Betty's Tips March/April 2015
Dear Readers:
Did you ever have that moment of absolute dread when you realize the season of frost is over, spring is about to bloom, and your seed catalog is still at the bottom of the mail pile? Visions of plants struggling to grow in the wrong climate, empty jars never to be filled with preserves, and your puny tomatoes sitting next to your neighbor's glorious giants haunt you. Frantically, you flip through the pages. You have customer service on the line and you just keep ordering anything and everything.
There's no time to dawdle, you've already wasted so much time! You choke down a gasp when you hear the total, but you recite the numbers on your credit card anyway. Then you add on next day shipping. At least you can spend the rest of the day sobbing and balancing your checkbook.
Procrastination, whether in gardening or writing, is a pest that's best to be avoided. True, some people do work better under pressure. Sometimes, I suppose, the stress of working under strict time constraints can turn off some people's inner-editor and allow genius to flow. More often, though, the result is either blank pages or gibberish destined to become litter box lining.
So, why does everyone do it to some extent? Turns out, the #1 reason is self-doubt! Maybe you avoid getting going because you think you lack the skills to complete the project. Procrastinating, then, becomes part of a self-fulfilling prophesy. You might fail because you've left the writing to half passed the eleventh hour, but you blame it on yourself and your perceived absence of talent instead.
No? Not you? Okay. Check out the rest of the reasons that made the list at http://success.oregonstate.edu/six-reasons-people-procrastinate and http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/4-reasons-youre-procrastinating-instead-of-writing.
Or, perhaps, you are like me. I am totally a Type A personality. I mark deadlines on my calendar weeks in advance and set out to start the process almost immediately. Alas, I am a major procrastinator, because I need all that time. I rarely just get it done! I make up a bunch of “logical” reasons why I can't tackle my writing this minute. I mean...I need a second breakfast after all. Or I only have an hour before an appointment, so what's the point. I know I have to do it, I'm way ahead of my deadline, but ...the planets are misaligned, my dog needs to be brushed, my toe hurts, and I haven't had my third cup of coffee. Are you an avoid-er, too? Check out http://www.unstuck.com/how-we-procrastinate.html, and http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_96.htm to read the list of most common excuses (they're so obvious when they don't apply to you at the moment), as well as suggestions to break the habit and get going.
Need some real inspiration? Consider Jerry Seinfeld's advice for insuring you achieve consistency in your craft. I fell in love with this method the moment I read about it because it is, in essence, a grown-up version of an award chart! It all starts with a prominently hung calender and a marker (or stickers if you have a wild side). Intrigued? Read all about it at http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/231023 to get started.
Of course, you could also turn to life-coaches, such as Tony Robbins (you know, the guy that walked over FIRE with Oprah), and their sites and books to reawaken your own perception of your self-worth. Currently, I'm reading Awaken the Giant Within and I'm just feeling too guilty to procrastinate because I'd be denying the universe my...oh never mind! You get the idea. Tony Robbin's site is http://www.tonyrobbins.com/?gclid=CJHQrdbdnsMCFUQvgQodAgIAhA. If you prefer a spiritual angle, the http://www.healyourlife.com may offer some inspiration to help you take that deep breath you need to take action.
Just remember, no one is born a procrastinator. It is a learned behavior, according to Psychology Today writer Hara Estroff Marano, that is probably cultivated within a family dynamic. It's also serious and should not be taken lightly. Read her article at http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know.
Then...consider the other side. YES! There is another side and, as a writer, it is your job to examine it (call it research). Check out http://positivewriter.com/creative-flow-8-reasons-why-procrastinating-is-better-than-working/ and then the humorous list of quotes from famous pro-procrastination and pro-productivity authors at http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/4-reasons-youre-procrastinating-instead-of-writing. Top it off with a slide show of authors who were known for procrastinating...and it didn't hurt them any! http://www.rd.com/slideshows/famous-writers-masters-procrastinating/#slideshow=slide3.
Whichever side of the debate you are on, however, remember that writers write! Your level of fame, or even skill, is irrelevant. If you love to write . . . or if you love to have written . . . you have to put pen to paper frequently.
Happy writing :)
Betty Wryte-Goode
Betty Wryte-Goode is a writer, mother, and wife who lives in the Lehigh Valley of eastern Pennsylvania. Her passions include writing, reading, shopping, gardening, and exploring the internet. Betty is always looking for writing tips, so if you have any you would like to share, please send them to her through our Submissions/Contacts page.
Mixed Up Words of the Month:
Fewer
vs.
Less
{Sigh} This is a pet peeve of mine. It's true that both words refer to quantity, but they are not interchangeable. It's not a “tom-A-to/ta-ma-TOE” kind of thing.
LESS: refers to a diminished quantity of a substance or something that is not counted. Water, for example, can be measured, but unless you are referring to the individual drops/teaspoons/cups of water, you should use LESS...
Unless the are. In that case, you would use FEWER. You always choose FEWER when referring to things that are counted (e.g. people, teaspoons, decimal points, pages, degrees)
PUTTING ALL TOGETHER:
The sugar cookie dough is too soft and I don't like the color I created. Next time, I will mix in less water and two fewer drops of food coloring.
OR
The icing is runny, too. Next time, I will mix in fewer teaspoons of water and less food coloring.
See?