if you don't you don't..........

Encouragement required....:)
 
I read somewhere that you should make 'appointments' with yourself and stick to them. I try to fit in about 10 hours worth a week - this is not always in front of the computer though. I keep notebooks scattered around the house, in work, even in my bag so if I cannot physically do work on my novel I can make notes regarding characters, places etc.

I had a problem where I had written some chapters but then couldn't do anything (this went on for about a year!) - I got back in to the writing by first reading some other books in the same genre then deciding that I didn't want to read someone elses book, I wanted to read my own - in print!

This has helped me keep motivated this time. If you cannot put any new words down go back and re-read what you have already written - you will find that you edit a part and then just keep writing something new.
 
The trick is ... ... ah sorry, I've just been told that it's a state secret. Though what the CIA is doing in my study is beyo.... *tazer noise* ERRGH GLURG.
 
Think of whatever you're writing to achieve. Watch films and read books that you admire. Go back to whatever inspired you at the beginning, though that's often covered by the books and films bit. Smash your head against a wall twice a day unless you're written something.

Or, if that fails, realise it doesn't really matter. You'll write something someday. As long as it isn't your job and you're on a timer then who cares how long it takes? What happens happens.
 
It happens to me periodically, too. I'm full of energy and ideas and then I grind to a halt. I keep notebooks as well and sometimes reading through them can inspire me to write a scene I've been looking forward to doing, completely out of sequence.

Maybe you could have a go at something like that: work on a chapter out of sequence, then you might find, as I frequently do, that I'm ready to go back and work on something that needs to be established in an earlier chapter.

But you give the impression of not having a place where you do your writing. It might sound really stupid, but having a chair, a desk, a window that you always sit at can be benificial. If you know any smokers ask them about triggers. It works for anything, really. Soon your chair/table/window will become a trigger for writing.

There's a bit of Pavlov's dog in all of us, in the end ... :D
 
I disagree. If you ever want writing to be your job, you have to treat it like a job, at least a part-time job, now.

Someone told me once that it should be a crime to avoid the blinking cursor, because, once you actually start writing, the words are there. They do come. He was write, of course. All you have to do is start.

Scheduling the time, announcing to the world, "This is my writing time" is one way to do it. Another way is to set a daily word goal. You're not allowed to go to bed until you've written x-number of words. (They don't have to be good words, just words. If necessary, you can delete them the next day.)

You can also set up a system of rewards. Frex: You're only allowed to spend 15 minutes on Chronicles for every 500 words you write. You're only allowed to read other people's work (comics, books), if you've made your own writing goal for that day.

However you choose to approach this, good luck. You're not the first person this has happened to. This won't be the last time it happens to you.
 
I disagree. If you ever want writing to be your job, you have to treat it like a job, at least a part-time job, now.
Am I the only who sees the tiny difference between:
-someone who enjoys to be a writer
-someone who enjoys to write
If you are floating in the first category (without any of the second for support), you'll be frustrated and keep having the same problem. If you are someone from the second category and have some difficulties (laziness), indeed inspiration is the key.(in my opinion) A plotline might look like inspiration, but one needs 'the feeling' in order to get to writing. Think about the mood you best write in, the place, the things you have eaten before/eat while, Is it when you are drunk? Is it after sports when you are exhausted? Is it in the morning or in the evening? Is it when you feel sad? Is it when you feel happy?

Then when you know you give writing another try after making the circumstances optimal.

Forcing yourself to write does work, but like any forcing, there is a slight chance to backfire and that's why I would never advice it.
 
I'm a writer who enjoys writing, but like any activity, done for pure enjoyment or not, there are times when it is not always pleasant. There are parts that are not as fun as other parts, but still you press on, because you know the pleasure will come back, because you have a goal and you have to take the bad with the good in order to achieve that goal.

Does that mean that sometimes you don't need to step back and recharge? Of course not! Everyone needs a vacation from time to time, but that does not mean that if you're not having fun, you automatically need a vacation. Sometimes, you just have to move forward, one foot after the other, one word after the other, until it gets to be fun and enjoyable and pleasurable again.

Writing isn't like the good parts version of Princess Bride. You can't just choose to skip over the chapter that details the packing of the luggage in order to arrive at the Cliffs of Insanity that much quicker. You have to slough through the boring parts, the unpleasant parts, the parts where you are mostly dead, in order to reach The End.
 
I have to come down on the side of "if you're serious about writing, you'll make the time to do so". It's far too easy to find other things to do ... I've been there, believe me. Most writers -- including professional writers -- have. That's the Siren's Song, and it'll keep you from ever getting anything done, in the end.

So... if you're only interested in doing this as a pastime, a sort of verbal doodling, then there's nothing wrong with handling it this way. But if you want to write, and especially if you want to be published, then you have to find the self-discipline to shove other things to the side and write. The most precious thing any writer has is Time; there are only so many grains in that glass, and you can't ever get them back again.....
 
I remmember reading somewhere writing being described as a muscle, if you exercise it, the easier it becomes. This is certainly my experience. With anything worthwhile you don't get an instant buzz you have to work at it.

It's the same in a way as exercise... once you're out there running in the woods and you're warmed up, it's great. But is not easy to get the will power together to start.

So exercise your writing muscles, the more you do it not only will they get fitter but the more enjoyable it will become.

So saying, I haven't written anything for a year so don't do as I do, do as I say.:)
 
:) thanks everyone....

gonna dust off that ms word file, and bang in 1000 words today.....
 
Wow, I'm so in the same boat on this. Every time I sit down at the computer, I get distracted with crap like world of warcraft, internet forums, or a random IM. God I suck. :(
 
No, you don't. You're just human. Stop beating yourself up over it and take charge of the situation.
 
Remove WOW from computer. Remove IM from computer.

Or go to a library and work. But don't get up from the table and look at other books.

And it helps to set a limit you know you can reach, somewhere between 400-2,000 words a day.
 

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