Beware the Procrastination Demons…

Procrastination is a writer’s enemy. It can halt the writing process within seconds and it happens to all of us. It is the moment in which you wonder if the story you’re telling is good enough, if the characters and their plight are believable. 

It is the one act that causes me to drink.

How do I over come this horrible downer? On a good day I ignore it, on a bad one, I cave into the insecurities every writer faces and bang my head on the table. When procrastination stops the flow of my writing, I take the time to research. This allows my mind to go in a different direction, one filled with possibilities and the creation of plot twists. As an historical writer, I need to research. I use it as a distraction from the gloom and doom that comes from my self-doubt. I don’t read when I’m writing, but if you do, this could be a great way to come out of your funk as well.

What you should not do is dwell. Do not allow yourself to be pulled into the realm of second-guessing; this will only lead to disaster and an unfinished book. Ponder it for a moment or two, down a shot of whiskey, stretch your arms and legs, and get back to it whether it be research, taking notes, or writing. 

What you need to remember is that all writers experience this, and it is not the end of the world. Muddle through, even if the writing is slow. Soon the procrastination will disappear, left behind in the words you have written.


Happy Writing!

Love, 

Kat