New Year New...Distractions

Every year it feels like October, November, and December happen so quickly and suddenly we are in a new year. I know it because of the daylight shortening and there are a few holidays all close together (in my family there are several birthdays as well). By the time the clock is ready to strike midnight I realize that there were a number of things I never finished.  Especially writing projects.  How does this keep happening?   

I'm trying to be more on top of it this year. But there are so many distractions, some of which I did not expect. 

 So far, I've begun work on a novel that a friend and I had talked about. We probably crafted a rough outline of the plot 8 years ago. Which after so long you'd think that maybe I'd just give up on it or try working on something else.  But as Stephen king once said, “...a good idea are the ones that stick around and …”. 

Whether or not this book is a good idea, it has stuck around.  I’m forcing myself to work on it so I can move on to one of the other projects I started and are waiting for their completion.  In the past few years, the only projects I’ve finished are small poetry chapbooks, interviews, and reviews. 

I've made several attempts at this novel over the years.  I found that part of my problem was with every attempt I'd use a different device or app.  Now that I have a reliable laptop, and use a single phone app for notes, I'm able to focus again on this novel.

During one of the last days of December I had a quick burst of creativity for this novel. So many scenes had come to mind around 1 AM. I put them in my phone app and told myself to spend some of my holiday time off to work on the novel. The first day of the new year I managed to collect all the notes into a single word document.  I began to flesh out more of the novel and organize all the ideas.  I was at about 10,000 words.  I was on a roll!

Everything was going great until I got busy with my day job and even had to work a couple weekends. Throw in a couple of Lions football games and now it seems like I'm losing steam.  I even meant to finish this blog post weeks ago.

In the past I’ve gotten distracted by other writing ideas.  A new writing idea is great because it feels fresh and new.  Anything is possible!  But I’m just procrastinating the writing project I really want to get done.  Part of the new year is “New year new me”.  And keeping to a writing routine is one of those new year’s resolutions.  But it isn’t easy when after a long day of working I feel like just sitting and zoning out by watching t.v. or scrolling on my phone.  On top of that, there are other things that need to get done.  This year I’m getting married and we are in the thick of all the wedding planning.  That has been more important than anything else. 

It seems like other hobbies and tasks keep popping up.  A couple weeks ago I thought about learning the clarinet.  My fiancé even has a clarinet I can use.  I tried it once and realized I had a long way to go to get good at it.  The winter has been mild this year, I could go work on the garden beds.  Or clean out the garage. Or the basement.  Or catch up on some podcasts.  And there are so many shows to watch.  Not to mention the number of books I want to read and write reviews for. 

          The number of distractions to a writer are never ending.  It can be overwhelming.  Writing requires solitude. 

Immense focus. 

Discipline. 

The words will come.

          So, I’m ignoring the other story ideas.  I try to limit the shows.  I write when I can.  I read when I can.