I haven’t done much writing this month.
Again.
But it’s not really my fault. You see, I have a bit of a problem with dragons.
There are five of them in my study. They’re procrastination dragons, and it’s taking me a long time to get them trained.
I’ll sit at my desk and turn on the computer, but while it’s loading, the first dragon, Guilt, will creep out of its hiding place.
“Isn’t there something better you should be doing with your time?” it hisses.
And I’ll remember that I haven’t loaded the washing-machine, or tidied my bedroom, or made that telephone call… and before I know it, my writing time is used up finishing chores I could have dealt with later.
I’ve trained Guilt by telling myself that this is my set time for writing – in our house, there’s usually a quiet time in the afternoons which suits my need for uninterrupted silence.
But out rolls my second dragon, Greed.
“It’s nearly lunchtime,” it says. “You’re hungry. How about getting a sandwich and a drink, before you sit down?” Once I’m in the kitchen, of course, I soon find endless food-related distractions. I’ll decide to clear out leftovers from the fridge, rearrange the food cupboards, or make a batch of cakes…
I can’t claim I’ve really trained Greed! But if it’s starting to eat into my productivity, I can keep it under control during my writing time by eating a meal just before I start, and banning all food from my desk, or using my lunch as an incentive by making myself earn each bite with a set number of words.
The third procrastination dragon is Writer’s Block.
“You can’t think what to write,” it moans. “There’s no point sitting here if you haven’t got any ideas.”
Writer’s Block was harder to train, but I found it helped to have several writing projects on the go at the same time, so I could pick the one I felt most ready to work on. I write family history, childhood memoirs, non-fiction and poetry, along with a few short stories if I think of a good idea, so there’s always a project to suit my mood.
Being part of a writers’ group also helps. Teesdale Writers has monthly meetings to focus on our writing, and in between, we have social meetups and writing sessions in local cafés. All the activities are optional, but knowing the next meeting is due in a few days’ time can often create a sense of urgency and spur me on to get something finished – even if it’s not for my main project. Any new writing is good!
If I don’t feel creative, or it’s too noisy to write today, I allow myself to use my writing time for planning: setting up a list of headings and jotting notes under each, so when it comes to doing the actual writing, the job is half done already.
The fourth dragon is the most powerful, and I can’t get it out of my study, no matter how I try. It’s lurking inside my laptop, and it knows exactly how to manipulate me: it’s the Internet.
“Struggling to think? I’ve got plenty of amazing ideas,” it wheedles. “Why not do a bit more research before you write? And don’t forget to check your emails. Ooh, look, three people have asked your opinion on Quora. You’d better answer them so you can add links to your blog and develop your reputation as an expert. Hey, have you seen this interesting article about Being More Productive? You need to read that – you never seem to get much work done.”
Awareness is my main weapon – realising just how much writing time the Internet can gobble. I’ve found the best way to limit my internet use is simple: I hit the Flight Mode button before I start, and if I want to check some information, I don’t check it – I add a note in red, then keep writing.
There’s one last dragon. It’s small, but oh so venomous. It’s Self-Doubt. It sits on my shoulder the whole time, whispering in my ear.
“Why don’t you admit it? You can’t write. Look at this stuff. What were you thinking? This character is sooo clichéd. That phrasing feels clumsy. This part doesn’t even make sense. No one would want to read your opinion, anyway. You’ll never be a writer.”
There’s only one way to train Self-Doubt, I’ve found – just ignore it and keep writing.
Whatever your writing dragons are, they can be trained. As JRR Tolkien wrote in The Hobbit, “So comes snow after fire, and even dragons have their endings.”
But he couldn’t have written that if he’d been loading the washing machine, making cakes or checking his emails.
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Read more about Emily Gillatt-Ball on her website here