This morning I picked up Chris Baty's (NaNoWriMo) book, No Plot No Problem, hoping that it would be full of a multitude of ideas and genious ways to get the old grey matter working.
(It was a Christmas present last year, but by the time December came I didnt want to think about anything NaNo related until my brain had recovered!)
One thing that Chris recommends is working outside of your home. Take your laptop, being the wonderfully portable device that it is, and get out of your front room. Get away from your telly, get away from the 'siren song of your bed'. It dawned on me that the man has a point.
I am terrible at getting distracted. Don't get me wrong, I have the best of intentions - I'll get up, have a nice bath and get dressed, and take my laptop and note book into the front room. I'll set it up on the table, get myself a cup of tea and some toast and switch on, almost cracking my knuckles in anticipation of all the creative things I have flowing through my mind.
And then I log onto messenger, just to see who's around this morning.
And then I'll check my emails, just to make sure there's nothing important that I've missed.
And then I'll check my facebook. And then switch the telly on to make sure I'm not missing anything good.
So, as is written in the book: "Working in public gives you more...obssessive email checking is curtailed, the mood is lively, and buckets of caffeine are sitting there for the asking."
So, I packed up my laptop, my notebook, a stack of already lovingly scribbled ideas and the all important power lead, and I took myself off in my car in search of somewhere quiet but comfortable, where I could set up station and get down to it. Interruption free.
Unfortunately, by the time I had decided that this would be the path to enlightenment, I had also realised I needed to do some washing. And that the clean laundry needed to be put away. And the washing up really shouldn't be left.
By the time I'd got in the car and driven towards the seafront and the few cafe's that I could think of that might have a good atmosphere, it was late afternoon and I couldn't find a parking space. And then when I found a parking space, I couldn't find a cafe with any space, and ended up in a pub with music that was too loud and staff that kept giving me dirty looks for sitting on my lap top.
I got a grand total of about 100 words down, before heading home with my tail between my legs.
And now, after today is finished (because lets face it, I'm not gonna get anything else done today now I'm back in front of the telly), there are now officially 4 days until NaNo starts. Big Fat Eep.
* By the way - You should all check out Chris Baty's book - it is utter genious. :)
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2 comments:
I've had days like that. I go to the library to write, but it's teaming with annoying loud teenagers (people aren't quiet in the libraries anymore. What happened?) So, then, I venture to find a cafe, and they're all crowded, so then I end up at Starbucks at Barnes & Noble...plenty of room in the cafe area, but no outlet to plug into, so my computer dies after five minutes. I guess it's just not meant to be on days like that!
(I need to get that book! I hope I can find it before Saturday!)
Its definitely worth a read!! Mr Baty knows his stuff (after 10 years Im not surprised!)
Trying to ignore the sound of my clock ticking down the minutes until it begins, tho...
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