A Rave on Writing: Twenty Simple Ways to Fritter Away Your Writing Time

I was going to write a post about time management — how, with a few lifestyle adjustments, you  can find more time to write. Sadly, that topic has already been done to death, and we’re all none the wiser.

So I decided to take the opposite approach and share twenty tactics to help you waste those precious few hours when you could be writing.

1. If you’re home during the day, become a fan of daytime television. Who knows when Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz will say something that might change your life?
2. Sleep in when you have a day off. You know you need the rest, and your writing will be there when you wake up.
3. Subscribe to every magazine that grabs your interest. Read them all.
4. There are may books on the writing craft. Read them too.
5. Don’t forget to study every new book in your genre. Research is so important!
6. In fact, you should probably do an analysis of all the genres, just to make sure you’ve chosen the right one.
7. Join Pinterest. Make it your first stop whenever you turn on your computer. A writer should be an expert on popular culture.
8. Sign up for Twitter. Follow every editor and agent who tweets.
9. Of course, Facebook is also essential. You really should check your account whenever that little number pops up beside your name.
10. When you finally get around to writing, be certain that first draft is perfect. Who wants to waste time on revisions?
11. Constantly brainstorm ideas for new books. Write at least the first 10,000 words of each before returning to your current book — that is, if you can remember what that book is. Working on lots of simultaneous projects will prevent boredom.
12. Spend hours researching every detail about anything you might include in your book.
13. Meet your fellow writers at a cafe to “write.” Spend that time talking so no one can actually accomplish anything. Networking is crucial to your writing career.
14. Don’t write when your husband is home.
15. Or your kids.
16. Actually, it’s best if you only write when you have nothing else to do.
17. And of course, it’s useless to write unless you’re feeling creative.
18. Don’t worry about establishing a daily routine. Writing should be spontaneous.
19. It should also be brilliant, so don’t commit any thoughts to your computer screen until you are sure they are profound.
20. Start a blog. Update it constantly.

Now, it’s your turn. Leave a comment about how you waste time when you should be writing.

Study of Clouds over the Roman Campagna by Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (Photo credit: cliff1066™)

What’s this picture got to do with wasting time? I have no idea. It came up as a recommended image, and I thought it was pretty so I’m sharing.