Wednesday 10 November 2010

Displacement activities

Today has been one of those days when I've flitted around the house doing anything but writing. Well, I have done a little bit of writing, but it was like pulling teeth. I will go back and do more once I've written this blog. I promise. Yes, I will. Honestly.

These are just some of the things I do to avoid writing the novel:

1. Aimlessly surf the Internet, pretending it's for research.
2. Look for 'the perfect diet'.
3. Surf the Internet for recipes for 'the perfect diet'.
4. Read posts on The Beyond Chocolate Forum, because we all know diets don't work.
5. Eat cake and drink tea.
6. Watch Escape To The Country.
7. Wash floors downstairs.
8. Look at the guinea pigs.
9. Write in my diary.
10. Hoover the lounge and load dishwasher.
11. Eat lunch and watch a bit of Loose Women.
12. Read something vaguely writing-related.
13. Quick look at Facebook (repeat before and between stages 1-12).
14. Update blog.

3 comments:

Sophie Playle said...

Ah, I know the feeling! I quit my job a few months ago to focus on my MA, but it seems that the more time I have to write, the more time I spend procrastinating. I think it's that dangerous mind set of 'but I have all the time in the world...!'

To get past this, I think mini goal-setting is quite useful. Even if it's just saying 'I'll write at least 100 words a day'. Because then, if you have a string of ten days where you can't shake the procrastination, if you at least write 100 words a day, you'll at least have 1000 words at the end of the period - which is better than nothing!

(Now only if I followed my own advice...)

JO said...

This sounds familiar. Surely most of us could get a degree in prevarication? What I can't resolve is how much I mess about putting off writing, when I actually enjoy it when I get down to it - I can't quite work out the logic in that!

Sherri said...

Glad it's not just me.