Thread: My trouble with procrastination

I have always wanted to write a novel. I keep having all these ideas for potential stories, and I feel I need to get it all out. Trouble is, I can't seem to get myself to keep writing.

I've always had trouble with procrastination. In high school and more recently college, I've, on many occasions, ended up getting assignments done at the last minute. I've even had a few all-nighters

But these problems even carry over into creative writing, which I should be much more motivated for. Very frequently I spend my time thinking about different ideas for where the plot will go, and the only time I DON'T seem to want to write is when I'm actually sitting down in front of my computer.

The hardest thing for me is to start writing, but while its easier when I'm writing, it begins to get extremely hard to resist the temptation to stop as soon as I run into a less eventful part, or I have trouble writing a scene in a way that flows well.

Do you have any advice to get more motivated. Being unable to let all these ideas out is torturous in a way.

I don't know how to tell someone to be motivated. How you feel about writing is your own deal. Do you keep a notebook on you, or anything else (whatever that could possibly be) to write stuff down in? Whenever you get an idea, jot it down. Some day, you'll feel like writing, but won't have an idea to work off of. That's when these little snippets you've put down will come in handy. Just keep your ideas somewhere, is what I'm saying. Hope I helped.

AEP

I've had the same problem too! But from what I've heard, the best way is to sit down everyday at the same time and just write. It doesn't have to be something you'll even use, but I believe that if you stick with it writing will come easier. Maybe you could use pen and paper instead if the computer is too distracting. (It happens to me all the time lol) Hope that helps! Good luck!

Some one once said in answer to a similar question that they made themselves write for ten minutes every day, some days they stopped after ten minutes, but they found that they were the minority, once they got going they tended to keep going.

I, too, sometimes have that problem. I also tend to have too many mutually exclusive ideas floating around in my head. I will start four or five projects at once and then get distracted by life and then when I come back feel unmotivated/uninspired.

Olly Buckle, I think I might try that.

I don't know if my trouble is procrastination or just an overwhelming sense of "Where do I start!?"

I'm a lot like you, Ianfort, and get excited about writing and then when I sit down at the computer to get those thoughts out, I seem to hit a dead wall and often get distracted by the internet or Facebook, or searching for off the wall things. So recently I've gone to carrying a rather old and ratty-looking notebook around that fits nicely in my purse so that I can scribble down notes when I'm able to or during my lunch breaks. Also, because I'm still at the early stages of putting together my current idea, I'll get to thinking about my story while I'm driving. Being behind the wheel I can't just scratch out some notes while driving (I'm no Crash Test Dummy!), I pull up the voice recorder on my phone and pretend I'm talking to someone. No, really, I do! I verbalize my idea so that I have a record of the idea for later. I feel like a big dork doing that, but I've saved so many ideas that would have been lost to actual procrastination.

I really like this idea, but I'm too tired to write it out now. I'll remember it in the morning. <--That's usually me!

How interesting!....I could have written this myself. I completely understand where you are coming from as I have the same dilemma often. I'm finding that its self-discipline that i'm lacking. I can motivate myself for something to write....but its the discipline to remain seated at my computer and bang it out. So I have been doing some research on the net and borrowed some books from the library on the topic of discipline - that might sound corny, but I guess it all goes towards a solution. My goal is to discipline myself in other areas of my life and let it trickle all the way into my writing.

Originally Posted by ianfort

I have always wanted to write a novel. I keep having all these ideas for potential stories, and I feel I need to get it all out. Trouble is, I can't seem to get myself to keep writing.

I've always had trouble with procrastination. In high school and more recently college, I've, on many occasions, ended up getting assignments done at the last minute. I've even had a few all-nighters

But these problems even carry over into creative writing, which I should be much more motivated for. Very frequently I spend my time thinking about different ideas for where the plot will go, and the only time I DON'T seem to want to write is when I'm actually sitting down in front of my computer.

The hardest thing for me is to start writing, but while its easier when I'm writing, it begins to get extremely hard to resist the temptation to stop as soon as I run into a less eventful part, or I have trouble writing a scene in a way that flows well.

Do you have any advice to get more motivated. Being unable to let all these ideas out is torturous in a way.