Procrastination, Thy Name Is...

(This post originally appeared at Raine Delight's Blog.)

Crafting. Jam. Giving the dog a bath. Sweeping the dust bunnies out from under the bed. Daydreaming. Alphabetizing the books on your shelf. Cleaning the closet. Washing the walls. Baking bread. These are all things I do to avoid sitting at the computer and getting down to business.

I’m a procrastinator. Always have been. In college, I was the one sitting up till dawn working on the paper that was due in just hours. Since I commuted 80 miles to my university, time management was a bit of a problem. I’m sure there’s a relevant psychological theory about people like me, but right now, I’m not worried about bills and term papers, I’m thinking about the book I should be writing.

Years ago, I was hired to write a play for a local theatre. The hitch was that the play was cast and already in rehearsal when I came on board. The director had a basic idea of what he wanted as well as some rudimentary dialogue, but it was up to me to show up at rehearsal every night…script in hand.

I didn’t have time to procrastinate or not produce. But still, I’d find my days being wasted by distractions. I’d start making soap or polishing my shoes. I’d watch a TV or take a nap. By four o’ clock, I was on the computer frantically composing, printing and then rushing to the theatre to make copies. I remember there was one day when I was sitting on a sofa, literally staring at the wall. My mother came through, looked at me and said, “What are you doing?” I thought for a moment and answered, “I’m working.” That moment was a revelation. All the distractions, diversions and avoidance were part of my creative process.

So back to that book I should be writing; it’s not crashing in on me just yet, but I feel guilty because I’m not using my time well. I’m not getting words on the page. But is it time wasted? Again, my mother asked one of those questions. She wanted to know what my next book was going to be about. Well, I sat and told her. That’s when it occurred to me that I’d already created the story, all that remained was to compose it.

The creative mind is mysterious and complex. Pay attention to your writing patterns, what seems to be procrastination or wasting time might actually be your creative subconscious at work. I think of all those dozens of history papers that were always completed right at the edge of their deadline; none ever scored less than a “B” grade. They always went in on time. In reality, I’d done the research and organization, all that was left was the writing. I recall all the guilt associated with running so late, and really, it was misplaced. Yes, I probably can (and often do) work with more efficiency, but the point is, what works for me might not work for you, and visa-versa. I can mentally organize and outline a novella…without so much as a note. But I have a heck of a time getting ready for a trip without a rigid “to do” list. I know other writers who rigorously outline and work a very organized, structured day. That’s just not me.

How does your mind work? Do you get sidelined by guilt over what you think is writer’s block? Perhaps your mind is approaching the task differently than you realize. Guilt is non-productive. Give yourself a break. You might be getting more done than you realize. J

What to do when Nothing Else Works

It’s bound to happen to all of us at some point. You hit the wall and you are going to miss a deadline. It can be a fierce case of writer’s block, or perhaps Real Life rears its ugly head. You might come down with the swine flu or a member of the family has a crisis. The point is, your writing comes to a dead stop and there’s nothing you can do about it.

With me, its usually family issues; I caregive for my disabled niece and my elderly mother. Burnout is common among caregivers, and I’m no exception to that rule. I’ve hit that invisible wall more than once.

You stay up late at night, struggling to get words on the page. You cram in a little on your breaks or even on the job. The point I’m making is that sometimes we lose control, and it isn’t pretty. So what does a writer do?

First, communicate. Tell your editor or your publisher. Co-writers if you have them. Please don’t labor in isolation. These are the people who not only rely on you, but have the tools to help you surmount the problem. They might help you gain a few extra days or even reschedule the project.

Second, look objectively at the problem. How many words per day do you have to hit to make your deadline? Can you approach your writing differently? I had a friend who had to write a novel in a shockingly short period of time. She turned to Randy Ingermasson’s Snowflake Method to help her construct her story, and then write it. Her editor was aware of the time constraint and helped her with the extra editing and polishing the manuscript required.

Third, be realistic. Things don’t always go as we plan. If you have a contest or other hard deadline that isn’t contracted, you might simply have to accept that you won’t be able to participate. Just remember, there are lots and lots of contests and calls for submission out there. If you missed a call for an anthology, consider submitting the story as a stand alone. If you don’t have Plan B, then make one.

It’s a terrible feeling to fall short of your obligations, and that in itself can hold you back. For the future, reconsider how you manage your writing. I know that if there’s a hard deadline, I’ll stress, worry and ultimately procrastinate till the last minute. Knowing that about myself, I rarely sign a contract before I have a first draft in hand. I also know that I don’t write well during the fall and winter, so that’s the time of year I focus on editing and promotion.

Know yourself, look at long range goals as well as short term goals and leave enough space in your calendar for change. By doing so, you’ll be able to survive the bad times and shine when things are dim.

Happy Tails!

Belinda

The Care and Feeding of a Romance Author: What Are You Putting In Your Mouth?

There is absolutely no doubt that your physical and mental well-being contribute to your creativity as a writer. In spite of the romantic mythos of the starving artist or tortured poet, the reality is that if you feel good, you will be more creative and productive. A major...and possibly the most important factor in health is food.

I'm not a nutritionist, but I've had about five years of working in nutrition programs within our community. Most of my work was with preschool age children and their parents, so my training was very basic, step one nutrition.

What I'm going to talk about in this post are foods that you can add to your diet if you haven't already. They've been proven to support your health, reduce your cancer risk, and contribute to your brain health.

First is your fruits and veggies. Color your plate with variety. You can have a romaine salad, and its certainly good for you, but if you add vibrantly colored vegetables and fruits to the mix, you're adding in a variety of beneficial phytochemicals. In my opinion, you just can't have enough leafy greens, purples, oranges, whites and reds. I love to put fruit into my salads, so I dump in a salad mix with spinach, then cut up grapes, strawberries, apples, and so forth. Since I'm on Weight Watchers, I try to avoid croutons, but throw in a few almonds instead. I also add protein in the form of chicken, turkey or beans. Yum. Also, a salad is a good place to slip in your healthy oils. Make a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I love raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

Steam our nuke your vegetable, and try not to overcook. I love the Thai Ginger Carrots from Trader Joe's. Look for funky ways to season and present your green beans and broccoli. Since its summer, skip the cheesecake dessert and opt for fruit in season. The closest thing to ambrosia that I've ever tasted was pineapple in Hong Kong. It was...orgasmic. My traveling companions were really embarrassed by my behavior.

Next is fiber. Over the past few years, carbs got a really bad rap. Its true that we really don't need refined carbohydrates. Sugar, white flour and processed foods don't do you a lot of good. So, avoid white and opt for whole grains. You can get whole grain pasta, bread, brown rice and so forth. Complex carbohydrates provide energy for the long term, rather than the immediate rush/crash of simple carbs. If you were raised on white, just give it a try; mix your pasta 50/50, try a few different types of bread. Opt for honey over sugar, if you need sweetener. Don't give up after trying just once or twice.

Fiber also performs miracles in the digestive tract. It's been shown to reduce constipation/diarrhea, some fibers (oat, in particular) might lower bad cholesterol. It can reduce the chance of colo-rectal cancer. It also assists in weight loss, as high fiber foods are more filling. Fruits, vegetables and vegetable proteins (beans, etc) also provide healthy amounts of fiber. I love steel cut oatmeal, pancakes made with whole grain/multi-grain flour and all sorts of grain cereals.

Water and fluids. Not coffee, not soda or juice, but look into the health benefits of water or green, black or white tea. I promise you, drink your 8 glasses of water daily, and your mind will be clearer. You'll learn to discern hunger from thirst. I find that I lose more weight when I'm downing plenty of liquids. It will support your immune system, improve the quality of your skin and assist with mental clarity.

The more researchers study tea, (particularly green tea) the more amazing the beverage is. I know that if I drink a lot of green tea before and during trips overseas, I rarely get sick while I'm traveling or when I get home. Try a few varieties. I love Trader Joe's Green, but my favorite tea is classic oolong. Try to brew your own so you can adjust the strength of the tea to your taste.

We all know there are loads and loads of foods to avoid, but I decided to approach this with things to add to your diet, because if you increase the good, you'll naturally reduce the bad.

Will good health and nutrition help with writer's block? I believe that it does. Try it, head out to the farmer's market. The outing will give you some fresh air and exercise. The food will bring a healthy variety to your diet. Experiment. My current nutritional fetish is fresh fruit smoothies. I freeze bananas and strawberries, throw in some yogurt, soy protein powder and soy milk, and whip it up. Dayum! Its a party in your mouth!