| Procrastination is one of the biggest reasons first | | | | change your writing time. |
| drafts don't get finished. I know this first hand. I | | | | At which point during your day do you feel least |
| can't even tell you how many stories I've started | | | | distracted? Maybe it's first thing in the morning |
| and then never finished. I think the reason for this | | | | before you do anything else. Maybe it's sitting |
| is simple - I would begin to think of it as work, | | | | down for an hour before bed and getting a few |
| rather than entertainment. | | | | pages finished. Any time is better than no time. |
| The minute writing stops being fun, it becomes a | | | | Maybe you can only afford to spend 20 minutes |
| chore, and therefore, you'll be less likely to do it. | | | | a day on writing. That's okay, too, as long as you |
| The way I've gotten past this is just as simple - | | | | get in the habit of doing it every day. |
| look at writing as entertainment. Once you get | | | | What works best for me is writing right before |
| into your story and the characters become real | | | | bed. Usually I'll go to bed an hour or two early, |
| to you, you'll begin to look forward to sitting | | | | and bring my laptop. I seem to do my best |
| down every day to your writing. To me, it's like | | | | writing at this time of day. Maybe it's because I've |
| watching my favorite TV show, only I get to | | | | had all day to think about what I'm going to write. |
| decide what happens and how it ends. To me, this | | | | By the time 9 o clock rolls around, I can't wait to |
| is more fun than any other thing. | | | | climb into bed with my laptop and write for a |
| Sure, it's easy to get sidetracked making dinner, | | | | couple of hours. |
| or playing with your kids, or going out with | | | | Another thing to consider - how exciting is your |
| friends, or even watching the latest episode of | | | | story? If you're having a hard time getting into |
| Lost. There will always be distractions. That is | | | | your story, perhaps the reader will, too. You |
| unavoidable. What you can avoid is letting these | | | | might want to consider adding an element of |
| distractions ruin your chances of becoming a | | | | excitement to it. Every story can benefit from a |
| writer. Don't let them take away from your | | | | little action, or a little romance, or a little mystery. |
| writing time. If your writing time is every evening | | | | If you're excited to write about it, your readers |
| at 7, but you end up getting distracted and | | | | will be excited to read it, too. Happy writing! |
| watching American Idol, maybe it would help to | | | | |