How to Deal with Procrastination

[Daydreamer]

It's not the first time that I find myself way, way, way behind schedule. It's not that I don't have the time to write, I do, but I just never write as many pages as I want to get done. I could get them done, but I don't. The reason to this is extreme laziness and procrastination.
I figure I'm not the only one with this problem.

So: How do you guys deal with this?

The simple answer might be: You don't belong in this business. But procrastination belongs in no business at all.
In university, I've always been the guy who sat through the night before the exam with my books piling up on my desk and studied hard. And somehow it always worked.
What I think is missing in my writing process is that symbolic 'kick in the ass' that gets you going.every.single.day.

How do you guys do it?

[C.bronco]

I'll tell you tomorrow! ;)

When you only have a little time to write, then you really do write.

[Robert Toy]

I usually wait until tomorrow...:D

Added: Great minds think alike!

[zagoraz]

When I'm on a project I won't let myself go to sleep without writing for at least half an hour. If that means I'm up all night staring at blank screen, so be it. Sleep is motivation, especially when you want it badly.

Maybe you need to focus on something else for a while and come back to your script. Right now I'm going through a script burnout phase (having written 12 in the last 3 years), so I'm focusing on digital shorts. Mix it up a little bit.

Scott

[icerose]

Stop thinking. I'm serious. Stop thinking and do.

Like when I look at the mountain of dishes gracing my countertop and the messy table, dirty floor and so on. The only way they are going to get done is if I stop thinking about all the work I have to do.

Just shove it all out of your mind, put the plug in the sink, turn on the water, fill it up with bubbles and dishes and do.

Same goes for writing. Just do.

[Madbandit]

Read some books. Take a long walks. Do some crossword puzzles and sudoku. You'll get some ideas. :D

[dpaterso]

Wish I knew the answer. I find myself surrendering to procrastination more and more, tho' I tell myself I'm giving the next chapter or sequence careful consideration so I don't feel guilty.

-Derek

[odocoileus]

http://overcominglaziness.com/

http://www.overcominglaziness.com/category/stop-procrastinating/

http://www.overcominglaziness.com/category/how-to-be-more-motivated-and-productive/

http://www.alice.org/Randy/timetalk.htm

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5784740380335567758

[nielsty]

I know this feeling. You need someone to give you a deadline. But a deadline ain't worth much if there's no consequence when you don't follow it.

An idea could be to transfer an amount of money to someone you trust. Then you agree on some kind of deadline for your project. If you make it you'll get the money back. If not... That's motivation. And if you don't want to lose the money entirely it could be transfered to an account which you can't touch for a few years. Or your pension.

Just a crazy suggestion.

[RylenolFlu]

I could write an endless list on ways I try to stray from sitting down and actually writing. I just recently started experimenting with coffee, so before I start writing I make a couple servings worth of coffee and ponder some of the story/character/structure issues that I'll set out to tackle. Honestly, like others have said, you just need to strap yourself down and write. Having your story well thought out makes the actual writing aspect easier, so if you're in the development stage just really work hard on that outline or synopsis or whatever helps you sediment that story into your brain. Don't worry about getting a whole lot done, just try and get what you can done. You might not write the ten scenes that you set out to write for the night/morning/whenever, but you might come across that transition scene from act to act or sequence to sequence.

[Daydreamer]

I've thought a lot about this because in the end, I feel bad not having done what I wanted to get done.

I've thought about getting a writing partner. Not to get him/her to do the job. I can be very creative and productive and I'd never let someone else do the job for me. I guess what I need is just someone to motivate me, someone to bounce ideas off and to share the excitement.
The only problem is that finding the right writing partner is difficult and should be handled delicately. Anybody here got some experience on this?
Or maybe you haven't got a writing partner per se, but more something like a motivator of some sort?

[NikeeGoddess]

probably the worst consequence is that i stop by this messageboard to avoid writing. it's too easy and always here.

[RylenolFlu]

probably the worst consequence is that i stop by this messageboard to avoid writing. it's too easy and always here.

Haha, I'm on that boat.

[Julie Gray]

At the Rouge Wave, we started a Writing Buddy program a few weeks ago in which writers sign up for and are assigned a writing buddy from The Script Department and receive absolutely free pressure and butt kicks. The program has been wildly popular - my partners and I have several writing buddies each and what we do is just ask you what your goals are and where you're at and then we agree on a deadline and check in on you to make sure you stick to it. The Writing Buddy program doesn't come with any strings or bonuses attached - it's just someone who you are accountable to, who is AWARE that you said, by February 23rd, that your draft would be done. And we do follow up and ask to see the pages. I wish I had known about this program years ago myself, lol.

[ricetalks]

If you have time on your hands, here is the routine that works for me. First, when you get up, know that you are going to sit down and write that day. Decide that the day before. Choose a general idea of what you want to get accomplished that day. (Writing wise). Again, decide this the day before. Get up and go out. It's like going to work. It switches you over from 'home life' to 'work life'. When you go out, (I usually go to a comfortable coffee shop. Don't go to a bar, your day will be blown off in no time) take what you have written with you from the day before and re-read it. As you read and mark it up for changes, ideas will come to your head. You'll get excited and by the time you leave the coffee shop to head home, (like going to work) you'll be wide awake, biting at the bit to sit down and start working. Thata's what works for me. Don't sit down too hungry and don't eat too much starting out. I always find that I work better if I'm just on the edge of being hungry. And at night? When you've worked all day and you feel wacked out? Write before you eat. Once you eat a big dinner you're a goner.

[DanielD]

Listen to Icerose.
Just do it!
The longer you put it off, the worse it's going to get.
I had a similar situation recently, which eventually became a vicious circle type thing.
I rationalised not doing A, as B needed my immediate attention.
Then when I arrived at B , I rationalised " OH DAMN! I must sort C out right away".
My advice:
Just sit down, relax , get back into your writing zone, then do it.
Once you have reconnected to your story(Screenplay) and the words(and images) start to flow again , you 'll be saying to yourself, " Wow! that wasn't so hard after all".

To quote THE BUDDHA ,
" DON'T THINK , DO".
Daniel.

[icerose]

I don't do this everyday but I do incorporate it when I am feeling procrastination hitting me.

I get up. Get dressed and everything else. Say by 8:00 my oldest kid is out the door and the house has settled a bit.

Sit down write a page (in script writing, in novel writing I aim for 500 words.) Then I get up, get something I have to get done. Be it cleaning off the table or whatever. 9:30 or 10:00 sit down, write another block. (Have a set block and stop once you've reached it unless you are on fire.)

Get up again. Another hour and a half to two hours later same thing. Keep doing it until bedtime. By the time you've gone to bed you will have several new pages typed up without feeling like you sat there and typed it.

If that's too much, do a half a page but just do it. It works, I swear.

With novel writing I've done as much as 50 pages in one day using that method but more often. Keeps your mind and body from getting bogged.

[aceinc1]

here is the simple fact and it works for me.

sit in that writer's pit of yours. that goddamn muse will come to you. but there will be intervals that'll tempt you to not go back but you gotta get your ass in that pit. everything will fall in place.

and BTW, spit in the face of those who say you don't belong in the business. the day you could dream of being in the business, you became a part of the business.

now go to your pit.

regards,
Aceinc1