Tag: procrastination

Publication Day Contest for Stop Worrying; Start Writing!

Sarah

Hooray! My first non-fiction book, Stop Worrying; Start Writing is finally out in the world!

It has had some wonderful reviews already (pause for big sigh of relief!):

‘I’m a huge fan of The Worried Writer podcasts so I’ve been really looking forward to this book. I read it in one sitting, and it was even greater than I expected! I’ll definitely be dipping into it again very soon. It’s full of honest, practical advice for writers, delivered with warmth and gentle humour. I found it wonderfully reassuring and empowering, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has ever struggled while facing a blank page, or at any other stage of writing a book.’

Amazon Customer Review

‘To me, it felt like Sarah was taking solely to me, voicing my own personal thoughts. It was a strong voice and not at all patronising. I made pages of notes as I was reading, and that’s what I feel should go alongside reading a book about writing, something to go back to after you’ve finished and to help you to move forward yourself.’

Sarah Thorogood, Amazon review

‘Inspiring, comforting, warm and wise. Both new writers and established authors will find something helpful here.’

Keris Stainton, YA author.

‘The best book on writing and productivity I have read in a long time. It tackles the fear and self-doubt we all feel when it comes to our writing in such an engagingly honest way, that there are times when I was laughing aloud because here was someone who truly understood. Written with such heart, Sarah, in her characteristically kind, and gentle way that listeners of The Worried Writer podcast have come to love and appreciate, offers solid, actionable advice that will inspire you to approach your writing with enthusiasm and renewed determination!’

Lily Graham, author The Cornish Escape and The Summer Escape

The ebook is available in all of the major retailers, including

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and iBooks, and it’s available in paperback, too:

UK Paperback

US Paperback

If you have read the book (thank you!) and would consider leaving a review online, it would be massively helpful. Reviews make a massive difference in the visibility and success of a new book!

LAUNCH DAY CONTEST!

So, I’ve put together a lovely bundle of stationery. It’s not just pretty, though, it is the perfect starter-set for some of the techniques set out in the book. Whether you want to track your word count, give yourself reward stickers, brainstorm story ideas, or plan your time, this collection will help you to get started.

It includes a very fine Leuchtturm hardcover notebook (with grid paper), cute washi tape and stickers, sticky notes, and my favourite pens for brainstorming, planning, and doodling – Stabilo fineliners.

I will also include a signed paperback copy of Stop Worrying; Start Writing in the package!

To enter, simply email: sarah (at) worriedwriter.com (or use the contact form) with the subject line ‘contest’ and, in the body of the email, the last word of the third chapter (‘Make Friends With Your Worries’).

I will pick three winners at random. First name out of the hat wins the bundle and the next two will each receive a signed paperback of Stop Worrying; Start Writing.

Good luck!

The contest is open worldwide and ends on Friday 21st April, 2017 at midnight (GMT).

 

 

Confessions Of A Worried Writer: Fear of Finishing!

Sarah 5 Comments

Confessions of a Worried Writer: Fear of Finishing

I’m very comfortable talking about writerly fears because, a lot of the time, I have the pleasant feeling that I have overcome (or learned to navigate) them. I think, ‘Oh yes, I used to suffer with that, but now I recognise it and don’t let it stop me.’ Or, I kid myself that because I have read several books on the subject and talked about it on the podcast, I Must Be Immune.

You know they say pride comes before a fall?

Yes. Friends, I must confess: Over the last month or so I have fallen Big Style. And not a sweet, lady-like little stumble, either, but a slapstick my-face-in-a-muddy-puddle trip.

I have been saying to anyone and everyone that ‘I’m stuck’. That I ‘don’t know how my book ends’. That I ‘need to do lots of thinking. And some more research.’

And I believed every word.

fear of finishing the bookYesterday, however, I had a realisation… I was just scared of finishing the book.

All of the elements are there in sketchy form, and I do know the ending (and have known it for ages), I’m just putting off writing it. I’m scared to get to The End.

Why?

If I finish the book, I have to send it to my agent to be read. Argh!

What’s the real fear, there? My agent, after all, is a very supportive and wise individual. It’s not as if she is going to send me hate-mail or show up on my doorstep with a rifle. No, the fear is that I’d be unmasked as a fraud and a failure.  That the Powers would take back my author badge and I’d have to get a real job.

The fears which, when examined, are daft.

Yes, the book might suck. My agent might say ‘this doesn’t work’ and that will feel awful, but it will be solvable. I will be able to rewrite the book to make it better or write something different.

And the fact is, either of those ‘worst case’ outcomes are preferable to this on-going ‘stuckness’ in which I either stare at the WIP with mounting panic or avoid opening the document at all. (And then feel terrible and like a huge failure and moan about how hard it is to my long-suffering family…)

The good news is this: As soon as I realised what my problem was (and that it was, as is Almost Always The Case, fear-based), that fear lost a bit of its power.

I know what I have to do and I’m going to do it. I won’t let the fear of finishing stop me as, luckily enough, my terror of Not Finishing is even bigger.

How about you? Have you ever suffered from ‘fear of finishing’? Head to the comments with your words of wisdom/personal experience/questions! 

[Image credit: FreedigitalPhotos.net]

 

Five Productivity Hacks That Will Help You Write More

Sarah

womanwriting

As the recovering Queen of Procrastination, I know more than a little about this subject.

Let me begin by saying that I know it’s not easy. If you are procrastinating horribly and repeatedly, please be kind to yourself. You are most likely operating from a place a fear, and your procrastination is your subconscious trying to protect you from that fear.

The good news, however, is that practical productivity hacks really do work.

I am writing this article, for example, because it is scheduled. I have another forty minutes in which I must write, edit and post it. That puts me against the clock and helps me to focus.

The deadline also helps me to get the thing finished and published before the self-doubt prevents me from putting it out into the world or my perfectionism convinces me that I need to do another three days of research before I write it.

1. So that’s my number one productivity hack: Make scheduling your friend.

Block out time in your diary for writing and then protect that time with the ferocity of a mama bear.

2. Set a timer.

Regular listeners of the podcast, will already know my love of using a timer. All kinds of dispiriting tasks (cleaning the kitchen, writing 500 words when I’m stuck and tired and not in the mood, business admin) become instantly manageable when tackled for just ten or twenty minutes.

3. Treat Yourself. Often.

I’ve mentioned my love of using stickers to track my progress, but they also work as a reward. Who doesn’t like a shiny star sticker? You wrote 2000 words? Fine, you get a biscuit, too.

4. Eliminate distractions.

I’ve used Freedom in the past, but am currently using Chrome extension, StayFocusd. (The developers spell it without the ‘e’. I don’t know why.)

I also recommend headphones with music. If you don’t like writing to music you could try ambient sounds such as stormy weather, rainforest or crashing waves, or even just silence via noise-cancelling headphones. Anything to help you cut off from reality and enter the world of your imagination.

5. Develop your own rituals.

I know that it’s a job and that we should all be disciplined enough to scribble words whenever and wherever, but I think optimum writing performance and productivity can be achieved through considered use of ritual.

You can use a particular type of tea, scented candles, a special writing place or dedicated writing machine (or pen/notebook) to signal to your brain that it is time to write fiction.

Do make the rituals things you are happy (and able) to continue daily throughout your working life, however. And it might be best to avoid rituals which are seriously detrimental to your health such as chain-smoking…

How about you?

Do you use rituals for your creative time? Or do you have any productivity tips to share?