Thursday, February 17, 2011

Age of Eden - Procrastination

I can’t really recall the last time I posted something in this blog and that is a horrible feeling. Procrastination is a curse on the writing world. No lie. And I do it almost every day in some form or fashion. It’s ridiculous when you really think about it.

As Stacey has been saying in her last few posts, we’ve started book two in our Age of Eden series and to say things have been slow going would be putting it mildly. Our original plan was to try a different method of writing. A “fly by the seat of our pants and see what happens” method…which, in theory is a respectable way to write a book and it’s something we should still consider as we continue on. However, we have so much planned for the storyline, so many places to visit, so many relationships to explore, and details to fill in, that it’s just not practical to go into our writing completely blind. We’ve started Book two almost three weeks ago and we’ve only completed four chapters. That’s just not acceptable as far as I’m concerned and nothing that I’ve done has served to help our situation at all. Damn procrastination!

I have let everything, but the kitchen sink distract me from focusing on writing. I started to write or research, but then something happens like, “Oh! American Idol is coming on. I’ll write after.” then, “Ohhh! I need to harvest my crops on Cityville. I’ll write after.” Then finally, “I’m too tired to write tonight. I’ll do it tomorrow.” Rinse and repeat. This is how I let stupid, immaterial things come between me and my ultimate goal of being a writer. I have absolutely no self control, no drive, no urgency to get the job done, and that’s not acceptable either.

So, here’s my plan. I am going to stop procrastinating. I am going to get our research started. I am going to figure out what happens in the next chapter. And I am going to find some way to re-inject that need for accomplishment, that drive, that urgency to see another finished product of Stacey’s and my blood, sweat, and tears…and trust me that’s exactly what it took to finish book one and that’s what it’s going to take to finish book two. No excuses. No distractions. No fun until the work gets finished for the day. That’s it. The end…except it’s actually the beginning, but that’s not the point.

In short, I have put it in writing of my intention to STOP procrastinating and get it done. Now…I just need to find my inner fire.

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