I've decided to make Saturdays (and a couple of other days, which I haven't settled on) essentially a no-surf zone. Except for checking email, I'm really trying to keep off the internet (laughable, since I've just been through 1/2 dozen sites/message-boards. heh). But this year has really been about turning my life around in many ways. Not that my life was crap, but I was letting a lot of negative things/people and stressors have a pretty paralyzing effect on me. Now things are getting done, there's more balance in my life, things are being achieved. I even have that 1, 5, 10 year goal things sort of happening. lol.
Anywho, staying off the internet means being on the computer = writing, not surfing. And that was another goal of mine this year. I just wanted to finish a ms. At this point that doesn't seem like it's going to happen, but I don't want to be back in the zone re writing constantly/regularly.
I'll post a joke in a sec.
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16 comments:
No surfing days sounds like a great idea. There was a great interview with Nora Roberts in the RWR recently she was asked about how she deals with Distractions. Her answer was basically. How serious are you? Treat it liek a job, not a hobby, and do the work.
It gave me the kick in the pants I needed. LOL
Good Luck!
Vanessa, I'm going to have to go on an internet diet, too. I have to finish a book that I'm working on. Can't do that surfing. I think I'm going to take the NEO and work away from home. That's the only way to finish a manuscript. BTW, I think you have plenty of time to finish your book before the end of the year, as long as you don't let distractions interfere. :D
This is a tune I'm hearing more & more, lol.
A no-surf day is a great idea.
So is a good joke. (cough, cough...)
It's why I take Bertie to the coffee shop to write. No distractions. It only works during the school year, though, and not at all while dh is home.
Sash, I read that interview. Sometimes I think it *is* that easy. Just do it, right? :-P
But every writer is different. For every Nora Roberts, there's a Laura Kinsale. I believe she(Laura) has one book finished and is currently writing the second one, without a contract. Not that she can't get a contract, but seems like all the publishers want her to sign a 2-book deal. Rather than put herself under the stress on meeting deadlines--which kills her muse/creativity--she's going to present the pubishers with fait accompli. lol.
At least the process of getting into the habit is half way there. Not even opening your document, or opening it, but giving a half-ass effort ::coughblushcough:: is just self-defeating.
lol. You know, after I posted, I went out to do some errands, and I thought that I actually could finish (or almost finish) the wip. If I wrote 25 pages per week, that's 100 pages per month, there's 4 months left to the end of the year. So, yeah, doable. ;-)
Raine, sometimes the internet begins to feel like collective navel grazing. lol.
Erm, I'll probably post a joke later.... ;-)
I have tyo admit, I find the idea of writing it, then presenting it to the publisher very appealing. It's wierd, being able to sell on proposal was a goal, but now I think it might not be the best thing for my own creativity as well. I guess we all need to find what works for *us*. :)
The thing with my Quincy is, I can writer quite a bit on it, but then I take forever combing through it, and revising to make the whole cohesive, and for me to feel 'anchored'. I'm a revise/edit as I go writer, that's just me and part of my process. I know some people get stuck in this way, going over and over the same section, but I only get stuck if the section is wrong. ONce its right, my eye starts skimming as I read and I move on. It's the same reason why BIAW challenges don't work for me either. :-P
But..... Quincy is still better than not getting any writing done at all.
LOL. Simulposted, Sash! I don't know if I'd go to the extremes of Laura. ;-P Then again she quit writing for 10 years because she was so burnt out with the book-a-year schedule, so I understand that 'self-preservation' mode.
I really don't want to write more than 1 book a year or every 8 months, say. Since it's not necessarily my dream (although it would be nice) to be a full-time writer, I think this is a realistic goal.
This is exactly why I bought a quickpad. SHould be here by the end of the week! Unfortunatey no-surfing from work is tough, but I'm working on it. And I only need three pages a day to make my goal =)
I need an internet and tv diet myself.
I went without blog hopping for like a month and a half. I did get some writing done, but I also never felt like I rested. I like the idea of a one day off kinda thing, esp since I seem to be an all or nothing kinda gal.
Wishing you luck on the writing!
Dee
I'm with ya girl.
You can do it!!!
"...Unfortunatey no-surfing from work is tough..."
Ahem.
I know.... ;-)
To be honest if my office still allowed blogger and MSN ::coughcoughHiDee&Katcoughcough:: I'd never get any work done. gg
"....esp since I seem to be an all or nothing kinda gal..."
Naw. Really? ;-) The weekend didn't quite turn out as I planned. i didn't get as much writing done as I wanted, but I got a shitload of other stuff done. This morning it dawned on me that my 'to-do' list was completed & up-date. So of course, by lunch-time I foun a bunch of other stuff to add to it. lol.
But... I did lug my lap top to work and I worked on the wip on my lunchbreak. Part of my problem is I'm 'fixing' all the pages I downloaded from my Quickpad. :-P
Kat, I'm trying to do it. Feels like I'm learning all over again what works for me and what doesn't.
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