Unfinished Business

​“I’m still trying to finish my (pitch/script/novel/memoir/blog post)”

by Marla White

I hate it when I hear that from a writer.  Not in a judgey way, I get it – life gets in the way for even the best writers.  I hate it because it’s a problem I can’t help you with, no one can.  No one can make you write and even creating self-imposed deadlines like “no internet until I write a thousand words” sometimes only leads to a thousand crappy words and a lot of guilt.  ​

​What I can tell you is the first step towards finishing whatever it is you’ve been putting off is figuring out what does work for your writing process.  For me, I need a quiet space and I know I’m better in the morning.  On the other hand, a writer friend told me she has to go to a bar or busy coffee shop because all the distractions help her focus on writing.  Everyone’s quirks are different, but I bet if you give it some thought you’ll figure out what situation makes you the most productive.  Consider these questions:

​Time of Day:  In the past, did you find you were better able to consistently put words on the page in the morning or at night?  I was in a meeting with Janet Evanovich once and she said she gets up at 5 am every day to write, so I started using that as my mantra – successful writers get up at 5.  I don’t quite make it at 5, but I do push myself to get out of bed earlier.  Is the ideal time for you late at night?  Do you need to stay up an hour later every day to get it done?

​Sound: Is it easier for you to think if you’re playing music or in absolute silence?  I know a writer who prefers to listen to movie soundtracks, but maybe your thing is heavy metal.  If you aren’t sure try a bunch of different kinds and see what happens.  

​Food/drink:  Yes, I see your eyes lighting up already.  If the words flow better with a cocktail, then do it… just, hopefully your best time of day isn’t 5 am or that’s going to be awkward.  Personally when I’ve written with a glass of wine I think I’m pretty amazing until I read it the next day without my Rosé colored glasses and realize what I wrote wasn’t nearly as awesome as I thought, but to each his own.   Maybe being hungry makes you write more or maybe being full does?

​Space: There are all kinds of shared office space opportunities popping up so if you find you get sidetracked too easily at home, look into one of those.  It’ll cost you a few bucks, but maybe it’s the investment in your writing career that you need to make.  I work better outside, but maybe that’s because my desk is so cluttered.  Maybe you needed to de-clutter a space of your own?

Clothes: Pajamas are my most favorite outfit to write in, so thank God I don’t write in a shared space or that would be weird.  Maybe making yourself dress in nice clothes will make writing feel more like a profession for you than a hobby?

​​If you’re not getting the words on the page as often as you want, look at these areas and see what you can do to improve your writing environment.

The main thing is to come up with a plan on how to reach your goal of writing.  Yes, life is full of change and you may have to alter your plan, but that doesn’t mean throw it out the window, it means come up with a new plan.  Forgive yourself when you stumble, but never ever ever give up on your plan.