Comments on: Six Techniques to Help Writers Overcome Procrastination http://www.kriscramer.com/six-techniques-to-help-writers-overcome-procrastination/ writing on the edge Sat, 31 Jul 2010 04:42:12 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kris http://www.kriscramer.com/six-techniques-to-help-writers-overcome-procrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-1181 Kris Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:07:13 +0000 http://www.kriscramer.com/?p=5#comment-1181 Hi Anne, You're right, it's not always good to come up with excuses for why you're not writing. Most of the time, it's just a matter of getting over ourselves and making a consistent effort to write every day. For some writers, I think it's a good idea to explore the reasons why they're not writing, to dig deep and uncover the real root of the problem so they can move past it. But, for many writers, that sort of soul-searching can be another form of procrastination. In the end, it all comes down to one thing: write something every day, whether you're motivated or inspired or not. As you described, the simple act of deciding to write and then following through with it for at least a few days in a row is often enough to generate the momentum to get us writing every day. ~Kris Hi Anne,
You're right, it's not always good to come up with excuses for why you're not writing. Most of the time, it's just a matter of getting over ourselves and making a consistent effort to write every day.

For some writers, I think it's a good idea to explore the reasons why they're not writing, to dig deep and uncover the real root of the problem so they can move past it. But, for many writers, that sort of soul-searching can be another form of procrastination.

In the end, it all comes down to one thing: write something every day, whether you're motivated or inspired or not. As you described, the simple act of deciding to write and then following through with it for at least a few days in a row is often enough to generate the momentum to get us writing every day.

~Kris

]]> By: Anne http://www.kriscramer.com/six-techniques-to-help-writers-overcome-procrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-1175 Anne Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:40:03 +0000 http://www.kriscramer.com/?p=5#comment-1175 I find that the worst thing to do when you can't write, is to make up excuses and explanations for Why You Can't Write. I've hardly written at all the past year, because I was too busy, university takes away all my energy and creativity and I had Other Stuff to do. This month, I'm taking part in the mini_nanowrimo challenge on livejournal because it's a bit of a tradition by now and the entries appear on my friend-page anyway so why not? And lo and behold; Since the start of the month november I've been writing every day. I've decided I would write and I simply did. It's not all fabulous and it's not all incredibly creative but some of it has been. Basically all I had to do to get over the fact that I wasn't able to write, was getting rid of the idea that I wasn't able to write. In the past nine days I've been sick and I've had exams and papers to hand in and those would all have made perfect excuses for Not Writing. But I decided I was going to write and I did. That said, I absolutely love this entry. The exercises mentioned sound like fun and may of the things you say are very true. Thank you very much. I find that the worst thing to do when you can't write, is to make up excuses and explanations for Why You Can't Write. I've hardly written at all the past year, because I was too busy, university takes away all my energy and creativity and I had Other Stuff to do.

This month, I'm taking part in the mini_nanowrimo challenge on livejournal because it's a bit of a tradition by now and the entries appear on my friend-page anyway so why not?

And lo and behold; Since the start of the month november I've been writing every day. I've decided I would write and I simply did. It's not all fabulous and it's not all incredibly creative but some of it has been. Basically all I had to do to get over the fact that I wasn't able to write, was getting rid of the idea that I wasn't able to write. In the past nine days I've been sick and I've had exams and papers to hand in and those would all have made perfect excuses for Not Writing. But I decided I was going to write and I did.

That said, I absolutely love this entry. The exercises mentioned sound like fun and may of the things you say are very true. Thank you very much.

]]> By: Kris http://www.kriscramer.com/six-techniques-to-help-writers-overcome-procrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-5 Kris Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:49:00 +0000 http://www.kriscramer.com/?p=5#comment-5 Hi Nagesh, I completely agree. I've been using that approach lately whenever I can't find the motivation to finish a particular writing project. I've found if I just sit down and write anything at all, even something unrelated to the project at hand, the words eventually start to flow and I'm able to finish what I started. ~ Kris Hi Nagesh,
I completely agree. I've been using that approach lately whenever I can't find the motivation to finish a particular writing project. I've found if I just sit down and write anything at all, even something unrelated to the project at hand, the words eventually start to flow and I'm able to finish what I started.
~ Kris

]]> By: Nagesh Belludi http://www.kriscramer.com/six-techniques-to-help-writers-overcome-procrastination/comment-page-1/#comment-3 Nagesh Belludi Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:55:15 +0000 http://www.kriscramer.com/?p=5#comment-3 One of the easiest ways to tackle our why-do now-what-I-can-do-later habit is to make a beginning. One practice I have adopted is to commit to work for just 10 minutes on a task I have been procrastinating on or an article/essay I have been putting-off. I realize that beginning a task can build momentum; there is a good chance I get absorbed in the tasks. Quite often, seemingly difficult tasks get easier once I get working on them. One of the easiest ways to tackle our why-do now-what-I-can-do-later habit is to make a beginning. One practice I have adopted is to commit to work for just 10 minutes on a task I have been procrastinating on or an article/essay I have been putting-off. I realize that beginning a task can build momentum; there is a good chance I get absorbed in the tasks. Quite often, seemingly difficult tasks get easier once I get working on them.

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