writermag.com • The Writer | 37a perpetual nosedive, and I don’t know how to
pull up and out of it.
WHAT TO DO: You move forward by moving
forward. Too often we are looking for some piece
of information or insight or idea that will move us
forward when, in fact, most of the time we have to
just proceed even without enough information.
- “How long should it take me to write an
essay?” I once asked my mentor, frustrated by
the slow pace at which I was making forward
progress. “As long as it takes you,” she
answered. This was unhelpful, since my real
question was, “What’s the secret key to unlock-
ing this essay and why are you hiding it from
me?” But you can’t hurry the process or make
the process something it isn’t. So much of writ-
ing comes down to trusting that you will figure
out the way by keeping your rear in the chair. - Gift yourself not just the time but also the
patience to figure things out. - Forgive yourself for not being amazing at this.
Just keep going and trust that there will even-
tually be a light at the end of the tunnel.
15
PROBLEM: You are addicted to
social media or other distrac-
tions and, sorry, you’re not sorry.
We are all addicted to the intermittent reinforce-
ment of alerts, messages, and breaking news.
Unfortunately, the very instrument upon which
we do our work is also the thing that delivers
these alerts. Studies have shown that it takes us 20
minutes to return to our task with full concentra-
tion after checking email one time.
WHAT TO DO: These strategies can help you
maintain focus and avoid the siren call of online
distractions.
- Do your research before you write a word. If
you research as you write, you’ll constantly be
flipping back and forth between online and
off, and more likely to get pulled in different
directions as you find new things that catch
your attention. If, during the actual writing,
you discover additional things you need to
look up, make a note of them at the bottom of
your document (or on paper) and move on.
You can fill in the blanks later. - Turn off the internet. If shutting down your
browser isn’t enough, actually disconnect the
cable or unplug your modem. Or go some-
where where there’s no Wi-Fi and write on a
laptop. (Don’t worry. The internet will still be there when
you get back.)
+ Use a distraction-minimizing app. Writeroom and
Writer.app are two good ones. Basically, these programs
are for writing text...and nothing else. They block out
the rest of your computer with a black (or otherwise
faded) background.
+ Shut down everything – that means your mail program,
messaging apps on your phone, games – everything.
+ Turn off the radio and TV. Background noise is almost
never a good thing for a writer.
+ Clear your desk. Visual clutter is a subconscious distrac-
tion. Instead of spending time sorting through your papers
(a distraction-lover’s distraction), collect them in a pile
and put them in a drawer or another room to sort through
later. Same thing with pens and knickknacks and other
clutter – toss them in a drawer and sort them out later.
+ Tell others when you’re in Do Not Disturb mode. If you
have a certain time of the day when you write, let every-
one know when that is so they can save their questions or
interruptions for when you’re finished working.
+ Take breaks. Not too many, not too few. Move around
for five minutes every hour, and then get back to writ-
ing. It’s great if you can take a break at a place in your
process when you know what comes next. Taking a
break when you are stuck can make it much harder to
return to the work.
+ Know what helps YOU get back to work. For me, going
for a walk often means I return with a new (and kinder)
perspective. Some people swear by mundane tasks like
laundry or ironing.
+ How can you make what you’re doing more fun, or at
least more tolerable? Often I write better on days when I
have a fun thing planned in the evening. I’m looking for-
ward to it, so it becomes my reward for staying focused.When all else fails...
Go to conferences! It helps to meet like-minded people with
similar goals and challenges.
Success builds on itself. Have you had success in the past?
Do you have wonderful acceptance letters or even encourag-
ing rejection letters? Read over these. Post the most encour-
aging ones where you can see them.
Have gratitude for what’s working. Celebrate when you
meet one of the small goals you set for yourself. If you don’t
celebrate the small successes, it can feel hopeless, like you
are having no success at all.Dana Shavin’s essays have appeared in Oxford American, Psychology
Today, The Sun, Bark, Fourth Genre, Alaska Quarterly Review, Parade.com,
and others. She has been a lifestyle columnist for the Chattanooga Times
Free Press since 2002. She is the author of a memoir, The Body Tourist, and
is a certified professional life coach. A complete list of publications can be
found at danashavin.com.