My Writing Process

Procrastination is the bane of most inexperienced writers, and some experienced ones as well. Look up writing tips and there is sure to be something on the lines of “stop procrastinating and just start writing”.

I’m not even talking about the infamous writer’s block. We, new writers, don’t even jot down our ideas promptly. We seem to complain that we don’t have time to write, but when we do have time, we while it away and wonder how all the time passed.

I personally do not get the inspiration to write during my free time, even if I have a list of ideas ready. Before holidays, I plan to write a bunch of blog posts and think of book ideas. During holidays, however, this is how I spend my time:

• Make a list of things to do during the holidays
• Decide that I should get started with writing
• Make a list of blog ideas
• Start browsing for research (which turns into aimless browsing)
• Worry about not spending my time productively
• Think about where I stand in my programming career and how to grow
• Make a list of my current skills and what skills I want to acquire
• Decide to learn a programming language and spend lots of time narrowing down what to learn
• Learn a little and then realize I haven’t been writing
• Wonder how to balance writing, reading technical books and non-fiction/classic, etc. and possibly come up with a time-table of sorts
• Since I’m reading a book, connect to the internet in order to update goodreads
• End up killing hours browsing
• See friends’ updates on French/German books and get tempted to learn a foreign language, thinking “How great would it be to read a classic in its original language?”
• Try to choose between French and German and end up not starting either, thinking “Why learn a language that attributes gender to inanimate objects?”
• Wonder why I haven’t started writing yet
• Overthink about my writing pattern, the true reason behind why I write, the purpose of my life, the meaning behind all lives, etc.
• Read a philosophical book
• Have an existential crisis
• Take my mind off by binge-watching TV/YouTube or listening to music
• Have an epiphany by reading too much between the lines while watching the movie/soap or pondering too much about the meaning behind the lyrics of a song
• Arrive at a blog idea due to this (but don’t write just yet)
• Explain mom about what was bothering me and how some completely unrelated line from an unpopular movie or a song helped me a little
• After mom shares some of her gyaan, start gossiping with her
• Cook something, because I’ve always loved cooking
• Start cleaning my closet, because why not
• Think I need to give away some of my clothes and sort accordingly
• Realize I cannot wear some of my clothes without purchasing some more to go with them
• Reluctantly go shopping
• Think of what book to read next and browse my bookshelf and Kindle
• Check if all the books I own are added in goodreads and add whatever was left out
• Organize my bookshelf
• Do some household chores out of sheer boredom
• Wonder how my holidays passed so quickly
• Look at the list of blog ideas and wonder how I couldn’t find any time to write

When do I actually feel inspired to write? I get a strong drive to write on the most inappropriate moments. Only during the times when I’m not supposed to write or literally cannot write, such as:

• During a meeting
• In the shower
• When I have a very important task at the office that needs to be completed ASAP
• When someone opens up to me about their personal problems and I simply have to be there for them
• In the middle of the night when the entire neighbourhood is sleeping and my parents would consider me a villain if I switch on a light to find my note/laptop (Once I wake up I promptly forget whatever I thought of, rendering the effort useless)
• In the temple
• When it is drizzling and I’m walking down the road to enjoy the rain without an umbrella and realize too late that I have no way to jot down my thoughts in a note or my phone (FYI, This happened exactly one time)
• While talking to seniors at office or elders and it would be disrespectful to end the conversation prematurely
• While babysitting a toddler who is capable of bringing down the house
• When the fate of the entire human race is in my hands and I have to fulfil my prophecy (Just exaggerating for emphasizing my point)

Hopefully, I will learn to write even when I’m not inspired. When I think I don’t have the skills and/or time to write a piece perfectly, the perfectionist in me stops me from even attempting to begin the writing process. Knowing my weakness well, I shall try and fix it in time.

If you write, are you a beginner or a seasoned writer? Do you stick to a writing routine or find yourself procrastinating like me? If you have any tips, do share them. Comment below!