Procrastination

I thought this topic would be particularly relevant as students get closer to their final tests before the winter holidays. We all suffer from it.

I have found that procrastination can be your greatest enemy, and also your friend. Using this diversion can be helpful to you. When I procrastinate, I turn to my favorite stories or my favorite TV shows. I have gotten so many ideas from these places.

Need a little drama? Watch a dramatic television show or movie. Stuck on how to word a piece of your story? Look to your favorite authors! Use procrastination to further your own agenda.

Also, you can tell when a writer has forced him/herself to write when they had no desire to. The text itself exudes lack of will. You don't want to it, don't do it. Take some time off from your writing. Treat yourself and get your mind away from your work. Often ideas will come to you in that time.

My own dealings with procrastination are long and boring. I'll spare you the worst of them. But I will tell you of my most recent bout with procrastination.

With my current novel, I wrote like a mad woman for two weeks straight, day in and day out. I was on fire and I just could not stop. It was a beautiful thing and I hoped it wouldn't end. Unfortunately, it did. Everything that came into my head took my story in a direction I didn't want to go. So I took a break. I watched Supernatural for several days instead of writing. Nothing came out of this TV binge, but it got my mind off of what I was writing.

A couple weeks later, I found inspiration and finished writing my novel. Granted, I wrote in pieces - which is another post in and of itself - but I did it. I finished it and all of my procrastination helped me to get my head back on straight.

So next time you cannot stand looking at your computer screen or notebook, step away. Come back to it when you are ready and have time to spend without distraction.