Lexy’s Writing Log #5 – Managing Distractions Challenge

 

So, we all know writers often get distracted. A lot of the blame is Facebook or other social media sites, and I admit that I am frequently flipping back to glance at Facebook while I’m writing. Or as the case has been lately, attempting to write. But for me, it’s been a get-out-of-headspace moments when I’m having trouble moving forward with the story, usually because I’m trying to find the words for a difficult interaction, so I don’t spin my wheels and get upset/frustrated.

No, lately the challenge has been dealing with the real world, which seems hellbent on keeping me from writing. Family takes turns demanding attention. Pets take turns demanding attention. Chores and errands and the until-I-am-as-famous-as-Rowling-bill-paying job. And sleep. Sleep insists on happening instead of staying up for days straight. (The last of which is good. Last time I stayed up for three whole days without even a nap, it felt like how some hallucinogenic trips feel. I’d be depressed having to rewrite Alice In Wonderland On Acid.)

The distraction that is most bewildering is my husband. Who insists I must write because he wants to read my stories. But he also wants me to spend time with him, which is usually spent watching whatever is on television. I’m not sure when he expects these stories to be written, honestly.

It’s been taking longer for me to drop into The Zone. That moment when the world is gone and there is only the story.  It’s difficult enough because the characters are wrestling with me. Believe me, it royally sucks when the characters don’t want to share their secrets with the real world simply because they don’t like sharing them with their own worlds. And with the distractions, the lag of Zone dropping shortens effective writing time. If I say anything, people get all upset and defensive. Maddening.

I have gotten further. I’m a little over 36k words. About 11k more than the beginning of the week. Unfortunately, I do not feel I can take too much pride as this was about the fourth or fifth restart for Chane Encounter, and most of what I put in was taking segments I’d written and tweaking them to the current story path. Ah, well. Hopefully I’ll find a way out of this rut and get this sequel done. We’ll see what happens.