The Enhanced Skills Guide for Procrastination Writing

Its crunch time for your literary work of art and the deadline is approaching
lightning fast. Whether it’s for a Blog, Novel, or NaNoWriMo, you’re more interested in a YouTube video of cute and cuddly sloths. It’s no big deal you can get it done later, you’ve got time and besides you work best under pressure so what’s the hurry. Well if you have said I have been there and done that, you have excellent procrastination skills!

Oh I almost forgot I was supposed to write a stint on motivation; not how to procrastinate like a ninja and still manage to get your project done in the nick of time. I guess I will have to save that for another post. Now let’s get down to the dirty scoop on how to be motivated, even though I want to procrastinate and go look at the cute sloths right now… Oh look a shiny new light bulb!

First off procrastination can be used as a means to provide motivation; the trick is to stay on topic. Researching aspects of what you will write is a great way to put depth into your writing, watching videos on the topic can spark some fresh ideas. Talking about what you will write or have written can offer different perspectives that can help keep the creativity magma flowing when it becomes stagnate after looking at cute sloths. The thing is you can procrastinate and keep motivated!

There are so many ways to keep motivated that quite frankly you would be reading for days if I name them all. This is only a small fraction of what you can do to stay motivated and feel free to leave in the comments below of what helps keep you motivated.

1. Motivation is just another word for inspiration. If you are lacking in motivation to write, perhaps you are losing inspiration for your plot, character or theme and maybe you need to revisit those sections and change it up, by maybe killing someone in the plot, or throwing them into an inter-dimensional rift; well at least revisit your work and see if the project you are writing is really the right one for you. If you find things that you’re passionate about, writing becomes easy.

2. One of the things that can kill your motivation to write is expecting too much. Maybe you've set a goal for so many words a day or pages a week and it is too daunting. One of the things that helps get over this is do not think about how much you need to write and just write. It does not need to be perfect. Don’t worry about getting it right…just get it down. First drafts usually suck. That’s why second, third, and eighth drafts exist. Aim for excellent results, but don’t set the bar too high at first. Having a sloppy but finished first draft is far better than having no draft at all Try organizing some ideas on sticky notes, napkins, sugar packets in the middle of a restaurant (Yes I have written an entire poem on sugar packets because I had nothing to write on) post them around so that you can submerge yourself with ideas and motivation.

3. Eliminate distractions, whatever they may be. I deleted my Facebook account because I was too distracted and my writing suffered greatly. This may also apply to those who need to turn off their cell phone and, if possible, their internet connection. Escape from people who demand your attention. Each distraction pulls your focus away from the task at hand.

4. Be accountable for what you write, it’s hard to be unmotivated when you have people eager to read what you’ve written. Join writing circles, attend a silent write in a Goggle+ Hangout, and go out with your local writer’s clubs such as NaNoWriMo and Literary+. Get others to put a bit of friendly pressure on you to help keep the imagination station from stalling. Post your goal on your blog and post regular updates. It’s important that you not just post the goal but also stay accountable with the updates. Encourage people to ask you about your goal if you don’t report your progress.

5. Where you write matters! If you are in a place that you are distracted, too comfortable in the sense it will make you fall asleep such as your bed, or if you are in an atmosphere that does not enable you to write such as a significant other asking every thirty minutes if you’re going to play World of Warcraft with them; not naming names. (Tj) It is impossible to be motivated and inspired. If you are in a quiet space surrounded by nature or books or something of that environment, you will be able inspired and motivated to write!

At the moment the number one thing that has been motivating me to write is the company I keep, and donating most of what I sell (90%) to the MS Society of Canada. The more I write and the more people take notice and donate to me, the more I can donate to a place that holds dear to my heart. I provide proof of where the money goes via online registration and pictures as I am sincere and honest, but it is my driving force that helps me keep going even through the toughest of times when I am unable to write due to pain. My other inspiration to keep writing is to breathe life into my characters as often they become their own entities, and I am the person solely responsible to make sure they have an opportunity to step out into the world.

I shall go look at cute, cuddly and adorable sloths now! And as I always say… “A procrastinator’s work is never done!”

* * * * *

More about A.K. Flynn:

Salutations! My Name is A.K. Flynn, I'm a 27 year old bright eyed bushy tailed Child and Youth Worker to be, who is very ambitious and absolutely in love with writing all sorts mind perplexing Fiction. I also tend to pour my emotions out on the screen as it is the only thing that keeps my hectic life sane. As of right now my website and second novel seems to be a major focus and writing is my major outlet so it all pans out perfectly. Oh did I mention I was a redhead? Well now you know! So you know my writing has got to be good, because redheads are very spontaneous... (runs off into the distance babbling to herself)

Links:
Blog: Inside The Perplexed Mind of a Dreamer
G+ profile: A.K. Flynn

Literary+ is a writer based project brought together and lead by Shen Hart. It brings together passionate, quality self-published writers to help each other promote their work, bringing more readers to every member. It was sparked by the simple fact that there are many top quality self-published authors being over-looked because they do not have the time and resources to efficiently and effectively market and promote themselves. With ambition and passion, Literary+ will take its members to the heights they deserve through a tight-knit community of like-minded writers.