Monday, March 5, 2012

I’ll Get To It…Eventually

bigheadby Alan

We’re writers.

We’re experts at certain things. Procrastination is one of them. Here are my Top Ten Ways For Writers to Procrastinate

(Warning: Do Not Try This At Home).

10. Research every possible detail in the book, including the Zagat reviews of the restaurants where your characters eat.

9. Tell yourself that re-reading To Kill A Mockingbird will put you in the right mood.

8. Dig out all those books on writing to help you power through those rough spots.

7. Revise your first paragraph over and over (and over), even though you know it will be gone by the time you’ve reached your final draft.

6. Go to the kitchen to get a snack. You can’t be expected to do your best work on an empty stomach!

5. Explore the many, uh, faces of Photoshop (see picture above).

4. Aren’t those cat pictures on Facebook adorable?

3. Don’t treat the thesaurus as a tool, but as an afternoon excursion.

2. One word: nap.

 

And the number one way for writers to procrastinate:

Think up Top Ten Lists.

9 comments:

Robin Allen said...

Thanks for reminding me to reread To Kill a Mockingbird!

Sandaion said...

I love this list! Made me laugh (or should it have made me cry?). Of course, I am an expert in a number of the above strategies. Might I also humbly suggest:
11. Keep up a light banter on Facebook and Twitter with your many old friends. Make many new friends too, while you're at it.
12. Go for a run. Healthy mind in healthy body etc. etc.
13. You can't be expected to work in this mess. How can you be inspired when there is paperwork all over your study or laundry all over your sofa or your kitchen floor needs a good mop?

Beth Groundwater said...

Oh, I've got many, many more to add to your list! Like getting exercise first, because writers have to stay in shape, don't they? Or, cleaning the bathroom or doing laundry (procrastinating writing is the only way my housecleaning chores get done). Or, commenting on Inkspot. Etc. Etc.

Shannon Baker said...

Another word: Jameson's. Some of the most famous writers needed to relax the inner editor and find the creative flow.

Unknown said...

Oh wait! Brush the dog. And the other dog. And read blogs, and comment on them...oh, wait.....

Kathleen Ernst said...

I'd add Freecell to the list.

Deborah Sharp said...

You forgot my favorite time suck: TV.
Not to mention, attending conferences where you can catch up with all your friends (PS: Nice to see you at Sleuthfest, though ... even though I never did get around to Chapter 23.)

Alan Orloff said...

You've all come up with some excellent additions. I guess I'll have to add to my list (that should take up some time!).

Keith Raffel said...

And judging from your photo, it looks like your weightlifting program is paying off.