Friday, March 14, 2008

Distractions

Distractions are the enemy of productivity. We all get distracted and it's so easy because we are all so connected to the internet, cell phones, Blackerries, Palm Pilots, GPS. Everyone knows where and when we are. But is that a good thing for a writer.

If you are writing your first book do you need to be able to look up literary agents, guidelines and etc? Not really. The first thing you need to do is write, finish that book, stay away from the internet. You can get caught up in (above) cool digital pictures from www.digitalblasphemy.com or any number of You Tube videos, or conflicting rules of writing.

The only way to finish the book is to write it. No matter how appealing a new market might be, you have to have a finished manuscript to submit. You may be the best writer since Stephen King, but unless you are Stephen King, an editor will not buy your manuscript based only on a synopsis when it's your first book.

I'm working on the sequel to "Privy to Murder" called "Bloody Murder." Plotting is not as big an issue as applying the seat of the pants to the chair and getting the writing done. I have distractions, some I hadn't counted on since I said yes two years ago, not knowing I'd be under contract for a book with a deadline, so now I have to meet all those obligations, and I will.

There is still no magic solution. I have to write it, in spite of family, books I want to read, other obligations. So, the magic key to publication-finish the manuscript. That's actually the easy part.

1 comment:

Harry Markov said...

I know what distractions mean. When I try to focus on writing I do everything else and vice versa. Just so annoying I behave even to myself. Gah, but improvement has been made so am at least a bit positive.

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