A Writer's Life: Distraction Central!

Distraction Central- Get Focused!

So if you're anything like me, writing is a lot of attempting to stay focused while the forever tempting internet tugs at my senses. 

Wait, which YA sequel is coming out this December? 

Oh- look at that cover reveal! 

This quiz will tell me my personality in thirty seconds- I must take it six times to make sure it's correct. 

You get the picture. 

Sadly, the Internet Epidemic, (IE for short), is one that we writers are most vulnerable to. It's hard to get through those last few chapters when there are so many fascinating Pinterest boards and Instagram photos to see- yikes! The temptation alone would drive any writer mad. So, here are a few tips to stay focused on that manuscript, and have your google fun after. 

1. Close out ALL Tabs:

This one is a doozy. If you had to google-search a fact for your character, chances are a ton of other articles came up as well. So after you grab what you need, you may leave that window open. Not good. It's easy to see the little blip on the corner of your screen and go back to it, no matter how much strength and determination you have. 

2. Listen to Your iTunes, Not a Video:

Okay so sometimes music can help us relax and get in the writing zone. But don't make the mistake of you tubing your favorite video (even if your plan is to minimize it).  I recently tried this with Taylor Swift's "Blank Space," and you can bet I wound up watching that bad-boy eleven times. In a row. So instead try to turn on your iTunes and listen to video-free music. Much less distracting. 

3. And Finally Close out of Your Facebook:

This one is key. Whenever I sit down to write I automatically go to Facebook first, check all of my messages, then minimize it. It's like Facebook is directly linked to turning my computer on and it's the first thing I have to do if I want my Macbook to be balanced. Right. But here's the deal: even with Facebook minimized, you can still hear the little ding of someday messaging you, and we all know that's impossible to ignore. So do your characters a favor and exit your personal page before you start that dialogue. 

And there it is! A few good reasons that may help you when it comes to internet distractions. Yes, it is an uphill battle that we writers must face, but in the end we will come out victorious and with a stand up manuscript that we can be proud of. 

Never give up hope!