WIP challenge - day 7 check-in!

[littlebutfierce]

It's my last day doing the check-ins for this month -- tomorrow I hand over to lola_mento. Thanks very much to everyone who's volunteered to do check-ins, hooray! If something comes up & you can't take your shift, please let me know ASAP & I'll find someone else (or step into the breach). Also feel free to experiment w/the format of the check-in! (I think, because I'm a paid member & an admin for the comm, I should be able to allow any members, whether they are paid members or not, to post polls -- perhaps one of the check-in folks could let me know? If it doesn't work I'll check w/Support.)

Anyway! On to today's poll.

Poll #6909 Day 7 check-in!

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 12

View Respondents

The fic! How is it going today?

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A++, would fic again
4 (40.0%)

Nothing doing
3 (30.0%)

IT BURNS
3 (30.0%)

Have you been able to do any of the fic-related stuff you set out to do this weekend yet?

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Yep!
3 (25.0%)

Sorta kinda
6 (50.0%)

Nope
3 (25.0%)

I didn't set out to do any
0 (0.0%)

And what fic-ly things did you end up doing, then?

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Write
7 (63.6%)

Edit
2 (18.2%)

Send to beta
0 (0.0%)

Research
2 (18.2%)

Procrastinate
4 (36.4%)

Something else I will describe in comments
3 (27.3%)

Your fic, in three words or less!

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For a discussion topic, I'd like to hear about how folks get, & stay, in the zone when writing. We all have periods when we're more distracted than others, but I feel like sometimes I can't sit down to write without switching over to another window to look at DW or check Twitter or see if an e-mail's come in. Every other minute. I should probably use an internet blocker, sigh. Has anyone been able to improve their concentration or minimize distractions? What did you do? Somehow I still manage to write things even while flicking between tabs, but I wish I could focus more. Do you struggle with this?

Comments

[jagnikjen]

I have finally decided to accept that the muse is just not in the mood to write smut. So my challenge for the month, to write four fics for a comm (which just so happens to be a smut comm) may or may not come to pass. We'll see. I started a drabble that is all smut, so maybe the limited word count will allow me to get past the muse. And it's not like I don't have prompts to help me, but I just can't seem to pull much premise out my hat to turn the prompt into any kind of fic, even a PWP. *sigh*

I did however get some work done on another WIP. When I say got some work done, I actually finished it. Now I just need to edit/revise and possibly send off to my beta.

I'm satisfied with my progress for the weekend, so if I get nothing done tomorrow while I'm visiting my MIL, then that's fine. I say that because she will probably end up playing WOW with my hubby and son, so I'll be sort of off the hook to be sociable. :)

Getting in the zone...well, that happens best for me when no one (or only my daughter) is at home. Then I don't have to worry about anyone needing me (DD is 21, so she's self sufficient and in her room doing her own thing) for anything.

When I get going I like to write in about 45 minute bursts. Then I get up and usually switch laundry, go to the bathroom, get something to drink, etc. Then I get comfy and back to the story.

I'll check my e-mail and DW/LJ before I get started and then maybe if I take a break for a meal, but if I'm really in the zone and the writing is flowing then those things don't call to me at all.

Maybe use them as a reward? If you write X number of words then you can tweet or check e-mail or DW...?

I think part of that is tied to your procrastination issue. :) If you're trying avoid writing, then of course all those other things are going to distract more easily.

See, I *want* to write right now, but the words just won't come so easily. :(

(Oh, and thanks for all the good discussion topics!)

[littlebutfierce]

Awwww, sorry you're struggling w/the muse versus your goals for the month! Though maybe making a conscious decision to stop fighting it will let you make some progress elsewhere (or might even make your muse decide smut would be all right after all, w/o pressure). & yay for finishing the other fic!

I like the idea of a reward system. I know in the past I've used music to keep me going--if I keep writing for 3 more songs, I can then go take a break/have a snack/etc.! (& then I hope that the longest songs ever don't come up on iTunes ;)

I hope you're able to get some writing down at your MIL's today, like you suspect.