Writing time today was spent in a mix of actually writing and staring into space, which is definitely considered part of writing. I have it on good authority from a few published authors that it’s absolutely crucial to the process.

And I’ve got it down pat. Because it went something like this:

Page through WIP. Realize, according to On Writing and PBW and other sources that you’re not supposed to go back and reread what you have on the page, because it stops your momentum. Realize that you know this to be a fact because you have indeed lost all momentum and are instead staring lovingly at the chapters you have. Big mistake.

Move to putting head down on desk, just for a second in attempt to rectify mistake. (If you’re looking for logic, you are in the wrong place.) Stare at pink sticky note reminding you to ‘buy a power-strip.’ Realize sticky note is from 2003 and you have survived for two years without needing said power strip. Refuse to take down sticky note, since someday you might actually take the reminder to heart.

Head up. Move the cursor down to the places in the WIP that need fixing. Out-of-order writing has commenced. Begin piecing together chapters here and there to find coherent flow.

Send out a few emails to see if there are other people out there procrastinating, because there must be some law on record that writing for fifteen, off for fifteen is a great way to work. When no one answers emails, surf blogs. Wonder where Sharon is. See Alison planning on writing book in month. Take Larissa’s quiz, only to have it not match my personality at all. Remind self to tell Jaq that I’m working on having her comments not get held up in moderation and write it on pink sticky note.

Head is on the desk again. Obviously, my blood sugar is low. Ice Cream would work.

Head up. Move a few paragraphs around and become amazed with self that things written out of order fit together so nicely. Decide I deserve reward but am too into WIP now to stop.

Realize Jake is trying to take over book. Find evidence of this in lines like: If Jake wasn’t happy, no one on the team was happy. Decide that Jake must not be allowed to get too happy.

Allow self to be pulled away by an email from Larissa, knowing I can rest all blame on her. Find another email from random person at Blog Explosion who enjoyed my blog but wishes comments were open. She lectures me that blogs are more fun if they are interactive. Wonder why everyone but this woman can see comments are open and decide not to worry about it for now.

Force self back into WIP even though everything I write looks suspiciously like this: “Blah blah blah blah blah.” Email Larissa immediately to share this crucial piece of information.

Have pieced together entire chapter of WIP. Find self rereading chapter and decide I need to be stopped.

Decide I must immediately discover how to work the new TiVo thingy on my cable box. This involves leaving office and heading downstairs, where the ice cream is also located. Ha. Who says I can’t multi-task? Am so organized.

After three minutes, realize that reading TiVo directions is no more fun than editing paragraphs and, is in fact, disturbingly like solving a math equation. Head back to computer with ice cream.

Repeat entire process several times.

Steph T.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 17th, 2005 at 11:29 pm and is filed under Writing Process. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.