- It's too sunny. I need to be outside to soak up a ray or two before the winter sets in.
- It's too cold. My fingers are too stiff and I want to curl up by the fire.
- It's too wet. There's a line in Gabriel Garcia Marquez when he writes, 'It's raining too hard to think.' Oh yes, I know that feeling.
- I'm too tired. I had a late night and all I want to do today is flop about.
- The gas person/electrician/plumber/parcel delivery person is coming some time today. I don't want to get stuck into something and then lose my train of thought.
- I really ought to do something about the jungle that is my garden.
- I'm meeting a friend for coffee later, so there's no point in starting anything.
- Next door's dog is barking/baby crying.
- I need to so more research.
So how come, when I get passed that lot, I love it once I can settle down. All I have to do is turn the computer on, open a file - and the hours fly by. Passing delivery men - pah! A coffee stop - wonderful - but not for too long as I need to get back to it.
I tell the world that I write because I breathe - and that's true. I can't imagine living without scribbling things down. My notebook is beside me (and full of random thoughts) all the time. So why the fiddle-faddling delays to turning the wretched computer on?
(Am I the only one who does this ...?)
I get currently distracted by the beautiful view from my window in my new country location. I overlook a river where there is always something going on - birds diving, boats sailing by and even the odd seal swimming!
ReplyDeleteYour country view with change every day, with the seasons, the weather - you have a great reason for distractions!
DeleteI do this all the time and I think I've used all these excuses at one time or another plus a few more.
ReplyDeletePhew - not just me then!
DeleteNo you are not. I can fiddle the time away doing nothing. Then I too sit down and the words come and the story unfolds and the characters appear and suddenly it is teatime. And the next day, I forget and start fiddling about all over again.
ReplyDeleteAll those good ideas we have, and still it's a struggle to sit and get them on paper!
DeleteYes, yes and yes to all of these, Jo. It's odd isn't it? It's almost as if we are resisting doing what we most enjoy!
ReplyDeleteIt makes no sense, does it Val!!
DeleteNo! Even when it's a plot hole in a fiction or a tricky, research heavy non-fic, it still feels better once I'm actually doing it, rather than trying to psych myself up to start when I'm feeling under the weather (like today), tired, or guilty about housework etc. Some days, I tell myself I will do just 20 mins, then have a break. That works quite well for me. And when I've put my grocery delivery order away, that's what I'll do today. ;)
ReplyDeleteI like the 20 min idea - that feels very manageable. But first I have to ...
DeleteI know exactly what you mean but I've been distracted with other work for so long that I long to get back to free writing again! A friend asked me what I would be writing next. I told her that I never know until my pen starts making marks on the paper.
ReplyDeleteWe're all agog to see what your pen decides to write, Ros!
DeleteI chuckled a bit at your list of reasons for not writing. I could expand on them myself! :-) All I can say is that in my case each distraction brings with it a topic to blog about. :-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Human nature is the two word answer I reckon! That's my excuse anyway.
ReplyDelete