Some days, my focus is solid, and I can get into my writing flow within minutes of starting a session. Other days, anything and everything seems to have the power to take me out of my writing. It’s on those days that I have to use strategies to keep me grounded and not let the distractions of life get in the way of my writing. (I’ll share my strategies in next week’s blog post.)
Here are my top 5 distractions:
THE INTERNET
As a writer, I love the convenience of the internet. I can connect with other writers, join co-writing sessions, do research, find craft videos when I’m stuck, and be kept up to date on my favorite authors’ newest books. And all of that without having to leave the house.
But the internet can be a big distraction. One craft video can lead to another and another until the two hour block I’d set aside for writing has all but been eaten up. Hanging out talking about writing with other writers is great, but talking about writing isn’t writing. Doomscrolling can eat up so much time, and it’s not only that, but it really messes with your mind, making writing even more difficult. I can tell myself I’m going on social media to see if an agent I’m watching is open yet, only to discover an hour has gone by while I got pulled into videos about cute, independent bookstores, funny reels involving animals, conversations with friends and any number of fun, but distracting activities.
THE RESEARCH RABBIT HOLE
As a writer of fiction, I still need to do a fair bit of research to complete each book. For example, if I have a crime and the police are called, I must find out what their process would be according to the location of my book. I’ve had to research AI and theories about what could happen if it starts to think for itself. I’ve had to research distances from one place to another wherever I’ve set my book because those readers who actually live there will know if I’m wrong. Hospital procedures have come into play in two of my novels, requiring research into treatments, creating the right atmosphere, and how a doctor might interact with my character. In one of my books, I have a character who deals with mental illness issues, so I had to research that and make sure her actions and reactions were believable.
I’m one of those people who finds research fun because I love to learn new things, so it’s very easy for me to start by searching for one thing and end up, a couple of hours later, down several rabbit holes, none of which apply to the current book I’m writing.
TEXTS/PHONE CALLS
We are an instant society now, and everyone is reachable 24/7 through text messaging. It’s so easy to hear that little notification sound and look away from what I’m writing just to see who’s messaging. Phone calls can be an even bigger distraction because they’re not one sided like texting. When I get a text message, I decide how long I will look at it, but with a phone call, there are two people involved, and what could be texted quickly can take several more minutes during a conversation. What did we do before cell phones? Before text messages? So why do we think we can’t carve out some private, “do not disturb,” if you will, writing time?
DO PEOPLE STILL DROP IN?
I guess this next distraction can vary depending on where you live, but in my town, it’s customary for people to just show up at the door. And while that sounds really quaint and friendly, and it can be, it’s a jolt that takes me away from my writing flow in a big way. Not only do I have to get up from my desk and go to the door, I then have to interact with someone who may want to come in and chat as my writing minutes tick away.
I was brought up to be polite, so I find it very hard to tell them I can’t talk right now because I’m working. Once they’re gone and I go back to my desk, my flow is almost always broken and it can take several minutes to get back to where I left off, and on many occasions, the flow never returns.
READING
We all know that to be a writer, you need to be a reader. And I love books—you should see my TBR pile right now. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve cursed authors whose book I’m reading because every chapter has a cliffhanger that commands I read just one more chapter. Of course, that’s the sign of a talented writer, but reading time can definitely compete with writing time, and the writing doesn’t always win. But of all the distractions, this is one I can live with.
What are your distractions that take you away from your writing? Let me know in the comments.