A Day in the Life of Working from Home

I primarily work as a freelance writer, podcaster, and aspiring novelist. But if I’m to be honest, I spend most of my days being distracted by bright and shiny objects. Something tells me I’m not alone in this. Consider what an average day looks like for me. 

Wake up anywhere between 7 and 8 a.m. Get my coffee, catch up on the national news (most of the time I regret this), drink a glass of water, and make breakfast. From there, I get dressed and walk my two dogs. One is an elderly dachshund who is not too keen on walking, the other is a feisty chihuahua terrier who will NOT have her walk cut short unless it is raining, or she hears thunder in the distance. 

Once we return from this walk, I try to get in a quick strength training workout. Then I consult my to-do list for the day. This usually includes about an hour of planning or research before I break for lunch, if I don’t have a podcast interview scheduled. 

After lunch is my most productive time of day. I work on research for the podcast, write scripts, and if I’m caught up on that, tinker around with essays and any fiction I’m working on. Unfortunately, I’ve become discouraged with my fiction writing as of late, so I’ve spent more time working on creative nonfiction and podcast content. However, I’m prone to falling down rabbit holes during this period of time. 

Take yesterday, for example. I was reading a back issue of a newspaper, specifically an article about a missing woman’s body being found in 1989, when another headline caught my eye. It read, “Young Man’s Success Ends with Bizarre Death.” A college-student created a lucrative business selling balloons and other celebratory items and then is shot to death when he tried to enter a random home in town? I had to learn more. I took out my true crime notebook to write down the headline and publication information for a future podcast episode. This happens frequently, as does me posting a reel on Instagram and then getting distracted because my favorite store is having a sale. But I digress. 

Thursdays I reserve afternoons for recording or editing my podcast. Throughout the week, if I feel I’ve been less productive during the day, I’ll carve out an hour or two at night to catch up on work. I try to read a few chapters of a book before I go to sleep, as it helps for a restful night of sleep (unless you’re reading a book like “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” by Grady Hendrix. I'll never make that mistake again. Talk about some vivid dreams). 

Somehow, even with all these distractions and stops to take in food, drink, walks, and other exercise, I manage to be productive on the projects I most care about. I’d love to hear when you do your best writing! 

Renee Roberson is an award-winning writer who also produces the true crime podcast, Missing in the Carolinas. She’s currently seeking representation for a novel about, what else? A podcaster trying to solve a mystery. Learn more at www.FinishedPages.com and www.MissingintheCarolinas.

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3 comments a day in the life, procrastination, Renee Roberson, writing advance, writing productivity

Productive Procrastination

 

This post made me think about how I work.

Monday, I needed to dive into my rewrite. After all, I have a teen nonfiction book due Friday. It is 8 chapters, 15,000 words, and too long already. I need to focus the text, work in some more examples and descriptions, and cut the excess. One chapter is 700 words too long. Others include notes to myself like “Transition!” or “Brilliant conclusion goes here.” 

I spent the day prodding myself. “Must rewrite . . . must rewrite . . . must . . .”

Somehow I suspect you know where I’m going with this. So much to do, so little interest. My brain was full of great ideas -- blog post ideas, ideas for my upcoming comic, and ideas for brand new projects. I got through one chapter but everything was calling to me except this rewrite. Face it. I folded laundry! I did dishes twice.

Fortunately, I know how I work best. I let myself work on anything that was on my to-do list and had to be done by Friday. After all, the rewrite isn’t the only thing I need to get done this week. So I pulled together work related social media posts. I worked on blog posts. I worked on the back matter for the book. I got so much done and all the while I was procrastinating where that rewrite was concerned. 

The reality is that I never work on only one thing. And that’s a good thing because I never know when I’m going to get stuck. Sometimes I need a bit of distance to think something through because what seemed like a great idea or the perfect solution simply refuses to come together. Sometimes I’m waiting for a critical bit of information. Sometimes my brain is just being bratty and does not want to work on that thing right there. 

So I work on something else. I accomplish one or more things on my to-do list.

And that’s a good thing. Because by dinner time I had a note from my editor. “Here are my comments on book 1. Can you get this done by Friday?” 

Do you work on one thing and only one thing at a time? Or do you move between projects? 

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 30 books for young readers.  To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.

The next session of her new course, Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work will begin on May 1, 2022).  Coping with rejection is one of the topics she will cover in this course.

Sue is also the instructor for  Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins May 1, 2022) and Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins May 1, 2022). 

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4 comments priorities, procrastination, productivity, Sue Bradford Edwards, work habits

The Bad Habits You Need To Break To Be A Good Writer

As a woman of a certain age, I find myself reading more and more about retirement. What comes up frequently in these articles are the bad financial habits that must be stopped in their tracks and replaced with good financial habits. Which is a bit easier said (or written about) than done since time is not exactly on the retiree’s side. 

As I have a bit of experience with lots of bad habits, and more specifically bad writing habits, I thought I’d share a few now so as to help you sooner rather than later. Though unlike bad money habits, when it comes to starting good writing habits, it’s never too late. (Yay!)

Procrastination

Show me a writer who has never engaged in this bad habit and I’ll show you a unicorn munching four-leaf clovers in a rainbow-colored meadow. But admittedly, on that unicorn’s back will be a very successful writer. 

Successful writers get in the habit of writing quotas early on in their career; they share a “no excuses” mentality when getting in their word counts, whether it’s a daily, weekly, or even yearly goal. It goes without saying that they scoff at the idea of writer’s block. 

Even the writer who must dig into tons of research before writing a single word will have detailed notes and references so that when they begin the writing, it runs relatively smoothly. 

Which brings me to the key word of breaking this bad habit: begin. Just begin the writing. And it’s okay to start small. Forming a new habit can take anywhere from 21 days to a year, but even a writing quota of 500 words a week will eventually get you to the finish line. The important part in derailing procrastination is making a goal you can keep and building on that. Aim too high and you’ll never begin. Set your sights on something attainable and you’ll be way more likely to succeed. 

Over-revising 

Sadly, this bad writing habit crept up on me the more I worked on novel manuscripts. I suspect it has something to do with a fear of failure, the concern that the story must be perfect in every way in order to make the all-important sell. 

It’s a funny thing; read about most highly successful novelists and you will find that they submitted their work even though they felt it wasn’t quite ready or they knew it could be better. So how does one break this bad writing habit? 

It’s not so much the writing as the thinking that must change, right? So if you find yourself like me, in the habit of ridiculous over-revising (should the comma go here or here?) and re-writing ad infinitum, then reach out to a trusted writing buddy, someone who will tell you the truth about your work. Someone who will nicely but firmly kick you off the perfection merry-go-round. 

Submitting Too Soon

On the other end of this bad writing habit is the newbie writer who dashes off an opus and sends the masterpiece out into the world, without so much as a single other pair of eyes taking a look first. 

Oh, dear. I cringe when I think of all the bad writing out there in the world with the name Cathy C. Hall on it. But I find solace in the fact that I don’t know a single published writer who has not submitted their work too soon. Most of us learn the error of our ways pretty darn quick, especially if we get into a critique group or pay for professional feedback. 

But woe to those writers who either don’t listen to critique or never bother to get feedback. These are the newbies with a bad writing habit that will keep them newbies. 

Still, there is always hope because the first step in breaking a bad habit—writing or whatever—is recognizing we have the habit in the first place. So do it now, be honest with yourself, or ask a trusted friend to give you the unvarnished truth. Either way, it won’t be long before you have good writing habits. (Yay!)

~Cathy C. Hall

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8 comments bad writing habits, Cathy C. Hall, over-revising, procrastination, submitting too soon

Friday Speak Out!: Allowing Procrastination to Make Your Story Better

by D.L. Gioe

As a writer, putting words together makes me come alive. But some days, it’s just not happening. No matter how much caffeine, sugar, ritual, or will power – it seems the cosmic schedule and all the forces of nature are determined to block me from translating the words in my brain onto the screen.

This is when I have to remind myself that procrastination is my inner voice’s way of screaming at me that I’m pushing the process too hard. It’s time to slow down, and let my mind unspool the thread at it’s own pace. THIS is where the good stuff comes from – the AHA moments and the plot twists that even you, the author, didn’t see coming.

So I strike a deal with myself: I can slack on the writing as long as I’m doing something that advances my broader writerly ambitions. Here are five of my favorite procrastination techniques that always leave me more excited about my work in progress:

1. Set the mood. I love the gorgeous story aesthetics some authors develop and post on Twitter. I, however, have NONE of those skills. What I groove on is music. I love curating a playlist to capture the tone of my work. I find it really gets the creative juices flowing, and sometimes a close listen to the lyrics even reveals insights into some of my characters.

2. Journal. It’s writing but without the pressure. My favorite way to do this if I’m stuck in a story is to journal from the point of view of one of my characters. I always learn something new about that character, and frequently about some of the other characters, in addition to unearthing underlying plot dynamics.

3. Research. I LOVE research. With a variety of internet search engines awaiting your questions, all from the privacy and convenience of your desk (or couch, or bed – no judgment), there’s really no excuse for not doing a little digging. If nothing else, you need to know what else exists out there that might be similar to your idea. Which brings me to…

4. Hit the library. Because not everything is online. You may need to check out an actual book. While you’re there, check out the titles in your genre. Talk to the librarians about what’s hot in your field, or simply enjoy being in the presence of other book nerds.

5. Read! It’s may be THE best part about being an author, so indulge! Read widely in your genre. If you’re afraid that reading in your genre right now may mess with your idea, then read in other genres to get fresh, new ideas. Synthesize what’s out there in the collective unconscious and distill it into your genius voice. There’s also all the craft books, the magazine articles, the blogs…. In short, read all the time, in all different formats. If you’re not writing, the best thing you can be doing is reading.

* * *

D.L. Gioe writes novels for YA and MG audiences, when she's not traveling, gardening, building her consultancy, walking her dogs, re-learning the important things in life from her kiddo, or otherwise procrastinating. She's the co-creator of The Space Between – a blog for parents who are also pursuing their creative ambitions. You can follow her @DLGioe and/or join The Space Between community on Facebook.


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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!
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1 comment D.L. Gioe, Friday Speak Out, journal, library, music, procrastination, read, research, writer inspiration, writer tips

Make procrastination work for you

I don't need to ask if you have ever procrastinated. Everyone has. I procrastinated writing this blog post because I couldn't seem to develop a topic with enough support. I did some cleaning, laundry, and watched a movie on Netflix. As the deadline approached, I became a little nervous and realized I had to write something. So, I did.

There are some advantages to procrastination. Have you ever completed a "Hail Mary" project in record time? That may be because procrastination can make you worried enough to release adrenalin, which helps you focus and provide the energy to work faster and complete the job. That's what's happening to me right now.

If you have a lot of time before your deadline, it will take you that amount of time. You can break the work into chunks over a few days, weeks or months. That's a good plan. But if you have a week to complete a fairly large project, then it will only take a week because you are now energized, focused, and likely to use the time wisely by ignoring social media, your family, friends, and possibly hygiene. That's what I did today. I turned off the television, ignored social media, and focused on this idea I had outlined a few months ago.

Prime the pump

I have procrastinated in the past, and will probably do it again, so I write down ideas and outlines and snippets of thoughts for this blog whenever something interesting crosses my desk, phone, or mind. By doing so, I have primed the pump. Reading over those ideas in a file I have cleverly named "blog ideas" makes it easier to find a workable topic. Like this one.

Perfection is the Enemy of Good

If you struggle with perfectionism, you may freeze at the sight of a blank page. Many writers believe their work must be made up of perfect words in the perfect order. Translating that brilliant novel in your brain on to the page is difficult. That kind of pressure leads to procrastination. For all you perfectionists, here's my advice: Before writing the Great American Novel, or short story, or poem, write the Terrible American Novel, or short story, or poem. Get it out of the way so there's no pressure. Most of us can write terribly without much effort. And there may be a few (accidentally perfect) sentences/paragraphs/chapters you can use later.

The Good Enough Theory

My husband and I came up with the Good-Enough Theory when we were in college, working full time and going to school at night. We were close to graduating, and more than ready to finish. That's when we put Good Enough into practice. We realized our papers and tests didn't have to be perfect in order for us to pass. We knew a "B" or a "C" would be good enough to earn a diploma. Think about that next time you write. It's probably good enough, and if it's not, you can edit later.

Make procrastination work for you. Let go of your perfectionism, get that adrenalin flowing, write down ideas when they occur to you, and embrace the Good Enough Theory. I know I have.

Mary Horner teaches communications at St. Louis and St. Charles Community Colleges. She earned the Writing Certificate from UM-St. Louis, and her story, Shirley and the apricot tree, can be found in the current issue of Kansas City Voices.

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3 comments adrenalin rush, make procrastination work for you, perfection is the enemy of good, prime the pump, procrastination

The Importance of Being Current

There is something about time that I will never understand. I mean, one day you’ve finally conquered that whole writing 2018 on your checks, and the next day, you’re rinsing sand out of the car from your summer vacation.

Time passes so quickly and we have such complicated lives, despite having the technology that’s supposed to make our lives easier. It’s challenging to keep up and so very often, time catches us napping.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Anyway, last week, I happened to read my bio on a professional writing site (The SCBWI site, if you must know) and I was surprised and yep, a little red-faced. I hadn’t updated my bio in the last couple of years.

Now, SCBWI is an important part of my professional life. I write for children; I attempt to get work related to my children’s writing. And yet, I had neglected to take care of my business. And so this is one of my old “What Not To Do” lessons. Take heed, grasshopper, and do as I say, not as I do.

Many of us belong to professional writing organizations, and this affords us an excellent marketing opportunity. If you have on online bio on a professional site, think a moment. When was the last time you updated? If you can’t remember, then it’s time to review and make that online bio shine. Because even though you don’t remember to check your online presence, that bio is out there and someone—perhaps lots of someones—check out that bio every day. That’s one of your virtual business cards, but you could be losing business because of your neglect. Who wants to hire someone who hasn’t done anything in seven years?

Of course, you’ve probably done plenty in the last seven years. You’ve probably been so busy, you haven’t had time to update. But that person reading your bio doesn’t know that. So update, grasshopper. Give those people who are going to spend their money on you—the editors and publishers and readers—a stellar and current look at you!

And everything I just said about your bio, I can also say about your website and/or blog. Plus, I can promise you that people do visit blogs and websites; I constantly visit author websites. Sometimes, I want to know what else an author is writing; other times, I’m curious about a kidlit author’s marketing. Either way, I pay close attention to the details. Like whether a blog has had a post in the last year or so. I check the calendar to see where an author may be appearing. I always read the “News and Events” section. Being current indicates a level of professionalism that I appreciate. Others will, too.

And before you say that you’re a freelancer, not an author, the same still holds true. It’s even more important as a freelancer to keep your credits up-to-date. Your business face needs to be professional, error-free, and yes, current.

So update your online self in whatever digital spots you hang out, and get going now, grasshopper! Because I can’t explain why, but I know this for a fact. The next time you take a look around, you’re going to be sitting on Aunt Mamie’s couch with turkey and gravy stains on your shirt.

Cathy C. Hall is a kidlit author and humor writer who spends a great deal of time catching up! But that's only because she's busy writing and reading and all that other important stuff she's supposed to be doing as the consummate professional that she is. And yes, binge-watching on Netflix is important writing research. See how current she is at her blog! (Hint: Very current, thank you very much.)

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7 comments Cathy C. Hall, procrastination, professionalism, SCBWI, timeliness

The Heavy Link - Perfectionism and Procrastination

One of our amazing contributors. Renee Roberson, recently wrote a great article about our creative health. Take a moment to check out her article here: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2018/01/taking-inventory-of-your-creative-health.html

The timing couldn't be more fabulous (as far as I'm concerned) because I was working on something on my end regarding the link between procrastination and perfectionism. There is definitely a link and it's a very heavy one - if you don't believe me, just go to Dr. Google and type in the words: perfectionism and procrastination. WOW! I like it when I'm not the only one who notices things and there is definitely a correlation here.

I was raised on some very sturdy old-fashioned values. The early bird catches the worm. Why put off until tomorrow what you can get done today. Do it right the first time and you won't have to do it again. These are great, right? Maybe not so great...

Here I am, waiting until tomorrow to submit my manuscript because if I go over it once more I can find one more mistake. Waiting to sit down and write until the house is spotless, every bit of dust has been eliminated, and every sock has found it's mate. Typing each sentence over and over again until it shines brighter than the sun (and then deleting it again because I want it to resonate with each and every reader with no possibility for a negative review). My expectations and goals are completely unrealistic. So I wait.

Then, as the deadline approaches I realize I have to get something down on paper. My heart beat quickens, my neck aches, and I chastise myself relentlessly for not following all those golden rules emblazoned on my brain since childhood. I question everything about myself because I think only lazy people wait until the last minute. But alas - I sat down recently with some very smart women and many of us have the same procrastination problem. I feel a bit better about it knowing it's linked to my perfectionism and not my lack of ambition or knowledge.

Where do we go from here? Well, I for one am going to turn to the expert advice from Renee's article: Taking Inventory of Your Creative Health and I'm going to try to be physically, mentally, and emotionally healthier and then I'm going to cut myself some slack. I'm going to stop expecting perfection from myself when I'm very understanding of the flaws of others. I'm going to stop overthinking each and every word, sentence, paragraph, and chapter. I'm going to start enjoying writing more and stop feeling the heavy link around my neck - the heavy link of perfectionism gone wrong.

What have you done to help avoid these pitfalls of writing?
What is holding you back?
What advice can you give others who fall into this perfectionist trap?

Thank you for your thoughts!

Hugs,
~Crystal

Crystal is a council secretary and musician at her church, birth mother, babywearing cloth diapering mama (aka crunchy mama), business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, five young children (Carmen 10, Andre 9, Breccan 4, Delphine 2, and baby Eudora, two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal riding unicorns, taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff here, and at her personal blog - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade!

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3 comments getting it right, making it perfect, perfectionism, procrastination, work in progress, writing, writing life

How Many "Almosts" Do You Want to Rack Up?

I was watching This is Us, a show I resisted until a couple of months ago... and then I got hooked.

On this particular episode, a character was dying. They said, "My life has been full of almosts and would-haves," and I immediately thought of all the things I hesitate doing. The projects I shove aside because of the bucket-load of excuses I fabricate.

I have a manuscript that I've worked on for years, and it's still a hot mess. I keep putting blinders on when it comes to the work it probably needs.

I have a manuscript that's almost finished--at least the second draft is almost finished. This WIP is a project that's more marketable, more appealing and more easy-to-get than anything I've ever written (at least I think so)... and yet it still sits there, unfinished.

Am I the same as other writers? Are there some main reasons why we make sure we live in the Land of Almost and the continent of Would-Have? It doesn't help matters that I'm the Princess of Procrastination.

If you'd like to embrace your procrastinating ways, check out this article which outlines how putting things off is a natural part of the writing process.

Another article suggests we examine how we procrastinate, and offers some tips on how to keep our putting things off in check.

I've been reading Julia Cameron's The Right to Write. She has a short chapter on procrastination (all the chapters are short) and in it she says:

"A primary reason writers procrastinate is in order to build up a sense of deadline. Deadlines create a flow of adrenaline. Adrenaline medicates and overwhelms the censor. Writers procrastinate so that when they finally get to writing, they can get past the censor."

That really makes sense to me. Maybe I'll work on not procrastinating so much...

... Later.

What do you do when you procrastinate? And if you have any up your sleeve, what tricks or strategies have you found that work to vanquish procrastination?

Sioux Roslawski hopes to finally finish her WIP. She's giving herself until the end of May, she's going public with that goal, and her students and their possible disappointment will (hopefully) keep her driven. Sioux's also gearing up for her son's wedding at the end of the month. If you want to read more about her journey as a writer, read her posts.

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4 comments Julia Cameron, procrastination, This is Us

Back in the Saddle

Sometimes you step away from a writing project—or even your writing life—for awhile. Summer break, family obligations, or plain old procrastination can take you out of your groove. At some point though, you're ready to come back to the page.

The problem is that it can be hard to recapture your inspiration and drive after some time away. However, with even the smallest desire, you can get going again. Here's how to get back in the saddle and ride:

1. Forgive, forget and move on. For whatever reasons, you took time off from your writing goals. So be it. Now you're back, and making things happen!

2. Make a plan. Figure out what you want to do, now that you're working again. For example, how many pages of your novel do you want to write per evening? Which markets will you query this month? Determine your writing objectives, and you'll have a track to follow as you get going again.

3. Take a step. To decide on a writing project, go through your notes or your journal and see what feels interesting to you right now. Then outline some ideas and start getting excited about your chosen assignment. Or, if you want to get back into a project that you've abandoned, drag it out and find one place that you can start playing with. Make a small movement to get things rolling.

4. When a plan is not enough. Maybe you know what you need to do, but you still keep doing other things instead. Until you make writing a priority, the hours will vanish. For this week, pick the days and times you're going to write, and keep those appointments. As bestselling author Jodi Picoult says, "When it's a writing day, I'm writing. Period."

5. Conjure up a cut-off date. Having a deadline will prod you to complete your writing goals where you otherwise might put things off. You can use online calendars, with periodic reminders, to prompt you toward completion. If you need a "real" time limit, then find a writing contest or an anthology call, or sign up for National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a NaNoWriMo).

6. Reading that lights you up. Reading certain material can make you want to write so badly you can taste it. The other day, I started reading essays at a favorite web site, and found myself with a powerful urge to start writing. Find something to read that sparks your creativity, then go write, right away… before the feeling fades.

7. Keep your writing sessions brief. Pick some short amount of time to write, and allow yourself to be done for the day. For example, write for only a half hour at a time. "That's how you can stoke the fires again," Jenna Glatzer says in Outwitting Writer's Block. "That's how your passion can reignite and your drive can build up."

8. The flow will return. As you begin to give writing your time again, the inspiration and the words will come. "When I'm writing, I feel like a magnet," a friend of author Jane Staw says to her in Unstuck. "As soon as I pick up my pen, ideas, people, possibilities come my way." So writers, just get started!

Marcia Peterson is the editor of WOW! Women on Writing's blog, The Muffin. To contribute to the blog, check out our Friday Speak Out program here.

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3 comments getting started again, inspiration for writers, Marcia Peterson, procrastination, rekindling creativity, writing goals

Why Isn’t There a Procrastinators Anonymous?

by Aimee Levey

I don’t know how many times I have tried to finish my first book. It’s been going on for almost five years. The reason it is taking so long is because the book is crazy and I’m unsure about unleashing it on the world. Also, the main character has the most unattractive of first names. I can’t even imagine what my demographic would be. I feel like the words only make sense when read aloud in my voice in the usual I’ve-lived-many-lives-weary tone that I was born with.

I have trusted some to read the first few drafts and they promise it’s not as bad as I think it might be. They even say it’s so funny they peed their underwear on a few occasions. But these are people who know me and are already aware that I have a screw loose. And I know full well that there is a huge novelty involved in reading a book of a friend to get further inside their heads so you can judge them some more and use their thinking disguised by the thinking of made-up "characters" as blackmail further down the line if the book fails.

I was thinking of coming up with a pseudonym to protect my reputation. (What reputation? There is no reputation.) These are the names I have come up with so far: Pope Windcock-Dithers, I M Frei, Floppie Johnson. What I want to do is strike a balance between a man and a woman’s name so that nobody will be sure who or what they are dealing with when the book comes out. (If it ever does come out…) And the critics might be kinder to Pope or Floppie than me. Don’t ask me why that would be the case. Pope or Floppie sound like more upstanding, credible individuals to me is all.

I sit back in the sofa and imagine all the bad reviews from critics who definitely won’t understand, who have clearly never battled with the doubting demons associated with the novel-composing process, who never endured friends and family asking, "So, how’s the book coming along?" And I wish I never had the novel notion. And I end up getting so angry with critics and my big boastful, unrestrained mouth spouting on about "oh, I’m writing a book". And all the while I’m digging my nails into the armrest with stress and putting off writing. Why isn’t there a Procrastinators Anonymous?

Sometimes I wish so hard for a typewriter. So that there would be pressure on me to choose each word more carefully. The last thing you want to do on a typewriter is type words you’re unsure of. On my computer, I sit up in bed, my buttocks burrowed into the mattress covered in sweat from the copious amounts of caffeine consumed by me. And I’m distracted by the internet. I try to disconnect from the router and focus on Word only but I need to know all of the news around the world in every online news publication. So I write in the fashion to come back to edit later. Not the kind of killer precision and mining-words-from-the-back-of-the-mind writing employed in typewriting. I want the internet to time out on my personal computer after twenty minutes of usage and for it to tell me to "cop on and get busy." I need help with distraction management. Can’t the technology genii invent a special kind of computer for procrastinating, hard slog-dodging writers like myself?

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Aimee Levey is Irish and based in Greenford, London. She has just finished her first novel and is currently seeking a literary agent. She has written poetry (thirty poems in all), songs, two TV pilot episodes with follow up episodes. 

In the last few years she has been focusing on writing, performing and producing her own plays (Cryptosporidium Town, De Backlan's, Natural State and Harder Please). Chances are you won’t have heard of any of these plays. She has put on shows at the Etc. theatre in Camden and did a full run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2013.


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Would you like to participate in Friday "Speak Out!"? Email your short posts (under 500 words) about women and writing to: marcia[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com for consideration. We look forward to hearing from you!

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2 comments Aimee Levey, Friday Speak Out, novel writing, procrastination