Watching Heroes, Wii, housemate and friends... what do people do to avoid distrations and focus on the writing? Any advice for the weak willed?
Distractions
I did find that NaNo thing was really good because you just had a big target and a date to do it so if you wanted to complete it you just had to get down to it.
Set yourself a target date and fine yourself for not meeting them.
Im very easilly distracted, but the writing gets done somehow, just a lot slower than I plan. The exception is when I have a real deadline, then I manage to get things done, though I always leave it to the last minute to start doing the bulk. Im basically lazy with a very short attention span.
Quote: Matthew Stott @ December 2, 2007, 9:24 PMIm basically lazy with a very short attention span.
Same here. Is that a common trait for writers?
I find laziness combined with boredom, frustration and bleak ennui is just the ticket.
Having been waiting a week to start a new sitcom script idea and dread typing the first scene. Find it really impossible to write a word until I've got it all worked out in my head.
Tis a lonely life, this writing business. And there's always something to distract you that's easier.
Quote: David Chapman @ December 2, 2007, 9:52 PMSame here. Is that a common trait for writers?
Yes.
Apart from Heroes 
- the internet is also a massive distraction. Especially when I'm writing at the computer. So I have to unplug it.
For me it's 90% in the preparation. The only times I've encountered the mythical beast of writer's block or sat on the PC playing games rather than writing, it's because I haven't planned the next section out properly. It's the vagueness of the way forward that causes the problem not the fact that I'm struggling to put words down or getting distracted. Once I know what scene is next, who's in it, what info they have to pass onto the viewer I'm off again.
Every project in which I've totally prepared the background and notes before starting has been easier than ad-hoc writing-on-the-fly with no defined start, middle, end for the whole script (and each scene).
One way is to have a long bath with a pen and paper, pondering over a tricky area. That's saved my neck a few times. Another is to keep two or three projects going, that way if a section in the current project seems dry, flick over to another.
It's never easy but I think writing is a tactile almost pavlovian experience. Your best ideas come when your fingers are in contact with a pen or a keyboard. Put your body in the same posture and environment for writing and the mind kicks in (almost Zen like) at the physical prompts, like the dog salivating at the ringing bell.
Thanks, that's good advice. Good also to know I'm not the only one!
...I don't have a bath. 
Quote: zooo @ December 2, 2007, 10:42 PM...I don't have a bath.
I know ... and I live in the next county.
I don't have a bath either. Lets all go round the slags'.
Quote: Simon Stratton @ December 2, 2007, 8:47 PMWatching Heroes, Wii, housemate and friends... what do people do to avoid distrations and focus on the writing? Any advice for the weak willed?
YOU HAVE A WII?!?!?!?
BURN HIM!!
As a former DJ, and someone who almost became a full-time music producer, I find myself wasting hours, watching music videos on Youtube. Also, lately, a lot of people on Youtube have been uploading individual songs that I like, from the 60s and 70s, which are audio-only, meaning I'm now wasting even more time, listening to songs that don't even have videos.
I made sure I was writing this weekend. Everyone was out and left me alone. I had the plan to write from, completely planned out, just needed the dialogue being written and I spent two-three hours writing it yesterday.
It was f**king rubbish. I don't know why I bothered.
Still -- the euphoria of scoring the penalty with 9 seconds left on the clock in a 4-player PES game that not only pulled it back to 3-all having been 3-0 down after 20 minutes, but got us the win on the away goals rule, is still here from Friday night.
Dan