How I Write-- Getting into the writing zone

For How I Write, the next installment is all about shutting the world out to write. I posed the question to my accountability group because I felt like it was timely with NaNoWriMo starting. How do you get your words in?

First I want to talk a bit about myself because it's relevant to the topic. Unlike many writers, I don't have a family around me. I'm single and I live by myself. I don't have many priorities that aren't my own. I have two cats and while they are like toddlers at times with their mischief, I can pretty much do whatever I want. I control my own schedule. It's not dictated by kids' activities or family. I live 8 hours from my family. There is no chance of them dropping by unannounced. Therefore, I don't really have many excuses for not getting my wordcount or edits in.

That said, the net is my biggest distraction that keeps me from my wordcount. Twitter and Pinterest being one of the biggest offenders. I can get lost in Pinterest for hours, just scrolling through recipes and geek pages and whatever else. TV is the other offender, but usually it's not that big of one. I always have the tv on. I'm one of those people that need background noise at all times.

But what helps me concentrate is exactly that: background noise. Especially shows or movies that I've seen before that I won't pay attention to. On certain days, I need music that I listen to. Unlike some, I need music with words. I find if there's no words, I get distracted. I start to pay attention because I'm annoyed and WAITING for the words. It's one of the reasons I'm not a fan of the jazz music the coffee shop I frequent plays.

Sometimes when this doesn't work and I'm distracted by every. little. thing. I have to either go for a walk to clear my head or do dishes or shower. I'm not sure what it is about water, but it helps me to focus, especially to plot scenes.

If these don't work...well then, there's nothing I can do and I might as well take a day off. ;)

Check out how my other friends shut out the world: Danie Ford Emma G. Delaney Kimberly Farris Kristen Koster

Distractions

I read a quote lately that I thought really got to the heart of matters. That quote?:

Being a good writer is 3% talent, 97% not being distracted by the internet.” Anonymous

It all comes down to discipline and not listening to little voices that work to tear your writing confidence apart or those that whisper about chores needing to be done or how your favourite show is on and it's the episode where...*insert plotline*. There will always be something there that needs to be done or you might prefer to do. I know I definitely don't always want to write. This weekend was proof of that. I had my moments of 'oh I suck' and 'I need another rewrite'.

Because yeah, that'd really help.

I listened to that little voice. I gave it substance and in the end, did I write? No. I was not writerly. What'd I do instead? I watched movies and surfed the net. The net as anyone knows, is a bad mind-suck. There's articles to be read. Forums to go through. People to talk to. I even downloaded a couple of games to play while I grumped about.

I did, however, figure out a bit of a plot for Fatal Temptations. While at my parents I'd written two scenes... that the computer apparently didn't save. I lost my words. I'm not sure how much of it got lost but I grumped over that fact. And then figured out where I was going to go and how scenes were going to line up. But I didn't write it. Not yet. Why? Procrastination tho art my enemy. It's an action scene that I'm at. Hero has to get attacked and heroine has to step in... and ultimately get hurt, revealing to him who she really is (Or I suppose 'what she really is' would be more appropriate).

What else did I grump over? The fact that there are no original ideas. Everywhere I looked this weekend I was seeing the main themes over and over again. I know it will be different because they are my characters and plot lines are different, but still. I got huffy and wanted to rewrite. Which is my enemy. I am the Queen of Rewrites.

Do you listen to those little voices? Do you let them lead you off the Writer Path? What do you do when you are procrastinating?