Monday, February 13, 2012

Dangerous Distractions

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I have a problem. I get easily distracted by shiny objects and ideas. That can make it hard to focus on a project, especially if that project is in the "why am I doing this?" phase. I'm not the only one that gets that, right? Where you've stared at it so long, you're afraid your eye balls might start to bleed? The good news is that this stage does pass and you fall in love again - I've been there. BUT the bad news is that sparkly little idea might try to get your attention. 


So what to do? 


I try, in these times to remind myself that if my shiny new friend is as good as it looks, it's worth waiting for. If I do then:

  1. I can give it the full attention it deserves when I'm ready.
  2. I will have the satisfaction of knowing that my other project, which was once the shiny new idea, worked out.
  3. If I can't stay focused on the other idea, what makes me think this will go any better?
If all else fails, I write a little of it to try and get it out of my system. Mostly I know I just have to prioritize though and treat this like a job, because that's what ultimately works. 

Any other ideas?
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28 comments:

  1. Laura PaulingFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:35 AM

    If I really like a shiny new idea, I'll just put aside a night or an afternoon to brainstorm and flesh it out, usually that's all I need. And then it's ready for when I'm ready!

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  2. S.A. LarsenッFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:49 AM

    Putting it aside is a must, at least for me. Recently, life was just too busy for me get out parts of the story I needed to. But today is the day. I'm leaping back in and I'm ready.

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  3. Christine DanekFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:59 AM

    Happens to me all the time. I take notes for the new idea, enough to get it out of my system and then go back to the other one. It's not easy. Good luck!

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  4. Christi GoddardFebruary 13, 2012 at 5:20 AM

    I tend to juggle my shiny new ideas. I write whatever part inspires me that day, otherwise I hit a brick wall with what I am working on and wind up doing nothing.

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  5. AdrienneFebruary 13, 2012 at 6:59 AM

    This was such a big problem for me at first. If I write down my character/scene/concept and put it in its own little file, I can get it out of my system, and I have it for when I'm ready to devote my full attention.

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  6. Julie MusilFebruary 13, 2012 at 7:45 AM

    I totally experience this! It just happened to me yesterday, as a matter of fact. And it seems to happen most often when I'm struggling with the current wip. I write ALL ideas down, no matter how weird or odd or boring it seems. I keep an "ideas" page open in my laptop...what if, sample titles, character ideas, etc. Who knows if I'll ever use them, but at least they've escaped the trap of my brain!

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  7. Michele ShawFebruary 13, 2012 at 7:53 AM

    Yes, I am VERY easily distracted. This happens when I'm stuck, not liking the path my story is taking, or I'm just generally hating on my writing at that moment. For me, I have to force myself to plow through, because I usually find that the MOUNTAIN I thought was holding me back, was really a blip that I could overcome. When I suck it up and stop being a weenie, I move forward...until I get to the next hurdle:)

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  8. Tina MossFebruary 13, 2012 at 9:20 AM

    I write down a quick synopsis or an outline for that shiny new idea, and then I try to leave it alone. My "reward" for finishing whatever project I'm slugging through at that moment will be the shiny new idea. :)

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  9. Barbara WatsonFebruary 13, 2012 at 9:51 AM

    My problem is that I can only work on one project at a time and I HAVE to put other things on the backburner. For instance, I had a dream last week, it was eerie and creepy. And this group of people (real people, not ghost-types) called Rafter People keep plowing into my imagination. I better write down their notes so they'll stop bothering me because my one-way brain needs to be on the project I'm readying for query.

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  10. AnonymousFebruary 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM

    My shiny distraction actually has a name: Gordon.

    He'll email me with a great idea for a story, sending my creative thoughts whirling in that direction. When I ask him why he doesn't put pen to paper, he'll just look at me and say that I'm the writer - he's the idea man. (Oh lord.)

    But I'm pretty good at setting aside ideas for new projects. It's the rest of life that's hard to ignore! Now how do I get away from that? :)

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  11. Vicki TremperFebruary 13, 2012 at 11:21 AM

    I currently have a shiny new idea I'd like to work on, but I won't do it until I'm done revising the current project. I may be in the minority in this, but I just don't. It's not willpower. I don't know what it is. But I wrote down that idea, and various stray thoughts that came to me, and then I move on until I have time to get back to it. I guess I'm end-result-focused.

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  12. akossFebruary 13, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    Last year I fell for my shiny news twice in a row. This year the goal is to resist the temptation and focus on revision. Thanks for the reminder about treating writing like a job.

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  13. Melinda S. CollinsFebruary 13, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    You. Are. Not. Alone! I definitely experience this, especially right now with writing Wednesday's blog post. Didn't realize when I chose the movie that I'd have a hard time concentrating on writing/extracting the lessons from it (though I had about 3 to begin with but now find myself changing my mind). A new story idea came along Saturday night as I was about to begin and so I wrote it down and allowed it to 'marinate' for a bit, but I find myself still wanting to play around with this brand-spanking-new-idea. *cries for help*

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  14. Ghenet MyrthilFebruary 14, 2012 at 6:43 AM

    It's tough when a shiny new idea hits you. I've given myself a day to think about it, but then I have to get back to my current WIP. Like you said, you have to prioritize.

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  15. S.P. SipalFebruary 14, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    For me, if the distraction is a new idea, I write it down and put it in my "shiny new ideas" folder. :-) I really do keep a folder, and then when it's time to begin a new project, I tell myself, I can go through and pick out the best. But usually what happens is that one has already risen above the others, taken hold of me and won't let go. That's the one I know I must write.

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  16. Margo BerendsenFebruary 14, 2012 at 10:58 AM

    I love it when I get those shiny new ideas, because they are so rare!!! My solution is to jump up and down for joy because I now I have something to work on for NaNoWriMo! But seriously, I take some notes so I won't forget the sparkly, and I let myself play with it for a few days with consolation of upcoming November. Then I return to my WIP, refreshed and re-inspired.

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  17. nomadwayoflifeFebruary 14, 2012 at 1:44 PM

    Sometimes, I find that the most difficult part is finding the motivation to just get it started. Once I get the ball rolling, the rest of it seems to just flow (I'll admit though, shiny objects do tend to get in the way.. OOH there's one now! ;).

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  18. LTMFebruary 14, 2012 at 3:59 PM

    oh, wow. So glad I'm not the only one who does this! Last year was a blur of moving, but in the spring of 2010 I had THREE WIPs going at once. Holy smokes. I do not recommend this practice. Yes, writing a little down to get it out of your head helps. :o) <3

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  19. Ebony McKenna.February 14, 2012 at 4:49 PM

    SQUIRREL !!!!!

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  20. Leslie S. RoseFebruary 14, 2012 at 6:00 PM

    No, LIsa, I have no idea what you are talking about. Look a monkey. Oh wait, you're talking about THAT. I keep a spiral notebook for each project. If a new one is trying to seduce me I write pages and pages of random notes to be organized later. Like a player to be named later in baseball.

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  21. AnonymousFebruary 15, 2012 at 4:17 AM

    A hard place to be. Kudos on making it through. I think we all enter that stage sooner or later.

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  22. Dean K MillerFebruary 15, 2012 at 12:10 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  23. Dean K MillerFebruary 15, 2012 at 12:11 PM

    hell...my distracting objects don't even have to be shiny...just edible! wrestling with this as i type, but no...you're not the distraction...nor are you edible...buy my aren't you just shiny!?!!!

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  24. Kathi Oram PetersonFebruary 16, 2012 at 6:50 PM

    Sometimes you just have to give in and write about that shiny new idea. Give into it. Who knows, it might be that bestseller just waiting to break free. Fun post!

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  25. Angela AckermanFebruary 16, 2012 at 7:50 PM

    I think I'm lucky in the sense that shiny ideas stay at bay until I'm ready for them. If I get an idea, I just jot a note to myself about the trigger and then stop poking at the idea. If I do keep poking, then I absolutely HAVE to see it through.

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  26. cleemckenzieFebruary 17, 2012 at 7:26 PM

    Let me see I was about to go . . . and then there was the other, well, . . . maybe it would be better to . . . no, that might not work.

    Sorry, let me have a moment to reorganize this, uh, brain?

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  27. cleemckenzieFebruary 17, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    Let me see I was about to go . . . and then there was the other, well, . . . maybe it would be better to . . . no, that might not work.

    Sorry, let me have a moment to reorganize this, uh, brain?

    ReplyDelete
  28. cleemckenzieFebruary 17, 2012 at 7:27 PM

    Let me see I was about to go . . . and then there was the other, well, . . . maybe it would be better to . . . no, that might not work.

    Sorry, let me have a moment to reorganize this, uh, brain?

    ReplyDelete

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