7. Check your social media. - The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Dating

7 Things Writers Do Instead Of Writing

A large part of writing is the stuff that comes before—the not-writing.

Carolina Mendes
May 20, 2019
University of Connecticut
215
7 Things Writers Do Instead Of Writing
scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com

Part of being a writer is… you know… actually writing. But I rarely meet a writer who finds it easy to fight against procrastination and focus wholeheartedly on their project without getting distracted. Often, a large part of writing is the stuff that comes before—the not-writing.

I mean, really, can you call yourself a writer if you don't overcome all the obstacles and distractions that stand between you and your work? I don't think so!

1. Create a long playlist.

Giphy

You're going to be writing for several hours, and each song has to align with the plot and scenes of each chapter while fitting with the tone of the story. This means that your playlist needs to be carefully selected and rearranged. Several times over, perhaps.

2. Grab a snack.

Giphy

You're going to be writing for a long time, and you're going to get hungry…

3. Research more.

Giphy

How do you say this word in another language? Or is it possible to jump from the second floor of a building without being injured in the process? You'll have to do some digging on the web to confirm the answers, even if you already have a concise Word document filled with research.

4. Hop onto Pinterest.

Giphy

You still haven't figured out a character, so why not make an aesthetic board to figure them out? (Warning: you will fall down the Pinterest hole. Exercise caution.)

5. Talk to your friends about your project.

Giphy

Yes, spend all that time talking about your story instead of actually writing it.

6. Debate over which font to use.

Giphy

Times New Roman makes you feel like you're writing a high school paper, but Comic Sans looks like it is meant for children. Sigh.

7. Check your social media.

Giphy

It's been a minute since you last checked it. Maybe something has happened since then.

If you're a writer, then listen to me: just start writing. I know it feels impossible at times, especially when the words aren't flowing right and everything around you seems to be a mess. But there is no way you'll be able to tell the story if you don't fill the pages, and even if they're terrible and the first draft is a wreck, at least you have something to work with.

Just keep writing.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

Yoga love

A long over due thank you note to my greatest passion.

University of Kentucky
22654
A person in a yoga pose surrounded by a supportive community of fellow yogis with a look of peace and gratitude on their face the image should convey the sense of strength mindfulness and appreciation that the writer feels towards yoga
StableDiffusion

Dearest Yoga,

You deserve a great thank you.

Keep Reading...Show less
yoga
Arts Entertainment

Epic Creation Myths: Norse Origins Unveiled

What happened in the beginning, and how the heavens were set in motion.

George Mason University
3494
The Norse Creation Myth

Now, I have the everlasting joy of explaining the Norse creation myth. To be honest, it can be a bit kooky, so talking about it is always fun. The entire cosmos is included in this creation myth, not just the earth but the sun and the moon as well. This will be a short retelling, a summary of the creation myth, somewhat like I did with Hermod's ride to Hel.

Keep Reading...Show less
myths
Entertainment

25 Throwback Songs You Forgot About

But you know you still know every word.

Eastern Michigan University
139768
Old school ghetto blaster sat on the floor
8tracks radio

We all scroll through the radio stations in the car every once in a while, whether its because we lost signal to our favorite one or we are just bored with the same ol' songs every day. You know when you're going through and you hear a song where you're just like "I forgot this existed!" and before you know it, you're singing every word? Yeah, me too. Like, 95% of the time. If you're like me and LOVE some good throwback music, here's a list of songs from every genre that have gotten lost in time, but never truly forgotten.

Keep Reading...Show less
throwback songs
Featured

27 Hidden Joys

Appreciation for some of life's most discredited pleasures.

Stonehill College
34950
Best Things in Life
Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

Life is full of many wonderful pleasures that many of us, like myself, often forget about. And it's important to recognize that even on bad days, good things still happen. Focusing on these positive aspects of our day-to-day lives can really change a person's perspective. So in thinking about the little things that make so many of us happy, I've here's a list of some of the best things that often go unrecognized and deserve more appreciation:

Keep Reading...Show less
life
Lifestyle

Cool Off with These 8 Beers!

Cool Off with These 8 Beers!

North Carolina State University
8569
beer on the beach

Summer is hot and humid, and it's almost like summer was made specifically to drink the refreshing, cold, crisp wonderful, delicious, nutritious nectar of the gods. Which is none other than beer; wonderful cold beer. With summer playing peek-a-boo around the corner while we finish up this semester, it's time to discuss the only important part of summer. And if you haven't already guessed, it's beer. There are few things I take more seriously than my beer, in order are: sports... and beer. Here are my favorite summer brews:

Keep Reading...Show less
beer

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments