Writing is hard. Anyone who has tried it must confess that there are moments when we throw our hands up and question if it’s time to call it quits. Not to mention, it doesn’t even pay until we lock in that deal with the publisher. As a result, it’s very easy to get lazy with our writing.
Here are my “lazy writer” confessions:
- I get distracted. All. The. Time. I constantly fight the temptation to look at my phone, make a FaceTime call, or clean a very obscure nook of my house.
- I put off the writing. Some authors write a little each day, but I have functioned better (with my work and other responsibilities) if I set aside one day a week to knock out a whole chapter. So, that’s what my plan tends to be…but that plan often gets pushed back – sometimes for weeks!
- I make excuses to avoid editing. My line to myself is often: “I’ll remember to do that later.” There are still things I’m remembering in my current WIP, and I’ve been essentially done writing that manuscript for a while now.
- I forget my timelines for querying. Sometimes publishers/agents don’t reply to queries, so I can get in the habit of thinking that I have submissions out there, when really, I’ve passed the 8-week marker of silent rejection.
- I neglect my platforms. There are windows of growth on each of my social media platforms, but I tend to get comfortable thinking I have enough followers and/or subscribers, when the truth of the matter is that I should never stop pushing for more.
These are five very basic confessions…and I’m sure most authors can relate. I happen to know that there are many other confessions to my laziness that I haven’t mentioned, even if those lazy moments are fleeting.
The honest truth is that these tendencies can actually hinder my writing career if not kept in check. I need to either put up parameters that help me make wise decisions, or I need a swift kick to the seat of my pants to get me into action…recently, it’s been the latter!
Tiffany Price 