Linsey Lanier
Sally Kilpatrick
Sia Huff
Romily Bernard
Darcy Crowder
Marilyn Baron
Tami Brothers
Sandra Elzie
Carol Burnside
Debbie Kaufman
Maxine Davis
Tammy Schubert
Susan Carlisle
Pam Asberry
Lindy Chaffin StartThe Fine Art of Writing Through Distractions
By: Debbie Kaufman
As someone who has gotten very serious about her writing over the last 18 months, I’ve discovered some problems with trying to maintain a serious work schedule at home. Most of them fall under the heading of Distractions. I think this is a challenge for any woman who tries to maintain kids, a household, and a writing schedule. I’ve managed to burrow into the process and am making a lot of progress, but some days are just more difficult than others. And, while I’ve trained my family to respect my writing time, sometimes I am my own worst enemy. Take the other day for example:
(FYI: References to pumps and sensor are diabetes-related. I wear an insulin pump and a continuous glucose sensor that gives constant blood sugar level read outs to stay as healthy as I can possibly be.)
This is written as a stream of consciousness with editing to protect as much of my dignity as possible.
6:00 a.m: Woke up. Headache from fighting high blood sugars last night. Check sensor. Normal blood sugar numbers. Realize lunch fixed for hubby and no carpool. Exhausted from the blood sugar night games. Go back to sleep.
8:00 a.m: Sit up in bed. Headache. Check sugar. Oops, low sugar need to eat. Get down stairs. Realize dogs have been waiting two hours extra for breakfast. Stop what I’m doing and feed dogs. Remember blood sugar is still low, so I feed myself.
8:25 a.m: Go to email, call critique partner and give instructions on email blast to help promote her blog. Open internet. Comment on PFHT. Go to Slushpile Hell (www.slushpilehell.tumblr.com) for morning laugh. Start to head to other blogs, but stop because need to revise. Close internet.
Realize I need beverage and glasses to work. Find beverage and look for glasses. Check purse for glasses, see phone, check messages. Answer text to say I will pick up grandchild after school.
Continue looking for glasses in purse. See meds in purse. Go check on meds’ reorder status on Internet.
Remember I’m looking for glasses. Go upstairs. See partially unpacked suitcase from Nationals. No! Don’t touch. MUST revise. Check bathroom for glasses. Check walk-in closet, see laundry overflowing. Decide that having clean underwear for the next day is a valid priority.
Start laundry, remember I’m looking for glasses.
Back to computer. There are my glasses behind chair.
Sit at computer now wearing glasses.
Start to open my doc, think about revising using critiqued pages.
Critique! Oh, no! Remember Nathan Bransford blog with weekly critiques. Open Internet. Wade back through 2 weeks to see if I was chosen. Hmm. Interesting post. Read post. Back to checking for critique. Ahh! Didn’t miss out.
Realize this would make a funny blog post.
Blog post, when am I due?
Open Yahoo. Start to look for groups link for calendar. See article on magazine using airbrushed models with before and after pics. Curious. Click and see gumby-shaped model. Really? Back to Yahoo main page. Click on my group and find I’m up in 3 days and post is due in queue tomorrow. Slight edge of panic, but glad I checked. Hmm. Check up-coming guests. Good through next month. Think of business cards from Nationals. Need to start contacting those authors for future guest spots. NO! Must revise.
Close Internet.
Open Word, finally.
Realize I will forget the sequence of events. Start taking notes for this blog.
Fifteen minutes later realize I MUST Revise.
Hmm. Headphones. Use for focus. Put on harp guitar music.
No longer hear washer. Go upstairs to check.
Switch laundry. Set dryer to loud alert so I’ll stop thinking about laundry.
Use bathroom. After all I don’t want anything to distract once I get working.
Return to computer. Out of beverage. Get more beverage.
Sit down again at computer. Save blog doc.
Put headphones in ear. Restart background music track.
Reach for glasses. No glasses.
Start to rise and decide to check top of head.
Found glasses.
Open story.
Start revisions for story.
Glucose sensor buzzes to announce high. Acknowledge and adjust insulin intake with pump.
Back to story.
Get up to adjust air conditioning after deciding that dripping on the keyboard merited another interruption.
Noticed piano books scattered, bench askew, and sofa pillows in need of righting. Ignored it and sat back down to revise.
On a roll. Continue with corrections, but find where a scene needs to change because of something I’d done much earlier in the story during revision.
Friend’s email pops up with prayer request. Take a minute to answer and time to pray.
Return to doc and dryer buzzes. Calculate that it will buzz at a couple more intervals before it shuts off and clothes wrinkle. Back to story.
Sensor buzzes to say I’m still running high. Adjust insulin intake and wonder if I just miscalculated carbs this morning or if there is another reason I’m running higher than normal.
Back to story.
Dryer buzzes again. Gosh, short interval.
Back to story.
Get lost in shower scene.
Darn. Dryer buzzing again. Must get to end of scene. Dryer still running. Back to story.
Realized dryer not running any more. Sprint up stairs to keep the wrinkles from setting in.
Hang up clothes, dress myself for day realizing that I will have to run afternoon carpool and pj’s are not really ready for the carpool line at the elementary school.
Catch sight of unmade bed as I exit the closet. Hmm. Those sheets really need changing.
Strip bed and toss in washer all the while thinking about how long it has been since I washed the blankets, too. No! Must revise.
Head down to computer. Peek at emails. Answer two of them. Read article from PW’s email. Answer another email.
Out of beverage. Go get more. Open fridge. What am I going to do for dinner? Think about recipe websites. Mentally order myself back to work.
Glucose monitor goes off again. This time it’s signaling falling blood sugar, but not low. Halleluia it’s finally responding.
12:02: Stomach inquires about lunch. Put stomach on hold. Blood sugar doesn’t have to have it yet. Back to work.
I’m going to stop there. It was definitely a day of mental distractions, but I did finish revisions on 45 pages and completely rewrote one scene from scratch.
Usually the thing that works for me is to put on my favorite background CD and headphones while I work. It signals my mind that it’s time to get writing. Today, my brain was missing a few extra cells after the night’s battles with blood sugar, and it was a real stretch to stay focused. Some authors I know light a particular scented candle to tell their brain it’s time to work. Others use music like I do.
Whether it’s writing or something else in life, we all have those days where we just can’t focus. What’s your biggest distractor? What works for you when you have to concentrate on a task?
Share a helpful idea for focusing on a task today, and I’ll give one lucky comment maker their choice of one of the following: Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz, Night Moves by HelenKay Dimon, or Heart of a Cowboy by Margaret Daley.
Now, where did I put my glasses?
Tags: book giveaway, Debbie Kaufman, diabetes, distractions, mental focus, Writing Life
About the author
 |
Debbie Kaufman | |
August 9th, 2010 at 1:38 am
LOL! Gees, Debbie, this sounds eerily familiar, sans the carpool and diabetic stuff. Still, between the 3 dogs and an elderly cat, what to make for dinner, laundry and dishes, there are plenty of distractions.
Lately, I’ve been using my noise-cancelling headphones. If I don’t hear the washer, dog whining, cat scratching at the door, UPS or mail truck outside or neighbor mowing, I’m more likely to BICHOK longer.
Another thing I do is leave my office and find a comfy place to write. Sofa, sunroom, etc.
August 9th, 2010 at 6:19 am
The ONLY way I ever get ANY writing done is to schedule it. We had little routine over the summer, so I wasn’t as consistent as I should have been, but now that school has started I am scheduled to write from 8-9, take a knitting/thinking break from 9-9:30, and then write again from 9:30-10:30. During my writing time, I allow NOTHING to interfere. We’ll see how how it goes!
August 9th, 2010 at 6:21 am
Well, glad to know I’m not the only one, Carol! I have to steer clear of the sofa when I’m tired, although I used to always plant myself there with my laptop. Now, if I’ve had a difficult night, I’m afraid I’ll fall asleep there.
August 9th, 2010 at 6:25 am
Good topic, Debbie.
Distractions – whether self-induced or externally driven – are the gremlins of working from home. As difficult as it is to stay focused and disciplined about producing pages when you’re contracted, it’s much harder to do when you don’t have the motivation of a contract. The huge payback for developing skills now for being productive now will be that once you are contracted you will already have trained yourself to be a career writer. I was fortunate in that I came to writing from having been self-employed since my teens where if I didn’t get up and work all day I wouldn’t be able to feed myself.
I like that you looked at what was interfering with your schedule and determined that a portion of it was under your control. I commend you on pushing past obstacles to get back to your writing and to revise the pages. You’re definitely building skills to be a career author.
Carol – I agree about the comfort. I finally bought a great chair for my writing room last year and i will only write in that chair. I think it’s a positive signal to my body that “let’s write” the minute I sit there.
Okay, I got the ‘butt in chair’ part but can’t figure out the whole BICHOK acronym.
What is that?
August 9th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Hey Pam: Love that you have a schedule with breaks/rewards. I do that for myself especially on those days when I don’t want to work.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:09 am
Deb,
I submitted a long comment but since I have a new computer, new software, things aren’t working as they’re supposed to and apparently the comment didn’t register. Now I’m too exhausted to reconstruct it.
I guess the jist was you have to make time to write and ignore the distractions (political calls, plumbers who never show up when they’re supposed to) and treat the writing as a work deadline. I have no trouble focusing on deadlines for projects at work but my personal writing seems to come second.
You are apparently doing something right with all your recent successes.
Keep up the good work.
Marilyn
August 9th, 2010 at 8:13 am
Marilyn: You’re not the only one whose computer ate her comments. I had one for Dianna and it just disappeared. Thanks, dear.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:16 am
Lordy, Debbie, hilarious. And every woman’s world, in one way or another. I simply can’t imagine trying to get manuscripts done, on top of everything else in our “every woman’s world.” Looks like you’re still wonder woman, after all these years. Except that instead of redoing your house you’re doing all the writing, blogging, etc. Girl, will you ever learn?
August 9th, 2010 at 8:17 am
Hi Dianna: Just back from morning carpool run. Have my glasses and about to start to work. We’ll have to compare notes in our free time, whenever that is, LOL. I started running my own businesses at the age of 10 and even managed to get adults to take me seriously. I soooo understand the working to eat issue. Many was the month that what I made kept the rent paid or managed the groceries as a young child/teen. I think I had just fallen out of the routine since I retired from teaching. Thanks for the encouragement!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:20 am
Morning, Betsey. You know that years ago when your David told me I wasn’t Superwoman during a checkup, I asked for a second opinion, LOL! But really, I juggle a lot less than those house renovation/homeschooling days. I no longer have the patience or stamina for some of the things we did in our younger days, LOL!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Debbie,
It sounds like my days for the most part. I like noise, TV. I’m learning to turn it off. I have also found that I need to leave the house to write new stuff. Editing I do pretty good at home, but I need that “different place” to get new stuff on the page. I’m going to start going to the library when I’m not subbing. Like now I should be editing instead of reading blogs, but…
August 9th, 2010 at 8:26 am
Susan: Guilty here, too. Got to close the internet and work this morning. Oh, and I do great at new pages with your wonderful view of the lake!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:29 am
Debbie,
I laughed out loud. My biggest distraction? Her Majesty. I’ve toyed with writing a blog similar to yours with all of her escapades, but I can’t seem to finish it–she adds them faster than I can keep up. (All I have to say is naked three-year-old using the lazy susan as a sit and spin)
Fabulous post–I can see why you are a DOUBLE finalist!!!!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Good morning Debbie,
Distractions. Well, since it’s just hubby, myself and Jack (the cat) the biggest distraction is the Internet. Every time I stop to use the Ladies Room or get a drink, or whatever, I check e-mails. That seems to take at least ten minutes each time.
Other than that, I prefer relatively quiet places to work, but background music is very nice. (don’t care what it is as long as it’s not jarring)
Thanks for a humorous look at your routine…reminds us that we’re not the only ones who lose our glasses or get distracted by our other obligations.
Sandy
August 9th, 2010 at 8:44 am
Sally, I actually had you and Her Majesty in mind when I was writing this, LOL! This would have been a very different/similar post if I’d written it when my kids were little.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:46 am
I love it! I can soo relate, Debbie. My husband once asked me what I was thinking. We were driving to Atlanta and I’d been really quiet for a few minutes. I looked at him and asked if he was serious. He said yes, so I proceeded to launch into a 5 minute explanation of what I’d just thought about that only spanned about 5 to 10 seconds.
He laughed and said with all that going on in a matter of seconds, it was no wonder I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. But that is life for most women. No matter what whether we are writers, students, business professionals or stay-at-home mothers; life tends to take over every spare moment we have.
I am one of those who are terrible about allowing things to interfere with my writing time. I am going to have to take some of this excellent advice (yay Pam!!!) and just plan a few hours here and there.
Thanks for a fun read this morning, Debbie!
Tami
August 9th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Morning, Sandy. I seem to recall that Jack, the cat, adds to the humor of your day when you write. At least I don’t have to compete for the keyboard!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:48 am
Tami: Taming our brain is one of the biggest challenges for those of us with AD…Oh, Squirell! Routines, signals to work, etc. are the most important for us.
August 9th, 2010 at 9:07 am
Oh and for Dianna and others:
BICHOK = Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard!
August 9th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Great post and funny to read in parts! I hear ya on the distractions and the losing train of thought as trying to do something!
I’ve heard the mind’s subconscious does respond to actions (such as putting in a CD or other random actions like lighting a candle) and it lets the brain know that yes, now it is time to work.
Elaine
August 9th, 2010 at 2:17 pm
It’s like training your brain, Elaine. I feel a little Pavlovian at times, but it works.
August 9th, 2010 at 4:26 pm
Distractions, distractions, they’re all around us.
There never seems to be an end to the things that keep us from the tasks at hand. And right now, my task is writing a paranormal romance, but now that the kids are back in school, I have a bunch of house stuff to get done!
Grrr, it never ends.
I suppose I should do what Pam said she does…allow nothing to interfere with writing time.
Great post Debbie.
Keep up the good work. You’re an inspiration!
Have a great evening,
Tamara
August 9th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
Debbie,
Loved it. No wonder you are a finalist!
I really don’t know what all my excusses are, but there seems to be tons. Just still cannot make myself write and I do feel so very guilty. And that is just weird!
I work out twice a week so I’ll have more energy. I can barely make it home sweaty and tired after also going to the grocery store, cleaners and getting lunch that when I hit the chair – I am so tired I fall asleep!
Oh well, will work on it!
August 9th, 2010 at 5:05 pm
Ah ha. It makes perfect sense that you are constantly prodding yourself to get back to your writing – you have many years of being self driven. Now you’re reaping the benefits by jumping on revisions and being ready when those wonderful requests from contests come through. Congrats again on your recent ones!
August 9th, 2010 at 5:11 pm
Hysterical post, Debbie! I can sooo relate. I won a contest and didn’t realize it until I googled my name and saw it in the results. Of course, that was about six months after it ended, so I didn’t get the prize…
August 9th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Hey Tamara: I find it helps to allow myself a day to do the house stuff, but the writing has to have priority the rest of the time.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Maxine, I understand. Sometimes I combat that very thing by writing first and allowing the afternoon for workouts, etc.
August 9th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Dianna: I guess it’s like backstory. Once we discover a person’s history, the rest makes a lot more sense, LOL!
August 9th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Oh, Linsey: Wish I couldn’t understand that, but I so resemble that!
August 10th, 2010 at 8:01 am
Marilyn Baron is my winner for today’s contest!
August 10th, 2010 at 5:06 pm
Well, Debbie, I just had to go back and read this! You are too funny, and I can so relate! That’s one of the reasons I’ve taken a break from fiction writing. I needed to concentrate, and just couldn’t with all the extra stuff I’ve been dealing with.
But soon…very soon.
Have a great day!