BellaOnline Forums Career Nonfiction Writing Forced Writing

What if you have a writing deadline, and have a lot to get through? How do you get through it? <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Wow, I'm up against that one quite a bit as part of my job.

One things I've finally learned to do after all these years is to make notes when I've got something running in my head and the deadline ISN'T zooming right up on me. That whole "oh, I'll remember this later" headspace can really leave you in the lurch at the last minute.

I try and make my writing environment comfortable as far as temperature, needed supplies (either for writing or me) and free of as many distractions as possible. I like to play instrumental music softly in the background. It's not deadly quiet that way and the lack of words is less distracting.

Ever notice how suddenly you are into cleaning your whole house when you have something to write and it won't come out of your head? If I'm getting into avoidance behavior, I'll take a quick walking break, where I go around the block and clear my head. Often the walking and thinking gets me unstuck and I can get rid of the "trapped with my writing" feeling.

- Rae

I'll give those suggestions a try. The books I'm working on are due on Sat and I'm still distracting myself with other things <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'll try clearing out my desk tomorrow and just focussing on them <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I find that if I can genuinely relax, I can usually write fairly steadily and consistently.

The trick is being able to decern between distraction and relaxation. Which is why I take short walks instead of doing something else in the apartment. As a wise and thesis-laden friend of mine once observed, "projects beget projects...."

Hopefully you'll get some quiet over the extended weekend....

- Rae

I'm late but close <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I have one book done and the second almost done, it should be done today. The third will be worked on until Friday which is the drop-drop-dead date so at that point whatever is done will go in <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />