Writer's Procrastination

 

Here I am in the blogosphere with my very first blog. Now what do I write about?  Insert procrastination here! Procrastination inserted!

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Yesterday, I went to my favorite shop Barnes and Noble. I opened the doors and inhaled the aroma of Starbucks coffee while looking at the display of newly released books. I got excited knowing that I would soon be getting my fix, much the same way a junkie must get excited to see his drug filled needle.

 I instinctively walked over to the section that held the books that are written for writers (This section is much too small.) My fingers ran over the binders as I read the titles. My heart dropped. I have most of these books. Was there nothing new? Then I found it, the perfect book for me, Around the Writer’s Block, Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance, by Rosanne Bane. Under the title it said; Including, Writers Block (yes. yes, I’m blocked), Procrastination (yes, this is me), Paralysis (how did she know?), Distractions (damn cat!), Postponing, Perfectionism, Self-Sabotage, Excessive Criticism, Overscheduling, and Endlessly Delaying Your Writing.  Wow, this Rosanne Bane understands me. I greedily grabbed the book and grabbed a coffee just as greedily, and knew that my habit had been satisfied, at least for a week.

As I was flipping through the pages of Bane’s book I realized that if a book has been published about writer’s procrastination then I must not be the only one out there with this debilitating problem. In fact, there must be many writers with this problem. It consoled me to know that I was not alone.

I settled in at my desk, turned my computer on (because I knew that there would be writing prompts) and I opened Bane’s book.  Chapter 1 (this is as far as I have read) Bane writes about writer’s resistance, how it is normal and how she has proven practices to overcome writer’s resistance. She can get us procrastinators/resistors into the writing habit.  This Rosanne Bane is awesome I thought to myself. I got to the end of chapter 1 where my first writing prompt or challenge as Bane calls it. I closed the book, positioned my fingers over the computers keyboard and……….Nothing.  All this nothingness made me hungry. I went to the kitchen and got some lunch and never did return to the writing challange.

I know that there are people who can relate to my problem. How do they get over it?

At least I should give myself credit that I did finish this blog post (OMG is anyone going to read this?) I finished my bio too. But these are things I have to do in order to pass my class. If only writing a book could be a class. I could write a book if it depended on a grade. Good idea!

 

Bio

I am a SNHU online student majoring in English/Creative Writing Fiction. Writing has been my passion and dream since I was 12 years old. at which time I sent a query letter to a publishing company about a story that I was working on. The story was set in the year 2020, a time that the earth had become overpopulated and people were being shipped to live on another planet. I amazingly recieved a response from the publishing company stating that they would read my manuscript when I finished it. I never did finish it, because not only am I a writer, but I am the worlds best procrastinator.

So, while I write, procrastinate, and study writing, I also work as a home health aid, caring for people who physically or mentally are unable to care for themselves. This work is as rewarding as writing is.

I am a breast cancer survivor. I thank God for every healthy day that I have.

I live in Massachusetts with my husband, son and an array of animals, including a chocolate lab who has recently taken to non stop howling when I leave him.