Staying Focused.

[Spresso]

If this is the wrong board, I apologize, feel free to move/delete.

*ahem* now, I'm having some major trouble writing. Not with anything particular in my story, but with the act of actually sitting down and getting some stuff done. I can't seem to be able to focus on what I'm writing. I'm constantly so distracted by the Internet, yet when I try to close it and write, my thoughts seem to stop. Then I realize in a full day I've written, at most, a few lines of dialog. I don't think i'm bored with my current story, either, because I really like the characters and where the story's going.

I also like having the Internet on while I write in case I need to look something up. I guess what I need is advice on just staying completely focused on my writing, because I'm having trouble and all I want right now is to finish my current novel. Anyone have any tips?

[eden2000]

I myself have a writing program on my computer. My husband purchased it for me since I am retarded when it comes to structure. This has enabled me to have the internet at my fingertips as well as being able to write. If you are writing simply by pen and paper, try it. You might find that the need for the internet is in fact the cause of your block.

[DavidGil]

Personally, I'd suggest unplugging the internet. Works wonders (especially if there's no television to distract you).

As an aside, if having no games, movies, internet or television to distract you doesn't do the trick, I'd recommend using sticky glue to stick your butt to the chair. Or something.

Honestly though, if you need the internet on to do research, why not just set aside an hour or something for research then turn it off to write while referring to your notes?

[Redlorry]

I have been really distracted lately, I hate it. I've sat up really late with the intention of writing and... nothing.

I have a lot of stuff out on submission and some other bits and pieces of writing reated admin that needs doing. I treat it all as the same. But really it's not. I need creativoty time. I took two days off work so I could have some late nights writing (two children and running a house don't allow for much otherwise) but I squandered the first one last night - playing on WB <blush>.

I think I need to hire a PA for my admin, a nanny and a house keeper and then I could create until my hearts content...

[Adnoctum]

all I want right now is to finish my current novel.

I believe this line is the root of your problem. You just want to finish it up, sigh loudly and say "yes I did it!" but you're too mentally exhausted from writing this much causing the last bit to appear overwhelming?

Don't feel that you're obligated to keep writing like you'd get fired by your text program if you didn't. If you don't feel like writing. Like you can do nothing else but type till your fingers bleed... Then don't.

Leave your novel for a week, two weeks or a month or longer. Untill you feel absolutely set up for writing on. Then i'm pretty sure you'll find the encouragement to finsish it, and enjoying it too.

Hope this helped and good luck with your novel.

[Gwyndolin]

When I feel this way, I take a break and read a book about writing. I find that my mind soaks up the information in the book like a sponge, and then I usually have some amazing epiphany and go back and write with serious gusto. Sometimes, I can't even finish the book I'm reading, because I'm too anxious to write again.

My latest two, which I highly recommend both of, were Stephen King's On Writing, and Donald Maas's Writing the Breakout Novel. Make sure you don't pick one up that was written by some hack, though. You want someone experienced and successful in the industry. At least, that's my opinion.

Good luck!

[Daedalus]

See that little switch on the back of your Internet router? That one that has an |O on it? Flick it off. That turns your Internet off. Hey presto, problem solved.

[Rei]

The solution to wanting to look something up is as simple as this. Make a note of it in that section you are typing or in notebook/journal and look it up later.

[JBStone]

You said you tried turning it off, but still didn't write anything? Maybe the problem isn't that you're distracted, it's that you're in a rut. Presumably you got this far in your novel with all the distractions, right? Well, maybe you just need to take a break, maybe write something else. Something shorter. Maybe you should try the writing exercises they have here on the forum. They work wonders if you're in a jam.

[DavidGil]

Actually, along the same lines of what JB said, there is something you could try which helped me in the past a few years ago.

Namely, try picking a scene that everyone can relate to and just write about it. You don't need to have a story idea fleshed out or anything. So, it could be somethng as simple as a father playing with his daughter/son. Preferably something that tests your writing skills though.

[JBStone]

Originally Posted by DavidGil

Actually, along the same lines of what JB said, there is something you could try which helped me in the past a few years ago.

Namely, try picking a scene that everyone can relate to and just write about it. You don't need to have a story idea fleshed out or anything. So, it could be somethng as simple as a father playing with his daughter/son. Preferably something that tests your writing skills though.

I was speaking with another member about the pitfalls of worrying too much about word count, and I was wondering what you think. I feel like if a writer thinks too much about their production, and worries too much about word counts, they're going to remain in whatever rut they're in until they stop doing it.

Of course, I'm speaking, unfortunately, from experience. I've mentioned a few times before how I spent my early and mid 20s frozen by irrational fears and self-consciousness as a writer. One of those fears was production. Any time I would write less than a thousand words, I would immediately assume I was slumping.

[DavidGil]

I'm not really the best person to ask JB, unpublished as I am and with no novel complete. I've yet to try sending pieces off though. I'm just about ready to clean up a few of the shorts I have up on here for sending off. Will be a first for me.

Anyway...

I don't think you should worry about the word count, unless you're published and it's your job. I have to worry about how much writing I do non-fiction wise for the web because I rely on it to earn a wage every month, even if it's only peanuts.

So, I think it's good training worrying about word counts (well, maybe not worrying but certainly checking every so often)... but if you're doing it just for pleasure, why bother? In addition, if you worry about the word count more than the story's quality etc., then yes. I would stop worrying about the word count.

I'm not sure this answers the question regardless... but again, I'm probably not the best person to ask.

One thing I can relate to though is self-consciousness. Some pieces I've stopped progress on because I didn't feel the ideas etc. were good enough. Sometimes, I'll start a paragraph and go no further.

I would say though that when I doubted my writing most and tried doing what I advised above, it cleared up a lot of my doubts. That's why I recommend it.

[Lois]

Hmm, I guess I can help.
I used to have a problem with this. I'd be so psyched to start, and I'd think that I was finally going to write and that I was going to get through at least a page. But then I sat down and turned on Microsoft Word and I found myself staring at the blank page.
This would happen for at least a year. Sometimes, I'd write a couple of sentences, maybe a page, but I'd always scrap them and they were never substantial.
One day, I just switched off the computer and decided to really delve into my writing. Soon, day in and day out, it became common practice for me to just think about it. The characters began to show depth and promise.
Finally, after thinking about it until I really thought I was ready, I switched on Microsoft Word and once again stared at the blank screen. This time, I was genuinely excited to start. I couldn't wait.
However, I didn't really know where to begin. So... I started from chapter three. As I wrote, I knew how I was going to begin the story, but I'm not going to until I write the end. Here I am now, with 101 legal pages from chapter three.
So, my advice? Take time to really think about it. Soon the internet will seem small compared to what you are writing. May seem like a load of BS, but its not. Also, some authors feel more creative when using a pen and paper to write things down. Me, I prefer typed. It's up to you.

[Writing.Geek.]

Hey.

So, I think the problem is that you're in a rut.

When I was starting to take my 'novel' seriously a couple weeks back, I had the same problem. I couldn't write as much as I wanted. Some days, I would only write a sentence. Which shocked me at the time, because I was used to writing a page or so, in the past. So, after I wrote for the day, I would see how much I wrote. Which wasn't the best idea.

When I saw how little I wrote, it psyched me out. It made me more concerned.

So, since I wasn't happy with my lack of progress, I started writing another story. I opened up a new blank, and just started to write, and didn't think about how much I wrote or what the story would be about.

That was probably the smartest move I made during that time. After I wrote the opening of that story, I went back to other story, and I could write, and not 'force' it out of me. I was inspired to keep moving with the story, and my word count increased.

Now, I use 'word count' as a tool to make sure I meet my daily quota. I don't let it 'discourage' me.

The best advice I can give is to start something new, or write a beginning of a story, but don't think about what the story will be about. Just let the words come to you. That really helped me out, and I'm glad JB suggested for me to do it, because he was right. It did help, and I think it'll help you, too.