I found an article about writing and procrastination that suggested writers are the worst procrastinators. The author even admitted – or perhaps embellished for the sake of the piece – that she checked email 3,000 times and found herself engaging in numerous Twitter battles and other nonsense in the course of writing that one article.
She's not wrong. Everyone procrastinates, whether with home, work, school, relationships, or something else. And that includes writers. After all, why do something now when it can be put off for a later date, right?! It'll get done ... I promise!
I'm not suggesting that I'm not guilty of putting off plenty of things, too.
I suck at folding the laundry when I'm asked. I've put off going to the gym, calling my parents, getting my car inspected, and giving my CPA the docs she's been asking for.
I have delayed going to the doctor. And, yes, I've wasted a ton of time with Twitter battles.
But when it comes to writing and procrastination, I usually don't have that problem. I don't know if it's because I enjoy writing so much, I'm unreasonably strict on myself, or it's a weird combination of the two. But I'd rather get writing assignments done sooner rather than later.
In fact, sometimes I can't relax if I still have something on my to-do list.
Go ahead – call me a goody two shoes if you like. But I'd argue it's for a good reason. In Chapter 5 of my book, Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word, I talk a lot about the unfortunate pitfalls of writing and procrastination:
Here's a brief excerpt:
Deadlines come and go fast, even for novelists who could have a year to plan for a big project. The time to start planning, researching, and writing is now – especially while everything is fresh on your mind. I've always found that the second I started to procrastinate, I got hit with several other assignments – all with different deadlines. Then, I'd fall into this scheduling nightmare where I'd have to figure out what needs to get done now, what I can squeeze in later, and what can wait just a little longer while still not busting any deadlines.
Will every bout of procrastination lead to gloom and doom? Not in the slightest bit. If it did, everyone would wise up and stay on task. But it's better to be safe than sorry, especially if you have editors and clients who depend on you to turn in quality work.
How can you get your hands on Write Like You Mean It?
This book is for writers of all experience levels, genres, and professional pursuits. Whether you’re a journalist, college writer, aspiring freelancer, or future novelist, this book is for you, so you too can Write Like You Mean It!
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*STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This, a writing and editing services company located in Denton, TX, and the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion For The Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.
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