Thursday, July 28, 2011

PRISON MAY BE JUST THE PLACE FOR WRITERS



Maybe what I need--maybe what you, as a writer need--is a stiff prison sentence. That might be just the ticket to get us all focused and inspired to churn out the work we so desperately need to do without the distractions of the digital age.

But I have to confess, it's not simply the Internet that gets in the way of my productive work. It's my aged mother-in-law, my failing cat, and the umpteen things that I'd rather be doing during the summer than putting nose to grindstone.

Here are a few tips I've come up with to help myself do what needs to be done. Maybe they will be helpful to you as well:
  • Exercise in the morning, before the day begins. Then you have no excuse to quit working mid-day.
  • Get your in-box down to a reasonable number and KEEP it there. (This is advice I really need to follow with upwards of 500 queries as of this writing.)
  • If you are writing, write. Don't email or answer emails. Don't talk on the phone. Don't surf the web. Write for two hours or so, then do those things.
  • Reward yourself with a night out, a movie, a visit with a friend after a long, productive day.Or, do you think the Internet helps you?
What do you do to keep yourself organized and prolific? Does the Internet slow down your progress?  How do you avoid its allure? Or, does the Internet help you?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the post! Hmm, I find the internet helps me. I used to procrastinate, but for some reason I have finally hit my zone. I wish I could offer advice. But then again, I do procrastinate on school work, because I know I won't be doing it for a living. I have tried to organize myself, and that helps. I aim to get everything done during the day, so I can write later in the evening. I understand having so much more on your plate than you realistically have time for. That's life! I guess figure out what can give in your life, and make it stretch. ;) I don't watch TV, so maybe that helps.

Although it certainly does sound nice to have uninterrupted time to write... *bliss*

And in regards to the inbox thing..that is one of my biggest hurdles. I believe I have 3K emails in my inbox right now. Granted, most of them are junk/ads/newsletters, but still, it's full. Lord only knows what I miss. My significant other chastizes me every now and then, and that's when I clean it out, but it always accumulates. :) But it is certainly much different when you need to reply to many of your emails, as you do. Best wishes.