Writer Distractions

It never fails. I get to the good part, and I develop a strong need to go get a drink of water. I always think of a little kid at bedtime screaming, "I'm thirsty." I get up, pour 1/8 of a glass of water. Because, when I got up, I had nearly a full glass. And I trudge back to the desk.

Oh, email. I might have gotten an important email in the last fifteen minutes. I check all three accounts, usually nothing or junk mail I just delete. Thirty minutes later, after reading several news stories about people I don't know and didn't need to know about, I realize I should be writing.

I pull up my WIP and think of something else to do. Why do I do this? I am not alone. I've read other writers that talk about finding other things to do besides write. Writers that struggle with distractions always have sparkling clean toilets. I imagine real writers have messy houses. There have been just a few times in my brief writing career that I was so focused, I didn't have a problem with distractions.

I'm still trying to figure out how I got that focused and how to get it back. When I find out, I'll be sure to blog about it.

I'm the type of person that tends to go to extremes. I see I have this problem, so I'll do something about it. What can I do? You may ask. I can duck tape myself to my chair. I like my chair. I really don't want to do that. I can write a reminder sticky note. "Don't get up unless the house is on fire or you are about to go in your britches." I have many sticky notes. It won't take long until it goes unnoticed. Plus, that isn't in the category of extreme. I like extreme.

I rearranged my bedroom/office yesterday. Not because I wanted to, but because I am getting a new printer and I decided to change my desk area a bit. (I'll blog about my printer once I get it)

As I was deciding where my new printer will go, I thought I needed a new table. I didn't want to splurge for a table so I walked around the house to see what I already have that would work. Boy, did I find a solution. I have a small refrigerator that looks like a safe. That will be my new printer stand. Not only that, but I can no longer get up to get a drink because if I need one, it is beside me. It is a constant reminder that I don't need anything. I need to finish my WIP.

My soul knows I am a writer. So, forget everything else, and enjoy writing, even when I get to that difficult scene that makes me think.