Writing When It’s Difficult to Write

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I pride myself on being a productive writer.  I keep to my deadlines, both self-imposed and contractual.  I write each day and meet my goals.

It’s rare I get knocked off track.  But I sure did this week. We had a water main break. Backhoes trenched from the street to our house to replace broken pipes.  We had no water.  Gardenia bushes were dug up (right when they were blooming!) Sewer lines were accidentally dinged with the backhoe (ugh).  To add insult to injury, the break was on our side, not the city’s side, so the repairs were on our dime.

And we had house guests. :)  I felt sorry for them.  Heck, I felt sorry for me. 

Yeah, I haven’t gotten much done…on the progression of the actual manuscript.

But what I do when these types of things pop up, and for most of us they will, is to do other work on the book or for my business.   If I ever think I’m running behind, I start losing motivation.

Here are  ways I stay productive and organized during a major disruption:

Although outlining definitely qualifies as a creative activity, it seems to tap into my left brain a bit.  Maybe it’s the planning aspect of it all.  This may not be a major outline…it may be lists of highlights I’d like to hit the next writing day.

Promo-related activities. Newsletters, social media updates, ads, etc.

Research.  This could mean story research or learning a new skill.  I’m currently learning how to format my own material and how to create Facebook ads.

It may even mean editing, which I don’t ordinarily do during a first draft.  But it’s far easier for me to edit than write when I’m swamped.

When I’ve got a lot going on, it’s almost as if my brain is humming with so many different ideas for what to do next that I can freeze up.  In this case,  brain dumping  tasks can help me be more productive (and sleep at night).  These lists cover everything from book-related tasks to errands to anything else I need to take care of.

In the same vein, prioritizing tasks can be helpful when it feels as if everything needs to be done at once and I’m already behind.

The water is back on, the trench is filled in, and they’ve put down grass seed and straw.  Despite the setback, I feel as if I’m going to pick back up again with no problems.  Let’s hope.

How do you handle major disruptions to your writing schedule?

Tips for writing when faced with major disruptions:
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