Procrastination

[jedicounsellor]

I've been less than productive recently, and really want to write. So here I am, thinking that conversation will help me get me out of my impostor syndrome mindset, and back into smashing out words. Many words (bahahahaha!), which I'll then have to re-write, and edit to rid the work of my incompetency.

Anyone else here experience this phenomenon of impostor syndrome, and procrastination??

I'm also suffering some degree of writer's block for reasons which are apparent to me, but which I can't seem to get my head around: mainly, that I have lost complete works to theft, and want to reclaim them, but I'm struggling to get back writing them from scratch. Lately, I've been thinking about writing a mash up version of them, just to get them out of the way! But then there's all the work which later goes into making them palatable and enjoyable for the reader. It turns me off making a start.

Any of you find you don't undertake a task, or activity, simply because you know there's a lot of work involved?

[renaeden]

Do you have a deadline? Sometimes it helps you get going knowing it has to be done within a certain time. What is it you're writing?

I'm a huge procrastinator. My stepdad taught me the word when I was 10 and putting off doing my homework. It bit me in the butt when I got to uni and was battling to finish up my first essay 10 minutes before it was due. I handed assignments in late, too. I lost valuable marks doing that.

I'm not familiar with imposter syndrome.

[jedicounsellor]

I was thinking about writing some fiction, since it's been so long since I wrote anything - due to my work being stolen (it was all stored on thumb drives, and external hard drives - which were stolen).

I keep telling myself I'll do it tomorrow, or something like that, but I never actually commit myself to writing once the text document is open. I dread opening it and seeing the blank page. So I go online to check my facebook, see who's online "first" but then nothing comes of my writing. I go to bed thinking tomorrow will be the day.

I think the dead line idea is good, maybe I could set one for myself, besides the November write off, the nanowrimo.org writing challenge. Which is where I'm headed, if I don't begin to get the stories flowing again. I used to think of my work a lot, between writing at length, and adding in my ideas for the plot, and characters. But it seems I have nothing to grasp on to, as I lost my work, and those ideas for stories I had have stagnated.

I suppose I just need some inspiration for writing; I need something fresh to get my mind activated into writing again.

[Jack]

Have a bit of the opposite of imposter syndrome. It's sometimes upsetting to think people might internally diminish my accomplishments based on the assumption of special treatment due to not being white or male. Have never been a procrastinator, because time pressure causes great anxiety and avoiding that means being a calmer person. Though getting older means now breaking up large task into smaller task when it comes to physical things that don't necessarily have time constraints. Gone are the days of spring cleaning sprees. Now spring cleaning gets done in small bits all year long.  Still really miss having the entire house deep cleaned all at once, and still have the intention each year of doing it, but the reality of what I can handle is what it is. It may take a month to clean the windows and screens by doing a little each Saturday, but the windows still get done.

[Gopher Gary]

I suppose I just need some inspiration for writing; I need something fresh to get my mind activated into writing again.

I read free writing can help writers overcome a block, because it removes the self-pressure to produce viable content. Maybe just try typing for fifteen minutes each day about nothing important and see where you mind strays. 

[Fun With Matches]

I read a book on procrastination and didn't finish it, yes, haw haw. But it taught me a strategy that works for me anyway. You need to plan time into your schedule for purely something you enjoy, so you have to do it, no buts. If it means doing the fun thing first then do it. You have to get into your head that you -have- to do the fun task as part of the list of tasks.

[jedicounsellor]

Thanks everyone for your replies,

I'm going to do some free writing, and see where my story planning ends up going. I could write about my story and write down my ideas, as I think them up. It would go a long way toward helping me get a start on my novel.

I think I'll get down to it, once I've visited my replied threads here.

Jack: I used to feel time pressured a lot, and was by far more actively engaged in my set accomplishments. Somewhere along the way, I decided that I could relax a little bit and start enjoying the more simple pleasures. I suppose I became a lazy person there for a while, but have since struck up a happy-medium. I think I need to become more of a go-getter once again, and just dive into my activities.

Gopher Gary: Free writing sounds really fun, I'll be doing some shortly - can barely wait to get started, thanks!

givvassapaand: Deadlines are a must, I think. I need to plan and organize my days better. I spend my free time reading, and when I don't have the opportunity to read, I'm online, and there's noisy TV, or music playing. I know it sounds like excuse-making, but I really don't function that well in a noisy environment. It's also a matter of scheduling my activities around the times my housemate is at work, and he has the next few days off, so I'm pretty stuffed for the time being.

[Gopher Gary]

Gopher Gary: Free writing sounds really fun, I'll be doing some shortly - can barely wait to get started, thanks!

I gladly accept n00dz as payment. 

[jedicounsellor]

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69955206_2485557874870212_9054059976460337152_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_eui2=AeFFLpAAKteyFchdVl8Wr2ql0sGZGOaVX_mNhLIokzicCIwaLisQEMs37HV6tfQhVWX11EFjB4CDW3P4kNmVA2CBN3NhUwxuAnBiUkRg2sN_vw&_nc_oc=AQmArFi5TkxjC0gMThGh62CVomRMtNwA9j8nNQhtkZ_OHVUznTJR2iwQgyMzYHePEVY&_nc_ht=scontent-syd2-1.xx&oh=389fb750c585109ba13ae2c36d4684e9&oe=5E066D97

[jedicounsellor]

Some free-writing/story-telling I wrote yesterday, and posted in submissions, here:

http://www.intensitysquared.com/index.php/topic,25718.msg1210642.html#new

Figured you guys helped me get started again, and I'm probably going to work on this a bit and update it in the same thread it's posted to. Thanks again everyone, for your delightful encouragement, and inspiration to get writing again!

[Gopher Gary]

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/69955206_2485557874870212_9054059976460337152_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_eui2=AeFFLpAAKteyFchdVl8Wr2ql0sGZGOaVX_mNhLIokzicCIwaLisQEMs37HV6tfQhVWX11EFjB4CDW3P4kNmVA2CBN3NhUwxuAnBiUkRg2sN_vw&_nc_oc=AQmArFi5TkxjC0gMThGh62CVomRMtNwA9j8nNQhtkZ_OHVUznTJR2iwQgyMzYHePEVY&_nc_ht=scontent-syd2-1.xx&oh=389fb750c585109ba13ae2c36d4684e9&oe=5E066D97

For a second I thought you had really given me your n00dz. 

[odeon]

 

[Gopher Gary]

 

[odeon]

I was going to write a reply but decided to browse the web for cat pics instead.

[Minister Of Silly Walks]

My son struggles hugely with this, getting words and thoughts together. He will spend 2 days working on an assignment for school and only manage to produce 3 lines.

I often have to write documents for work, and getting started can be difficult. I tend to map it out like a template and do the bits that don't require much thinking (like screen shots and screen mock-ups and tables and lists of things that I've just copied and pasted). Once I have that then the content starts to write itself. I don't know how well that maps to the process of creative writing.