Monday Madness: Better Late Than Never

Oops. Yep, I know, I'm late. Sorry. Usually I write these things ahead of time and pre-schedule them to avoid this, but, yeah. I've been busy.

So, this Monday, I would like to talk about procrastination.

Or get around to talking about procrastination. Look! Something shiny!

Ahem. Okay, seriously, procrastination is a writer's best frenemy. It's fuzzy and cuddly and oh-so-much-fun, until you realize that you haven't written two sentences in the three hours you've been on your computer.

So, if you're like me and haven't finished your short story because there are just so many cool websites out there, here are some tips for overcoming procrastination:

1. Stay away from technology. No computer. No TV. No Kindle/e-reader. Not even a radio. Grab some paper, a pen and a hard surface and go at it the old fashioned way. (Also, stay away from windows.)

2. Use Write or Die. This is a handy online tool (and FREE) that will help you overcome writer's block or lack of motivation or both! And did I mention it's free?

3. Have a brainstorm session. By this I mean that you just write whatever pops into your head. Write without editing or worrying if it's good enough.

4. Set yourself a goal with rewards/punishments. For example: If I write 1,000 words today/finish this scene/finish this chapter, I can go have ice cream. If I don't, I have to pick up rocks in the backyard. (But this only works if you're the type to stick to your rewards/punishments. If you have ice cream either way, it defeats the purpose.

So what about you? How do you tackle procrastination?