Two years ago I went on a cruise with my daughter. One day an
area of the ship had a sign up saying Works
in Progress. To ensure the passengers didn’t attempt to access that area
there was also a security guard close to the sign. They were serious about not having
the work disturbed.
There are times I’d like a sign and security guard when I
have a work or several works in progress.
The trouble is, most of my interruptions come from me!
Sometimes the words don’t flow and I look for distractions
to keep me from feeling like a failure. Avoidance doesn’t work forever and
sooner or later I need to focus on my writing. When I force myself to sit down
and actually start, things aren’t nearly as bad as I’d feared.
Other times I have an abundance of ideas. I will write a few
lines, give the piece a working title and save it in a draft file. These drafts
may give me a starting place on the days I’ve run out of fresh inspiration. The
trick is to make enough notes so I remember what my original idea was.
At the moment, I have a few works in progress that I need to
get on with. It’s time to set out my sign, position my inner security guard and
get serious about eliminating distractions. Maybe then I can make some
progress.
I loved this post Tandy! A sign would be a good thing... except as you pointed out, we are often our own worst enemy when it comes to distractions! so clever.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I could put up a sign t keep my distractions away!
DeleteMaking notes in order to remember the original idea is a helpful tip. I must remember to do that. Thanks Tandy!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I look at my notes and wonder what my
Deleteoriginal idea was but other times they come in very handy!
Thanks, Tandy. I like what you say about writing your idea notes and your bonus tip to write enough that you can recognize what you were thinking when you come to your notes. I need to become more methodical with this strategy, because it can definitely come in handy when my mind is as blank as the page I'm staring at.
ReplyDeleteSharon, I learned the hard way that a title isn't always enough to jog my memory! I also have a file of photos labeled 'for future stories' . Sometimes going through these will help me put words on the blank page.
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