So when I signed up for the Blogging A to Z challenge back in February I was all cocky and confident. "I have a month to plan posts," I told myself, "No problem!"
Umm... Yeah...Problem.
One of the names I didn't put on my name cloud yesterday was maybe one of the more descriptive ones: "Procrastinator."
I am so good at procrastinating, I sometimes don't even realize I'm doing it. It's ingrained in my hard drive and no amount of reprogramming has been able to help. And I certainly don't want to do a complete system wipe. I work well under the stress of a deadline. The problem is the deadline needs to be really close for me to acknowledge it. Like "objects in the mirror are closer then they appear" close.
I don't even have a theme for the month yet! I have some vague notions of what I might want to do for some of the letters, a few jotted down words and doodles (not that I'd put a doodle up here, because as crafty as I like to think I am, I can not draw anything save a smiley face and a snail) but I have nothing concrete.
But people, four days is an eternity to a procrastinator of epic proportions like me. I can ideally keep procrastinating until April 1st and then whip out some random post and be done with it. Except, I really wanted to be ahead of the curve here. Have good solid posts that weren't just thrown together to fill a niche. And have posts scheduled to go so if I was busy (right!) I wouldn't be worried about it.
Four days. I could get quite a lot of writing done in four days. If I had a theme. If I focus. If I - oh! The lawn needs to be mowed!
Whoa. Okay, we were supposed to plan ahead for that A-Z thing? Did not know that. But also, it is dawning on me how implausible it is for me to keep up with a post a day. I get writer's block. Actual, physical writer's block where my daughter elbows me, jumps on me, and pounds on the keyboard until I just give up. :o)
ReplyDeleteI don't think it is a requirement to plan ahead but I think a lot of people plan around themes so each letter while different reflects a similar theme. Again, not a requirement, but I thought I'd give it a try. I was aiming for a cohesive feel to the whole thing. And well, I'm not sure that's really going to happen.
DeleteI get "distracted by chores" writer's block. I am much more productive if I write somewhere besides my house. Unfortunately I really can't afford the gas to get me to and from B&N on a daily basis...not can I afford the required caramel frappachino.
I am holding the sides of my head right now and willing you some of my "50 ideas for a blog post per day" energy. Sometime I write 4 a day, then delete the ones I like less, or save them for if I think I may get writer's block. I should save them for when I'm sick, 'cause that's when I really can't think of anything interesting to write.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm hoping that I am receptive to your ideas!! I try to write a bunch ahead of time too, but then I get halfway through a post, get distracted by something and lose my momentum and drive. I am trying to sit down for at least an hour each morning to write.
DeleteAs long as you keep the posts pithy, who cares about a theme. I follow entirely too many blogs who are participating in this, and you know the anxiety you feel prepping the writing? I feel that same anxiety for the pending reading.
ReplyDeleteIn the immortal words of Rob Schneider, "You can do..." Sorry, I just realized I was quoting Rob Schneider. I can't do that to you or anyone.
I assume you mean pithy as is "to the point" not "full of pulp and pith," right?
DeleteAs for a theme a lot of my planned posts and half-thought of posts do have a bit of a connection. But I decided that I'm not going to try to force the theme. Too stressful.
And like you I have a lot of blogs that I am reading and going to be reading that are doing the challenge so I understand you anxiety.
And thank you for not quoting Rob Schneider. I can't stand that guy!
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