tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post4254248091290331110..comments2024-03-29T04:15:38.341-07:00Comments on Writing About Writing (And Occasionally Some Writing): 15 Excuses Writers Make (That Aren't Fooling Anyone)Chris Brecheenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-6697914342959393072019-05-09T21:33:42.267-07:002019-05-09T21:33:42.267-07:00Yeah, thanks for those disclaimers at the bottom! ...Yeah, thanks for those disclaimers at the bottom! I think it's okay to *sometimes* prioritize something over our writing, it doesn't mean we don't love it. For instance, prioritizing going to the gym today instead of writing. Or prioritizing seeing a friend (whom you haven't seen in months) tonight over writing. What could help is to set a "personal minimum" for yourself. For your personal goals, what is the minimum amount of work you want to do each month? It doesn't have to be counted in words. It could be counted in hours and minutes. For me, I tentatively set a goal of 16-18 hrs a week of writing-related activities, which also includes reading. I like hour counts more than wordcounts, because when I use wordcounts, I start fixating on speed, and neglect my reading and learning, which is unhelpful to my development as a writer. I have very humble (self)-publishing goals, though, and do not aim to gain a huge audience or make lots of money from my books, so I can afford to write more slowly. Sieran Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14564956156787108845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-15218065330669558532019-05-09T13:51:17.859-07:002019-05-09T13:51:17.859-07:00Ok, so... hmm. What about this?
"Well, I WA...Ok, so... hmm. What about this? <br /><br />"Well, I WAS writing every day, but my characters all picked up shovels and digging their own plot holes, so I put them in time out and padlocked the toolshed. Yes it's a personal sacrifice of my creative output, but I'm willing to take one for the team. TOUGH LOVE, baby. Tough love."<br />Tori Deauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11544953137808872004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-65646272884757893322018-05-14T01:41:27.749-07:002018-05-14T01:41:27.749-07:00Guilty. I would also ad 16: I'm still not done...Guilty. I would also ad 16: I'm still not done with research/worldcrafting/editing yet and it need to be perfect, or else everything is going to fail and people will eat me alive for any slight mistake.Tobacco Smokehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16963835278848500767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-43627672114613859762018-05-09T04:34:29.023-07:002018-05-09T04:34:29.023-07:00I got like 2 out of 15 so I'd say I'm not ...I got like 2 out of 15 so I'd say I'm not too shabby.Sara Vhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03463300145794073266noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-37692431828775757332017-04-11T04:16:08.640-07:002017-04-11T04:16:08.640-07:00Point 7 is too harsh on writers who don't use ...Point 7 is too harsh on writers who don't use your recommended "a little every day" work model. Some of us have fluctuations of interest, or outside jobs which alternate between busy and slack times. We'll do a massive surge of writing, dip out for a while, then return in a fresh state of mind. Who cares if we're writing each day? A finished product is what counts.Lia Reeshttp://www.liarees.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-59567629369097031672017-04-10T04:04:57.260-07:002017-04-10T04:04:57.260-07:00Wow. Yeah. Thanks for that powerful dose of realit...Wow. Yeah. Thanks for that powerful dose of reality.Ashlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07056573219551250815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-26415403098017715312017-04-09T20:28:45.165-07:002017-04-09T20:28:45.165-07:00And some days I'm just tired and want someone ...And some days I'm just tired and want someone to make me a sammich then go take a nap.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17909500322380955287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-8845596983903477142017-04-09T20:27:51.542-07:002017-04-09T20:27:51.542-07:00I am trying to stop procrastinating but I do use t...I am trying to stop procrastinating but I do use the stressed out/busy excuse but then I take care of the household (husband is disabled), kid (husband does too but kid is a handful with being autistic), and also take care of the father-in-law (also disabled) so some days I just watch a half season of Supernatural instead of writing. LOLAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17909500322380955287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-72694672789694470232014-05-28T15:02:15.972-07:002014-05-28T15:02:15.972-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Stanislav Kasl Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16260321391511260419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-86051994053582750412014-03-18T15:17:58.368-07:002014-03-18T15:17:58.368-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-35930510791496201202013-07-18T10:00:08.528-07:002013-07-18T10:00:08.528-07:00One out of 15, not too shabby. I am guilty of '...One out of 15, not too shabby. I am guilty of 'I don't know where to start'. I write all the time. It's as important to me as breathing. I skip meals if I can squeeze in time to write, BUT I have trouble starting because every time I try to start it's not 'just right'. I'm crippled by perfectionism... and that's kind of ironic because when I first started writing I was so obsessed with proper spelling and grammar that everything I wrote was so wooden and stiff. Over time, I learned to just LET IT GO. I guess I'm going to have to just bite the bullet and WRITE.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-38474272686846536122013-07-17T12:51:00.913-07:002013-07-17T12:51:00.913-07:00All of these are "excellent" excuses for...All of these are "excellent" excuses for not doing anything, creative or not - just insert your "Anything" in place of "Writing". Now I must get back to work because I am too tired and there are only 13 more minutes in my work day, and facebook was so fascinating this morning, and the articles that I wanted to read pulled me the other direction and there really should be more time to get everything done.April-jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00481873928726127356noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-80586473472437901262013-07-16T16:40:03.681-07:002013-07-16T16:40:03.681-07:00Who told you about the ninjas?
*looks around shif...Who told you about the ninjas?<br /><br />*looks around shiftily*SLChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09152780547993621416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-86009013441497931402013-07-14T07:13:42.546-07:002013-07-14T07:13:42.546-07:00Gah! you found me outGah! you found me outAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-79878227774843509912013-07-14T05:05:39.619-07:002013-07-14T05:05:39.619-07:00That's why I would always just say "Nope,...That's why I would always just say "Nope, I haven't really been writing that much. I really should, but I just haven't been." The impulse to say that is sort of the same one that has led me to answering the question, "How are you doing?" with actual honesty.Jonathan Nathanhttp://www.bluethenation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-84840237388534176222013-05-07T11:12:54.271-07:002013-05-07T11:12:54.271-07:00That's actually AWESOME. I think I've got...That's actually AWESOME. I think I've gotten all of them at one point or another.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-68245016872073002722013-05-07T11:12:16.098-07:002013-05-07T11:12:16.098-07:00Eight out of fifteen. Not too bad!Eight out of fifteen. Not too bad!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-22784671995959461572013-04-07T14:42:28.830-07:002013-04-07T14:42:28.830-07:00We all are. It's just important that we join ...We all are. It's just important that we join the rest of the world in not buying it.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-17340909089072097002013-04-07T14:14:08.715-07:002013-04-07T14:14:08.715-07:00Guilty.Guilty.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-74636641973863687492012-11-02T15:27:25.566-07:002012-11-02T15:27:25.566-07:00Fortunately when it comes to writing, each day is ...Fortunately when it comes to writing, each day is a tabula rasa.Chris Brecheenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07819138776404280633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2660089177097719300.post-64604918412935381052012-11-02T14:25:32.554-07:002012-11-02T14:25:32.554-07:00I'm guilty of most of these. *shame*I'm guilty of most of these. *shame*Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com