Advice From A Professional Procrastinator If you look at what I spent 8 hours doing four days ago you would not think I was a writer.
If you look at what I spent 5 hours doing yesterday, you'd swear to it.
This is what I spend my time doing, I made Squidoo lenses.
Did I have to make them? No, I did not.
I choose to.
And herein lies my greatness.
Read on and you'll understand.
I am a writer.
I used to call myself an aspiring writer.
I had to stop.
Because I've done down pat too many writerly tricks.
First, you need to understand that writers come in two flavors: published and non-published.
Actually, there is an endless array of writers (dead writers, romantic writers, Russian writers, skinny writers, successful, wise, etc.
) but I am interested only in the published and non-published one because all writers are one or the other.
I have published a short story and a poem once, so technically, I am a published writer.
However, both incidents happened in 1985, which is 24 years ago already.
That, I think makes me have more affinity with the unpublished group.
I understand this group better, I feel.
I like being part of this group as I believe it is far larger.
Besides, there's a much more charm, romanticism in being the underdog.
So, this is the way I've done it for the past 24 years and I guarantee that you can do it to without too much effort.
1.
The Squidoo lens is not it.
It's part of it.
"It" is research.
So do a lot of research, accumulate a lot of notes.
It takes time, makes you feel you are doing the responsible thing.
Besides, there is no rule as to how much research is enough.
2.
Learn.
Learn what the masters have done.
Learn by reading a lot.
Do exercises.
Then go back to the masters, notice how far better they are.
Then study some more.
3.
Learn unselfishness.
Meditate, pray, whatever, but learn to put your children, your spouse, and your parents' needs above yours.
This is how this one works.
While at work (because you must have a job, all these people depend on it, you too) plan out what to write when you get home and over the weekend.
It empowers you and makes work seem less...
pointless.
When you get home, let everyone tell you their problems, sympathize, calm, soothe, drive to the doctor, to the store, to the gym anyone who needs it.
If you do it when they ask, as opposed to planning trips, it takes longer but you do not feel less useful.
I just realized that these techniques are full of, how shall I call them, sub-techniques.
I think I will go study them, prepare another article.
You can do the same.
Or you can stick to the original three.
Either way, you have to apply yourself, do them on a daily basis.
Rome was not built in a day.
Your career as a perpetual aspiring writer will not either.