tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post7477676640482412754..comments2024-03-29T10:59:34.918-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: The Thief of TimeJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-73378865561580820842016-01-24T09:04:20.159-05:002016-01-24T09:04:20.159-05:00It depends on the task, Kait. Some, I rip right th...It depends on the task, Kait. Some, I rip right through. Others, like insurance papers or something, I look at on my desk, get up, and do something--anything but them. It's not so much procrastination, but total avoidance. I eventually get around to them, but I may make a lame excuse to whomever wants them. Too bad! What is important to me gets done first. <br /><br />However--when I apply that to my manuscripts, I feel that unless I have a big block of time--I won't do them justice. Manuscripts are so complex, I don't want to mess them up because of inattention or distraction. I'd feel as if I were giving less than my best effort. Even as I write this, I'm not alone and a vacuum is droning in the background. When do I have time to myself to concentrate? It's not procrastination. It's work that requires more than evidently I can give right now. And yes, I am frustrated.E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-13416694335503996722016-01-23T20:57:39.362-05:002016-01-23T20:57:39.362-05:00Gloria, I make multiple lists too. And end up cros...Gloria, I make multiple lists too. And end up crossing off only half or so (and I've been known to include stuff I have done--never hurts to jump start things.) I see a lot of value in the link between procrastination and creativity. Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54002197412431839302016-01-23T20:55:22.008-05:002016-01-23T20:55:22.008-05:00Warren, you are SO right!Warren, you are SO right!Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-35578883225724236302016-01-23T14:42:13.260-05:002016-01-23T14:42:13.260-05:00I'm the queen of procrastinators. :-) Every tw...I'm the queen of procrastinators. :-) Every two weeks or so, I make long column lists of things to do on a large legal pad. I feel good using a marker to show what I've accomplished. However, I never even get half of what I planned to do done. I've been known to decide to clean a closet when I should be getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner in a few days. Of course, that was long ago. Cleaning closets rarely gets on any list and wouldn't be crossed off if it did. Loved the comment that procrastinators are more creative. Now I have a reason for not feeling so bad about procrastination, which reminds me I still have three thank you cards to send for Christmas gifts.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-494606424883429692016-01-23T13:58:39.493-05:002016-01-23T13:58:39.493-05:00Sometimes the distractions prove to be worthwhile ...Sometimes the distractions prove to be worthwhile on their own.Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-27367486000051950622016-01-23T13:57:12.759-05:002016-01-23T13:57:12.759-05:00Ah, Shari, I know what you mean. If I may make a s...Ah, Shari, I know what you mean. If I may make a suggestion--I discovered a free program called pacemaker. It lets me set my daily, monthly weekly whatever deadlines, chart my progress (Pavlov would have loved me) and keeps me well on track. Check it out, you may like it too. http://pacemaker.press/, and it's free! I'm sure there's a paid version, but this one works great.Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-24415837166363046162016-01-23T13:54:42.065-05:002016-01-23T13:54:42.065-05:00KM, I don't think you are a procrastinator! I ...KM, I don't think you are a procrastinator! I think that's just life getting in the way of intentions. I've learned that it's usually best to let the characters take the lead when they want to. They seem to have hidden agendas that befuddle us all until we learn to trust them.<br />Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-86649195958419444712016-01-23T13:33:10.106-05:002016-01-23T13:33:10.106-05:00I like Jim's take on this. I'm not procras...I like Jim's take on this. I'm not procrastinating, I'm keeping my options open. :)<br />I love deadlines - they really concentrate the mind. It's just having a deadline for a huge project (say a novel) isn't that helpful. July seems so luxuriously far away right now. So I have to create my own deadlines to put my back to the wall, as Margaret put it. I have a wonderful editor who will be taking a look at my work in progress in February well before I have to send it to the publisher. I blame my former career in newspapering for this addiction to last-minute adrenaline.Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-81049316978775558332016-01-23T13:22:15.961-05:002016-01-23T13:22:15.961-05:00In my writing, I generally know how a story (or no...In my writing, I generally know how a story (or novel) is going to start, sometimes some things that will happen in the middle, and how it is going to end, but very few of the details.<br /><br />And my characters sometimes utterly refuse to do what I want them to. Which makes for interesting changes.<br /><br />Most days, bedtime comes, and I haven't accomplished any where near what I wanted to. But I don't let it stress me out--tomorrow's another day.<br /><br />Does that make me a procrastinator? KM Rockwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03973749764907859829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-77060193580852219822016-01-23T11:40:49.296-05:002016-01-23T11:40:49.296-05:00So true, Margaret! Isn't it amazing how lack o...So true, Margaret! Isn't it amazing how lack of options = inspiration! Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-56561516740947035752016-01-23T11:38:04.965-05:002016-01-23T11:38:04.965-05:00Perfect example, Jim. That one new bit of informat...Perfect example, Jim. That one new bit of information that changes everything. I am learning though that juggling requires earlier decisions, but I will still hold off on the send button until the last minute. Just in case that last bit of inspiration/information arrives.<br />Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07758348842858993203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-22009565171079544032016-01-23T09:13:26.841-05:002016-01-23T09:13:26.841-05:00Yes, I procrastinate, big time. Which is why I'...Yes, I procrastinate, big time. Which is why I'm pounding the keyboard and simultaneously serving dinner many evenings. Back to the wall = most creative, inspired thinking. Though I'm slowly getting better with plotting.Margaret S. Hamiltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07979191318652199350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-67835810079767781032016-01-23T06:10:30.042-05:002016-01-23T06:10:30.042-05:00In Myers-Briggs social styles I am rated “Perceivi...In Myers-Briggs social styles I am rated “Perceiving” rather than “Judging.” In short it means I’d prefer to keep my options open as long as possible – which some might refer to as procrastinating. Fortunately, I have strong trait for making a decision when it really needs to be made and then moving on.<br /><br />All of which is to say, the tension of leaving a decision unmade is fine, even preferable, for me because you never know when a new piece of information will change everything and provide a much better answer than whatever choice I would have made earlier.<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.com