If you are a writer you probably have perfected the art of procrastination. I have yet to meet a writer who hasn’t waited to the last minute to write something. I think it has something to do the with writer’s gene (which, though not scientifically proven to actually exist, definitely explains certain similarities among writers). I am currently in the process of perfecting the act of procrastination in my own personal writing.
If you are in school and you have a paper due – it doesn’t matter if it is a creative assignment or just another analytical essay – or if you are an up and coming author with story submissions due, this is how you can procrastinate better than ever before:
- Hang out with friends every night the week before the paper is due. It not only alleviates the stress of having to write a paper, it makes you a better person and your friends, whom you haven’t spent enough time with because of school or work and your writing hobby, will be pleased to know you actually still exist.
- Watch your favorite TV series, because you haven’t seen all ten seasons of Stargate in over a year and you need more Col. O”Neill in your life.
- Have a Jane Austen marathon or a Star Wars marathon, or a Lord of the Rings marathon…you get the idea. It is not so important that you watch one of those movies but that you find a long series of movies. This will actually be productive in the long run since your Muse may be inspired by the sheer genius of Austen, Lucas, or Tolkien and you will have novel ideas for weeks because you went on a movie binge.
- To make your movie binge more enjoyable, I suggest that you start a hobby to do while your watching all those movies…or you could have a hobby already that allows you to watch movies and be creative at the same time. I have crocheting. Since I have started writing my thesis, I have made seven hats, three scarves, and started two different blankets. I can make useful items for all of my friends and still watch all my movies! (strictly speaking then, I am being more productive than I would have been if I had been writing – So am I really procrastinating?)
- You can always work on another writing project! That’s right, if a paper is due, work on a story; if a story submission is due, work on another story or an essay. Technically you are still writing, so you can tell people the truth when they ask you how your writing is going – you are just procrastinating one that is due. And if you are like me, you know that you always have great ideas for whatever project you are not supposed to be working on. I think there is some universal law concerning that phenomenon, either that or my Muse has a sick sense of humor.
- Also you could always start a blog. Than you’ll have one more thing to write and one more thing to procrastinate on!
So if you are struggling with writer’s block or just need an excuse to not do your work you now have some excellent and time proven ideas that will take your mind off those things that are due…
Speaking of things that are due, I should probably get back to working on that thesis…
While We're Paused... 
