Writers Who Procrastinate

Procrastination! One word that carries heavy baggage. Is there anyone among us who has not practiced this great art at some time or another? If so, it would only be a handful. Putting things off seems to be a part of our human nature, but some of us suffer more from this trait than others. 

I find that if I do something as soon as I know it should be addressed, it gets done. If I tell myself I'll do it later, then later and later it goes. Jump on it! That's the best way to stop procrastinating.

And yes, we writers are masters of procrastination. We do it when:

• we are unsure of what we are writing
• are afraid what we've written is not very good
• we fear to put our work out in the world for others to see
• we aren't familiar with the submission process
• we don't want to finish a project; too hard to see it end
• we can't solve a problem with whatever we're writing
• we don't know how to end a story
• new projects call us away from an unfinished one
• we're afraid of rejection if we submit
• it's easier to do than to actually write
• need an excuse for not writing
• fear asking for a critique from other writers
• there are more interesting things to do instead of writing
• have little confidence in our writing ability

If you have put off finishing several writing projects, the only way to finish is to tackle them one at a time. If you complete one, you're certainly going to be encouraged to go on to another, aren't you? Don't pick the project that has given the most trouble to start. Begin with one that is more easily fixed. 

There are times when we don't finish a story or essay or poem because, even though we've edited, proofread, and revised myriad times, we still cannot see what the problem is. If we can't identify the problem area, there is no way we can fix it. Haven't you written something that just does not satisfy you? One that you know could be better but you don't know how to fix it? That's when you need to ask for other eyes to look at it. I find that, when I sub to my online critique group, the writers who offer a critique usually see the problem immediately. So why didn't I? Probably because I'm too immersed in the topic to find the best way to present it, and because I read my own work with subjective eyes while someone else can be completely objective. 

If you've got a folder filled with unfinished writing, spend some time going through it. Select one to work on. Ask another writer for help if it is overwhelming As the poster says, if you wait, all you'll get is 'older.' The easy way is to continue procrastinating, but if you want to be a published writer, you've got to find a way to overcome that disastrous practice.  Don't wait. Do it now!