Time to Write

How to Schedule Procrastination

Despite being aware of many productivity techniques, I still struggle sometimes with procrastination. Here's a little technique I've found helpful when I've been avoiding a simple task for some reason: Schedule procrastination by scheduling the task.

Rather than saying, "I'll do this task today," which leaves me free to move it down the to-do list until it's too late, I say, "I'll do this task at 3 pm." 

It may seem like I'm just scheduling the task, but I'm also scheduling procrastination at the same time. Between whenever I start work and 3 pm, I can be guilt-free about not doing that task.

To make it more likely that I'll stick to the plan, I combine this with micro-chunking by saying, "I'll do this task starting at 3 pm and ending at 3:15 pm."

I can stand just about anything for 15 minutes, and once I get going on the task I may well just continue, but knowing I don't have to makes a difference.

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For more great tips, get my book, "Focus: how to use the power of targeted thinking," published by Pearson and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.

 

A MICRO-APPROACH TO IMPROVING YOUR WRITING

Especially when you're just getting started, learning how to be a good writer seems overwhelming. Even when you're experienced, if you're honest with yourself you know there's always room for improvement (I certainly do.). But how to go about addressing our weaknesses?

ONE SKILL AT A TIME

One option is to focus on one specific skill at a time. For instance:

• how to write vivid descriptions
• how to reveal information without using blatant exposition
• how to reveal character through everyday actions
• how to add subtext to a scene

You can break these down even more. For example, check whether your descriptions include all the senses. If you are already good at describing how things look, focus on how they sound, smell, taste, or feel to the touch.

 

SAMPLE EXERCISES

Here are a few sample exercises to get you started:

• Write a one-paragraph description of your bedroom, referring to at least three senses. How would you vary that description if you wanted to create a sinister atmosphere or an especially light-hearted one?
• Write a brief scene that reveals that your character has a criminal past, without having them speak about it.
• Write a paragraph describing how a character opens a package in a way that reveals they are angry. Then rewrite it to suggest they are delighted.
• Write a polite conversation between two characters in a way that reveals that one of them can't wait to get away (again, without having them say it).

LITTLE SESSIONS, BIG RESULTS

Spending ten minutes a day on one of these should show results within a few weeks. Don't worry about whether you'll use any of the writing, although you may find it sparks ideas for stories or parts of longer projects.

When you feel you've made enough progress in one skill, move on to the next one. You'll be building your mastery one step at a time.

WISE ADVICE FROM ANDY WARHOL

"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make more art."

--Andy Warhol

A top agent's tip about creating characters

Top agent Jonny Geller, who represents John le Carre, among others, offers this writing tip on the Curtis Brown site:

"Every character you write is living a moment in time and it must be true and real in the moment. It must also hint at a past and to an unknown future that we care about."

Let's break that down. 

TRUE AND REAL IN THE MOMENT

As well as having a general idea of who our character is we need to know who they are in the moment we're writing about. What are they feeling at this point and how is that feeling influencing their action?

HINT AT A PAST

Of course, none of us are separate from our past, so another thing to consider is how the character's emotions and actions are being influenced by what has gone before.

We don't we don't need to spell that out; as Geller says, a hint is enough. The hint doesn't have to be in the form of dialogue (although it can be).

For instance, sometimes the pictures on the wall, or a piece of jewelry, or an unexpected reaction can do the job. If the character reacts nervously to the appearance of a police car, for instance, that suggests he or she may have had a run-in with the cops before or has something to hide.

HINT AT AN UNKNOWN FUTURE

The character's actions can give us some clues about what's coming up. Again, we want this to be a tantalizing hint, not something that's spelled out. The example of a character who is nervous when he or she sees a police car suggests not only that something happened in the past but that they'll encounter the police again at some point in the story.

THAT WE CARE ABOUT

This refers to the most fundamental aspect of a protagonist--we have to care about this person. That can be because they are likable but it can also be because we find them fascinating but not sympathetic. 

WHEN TO CHECK FOR THESE 

I think these criteria are best applied during the planning and re-writing phases. If we get too caught up in applying them in the writing phase, it can stop the flow. 

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For more ideas about creating characters who come alive on the page, see my book, YOUR WRITING COACH, published by Hachette and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.