Strategy:
What if you were the main character in your own writing journey? Imagine facing a formidable foe—the distractions that keep you from putting pen to paper. It's time to channel your inner hero and slay those procrastination dragons! By stepping into the shoes of your protagonist, you'll gain a fresh perspective on your own distractions and devise clever strategies to overcome them. After all, if your character can vanquish their obstacles, why can't you?
Instructions:
Distraction Dump: Brainstorm a list of distractions that keep you from writing. Be honest and comprehensive—no distraction is too small or too silly to include.
Character Creation: Craft a main character who faces similar distractions to yours. Give them a name, a backstory, and a burning desire to accomplish something despite the obstacles.
Heroic Strategies: Put yourself in your character's shoes and devise three creative solutions to overcome their distractions. Think outside the box and let your imagination run wild!
Reality Check: Review your character's solutions and choose one to apply to your own life. What steps can you take to make this strategy work for you?
Obstacle Course (optional): Identify potential roadblocks that might make it difficult to implement your chosen solution. Brainstorm ways to navigate these challenges.
Reflection (optional): What other kinds of obstacles do you face besides distractions?
Tags: drafting, procrastination, distractions, character development, problem solving, creativity
Category: The Writer's Mindset > Growth Mindset and Responsibility
Example:
Distraction Dump: Social media, phone notifications, household chores, TV shows and movies, snack breaks and meals, family and friends interrupting, noise, gaming, reading, email
Character Creation: Alex is a 30-year-old software developer living in a bustling city. He desperately wants to develop a groundbreaking app that could revolutionize the way people manage their daily tasks… including himself.
Heroic Strategies: Alex decides to implement a strict "digital detox" period each day. During this time he works on a prioritization system where he lists out his daily tasks and categorizes them into urgent, important, and trivial. He dedicates the first two hours of his day to tackling the most urgent and important tasks for his startup.
Reality Check: To apply this to my own life, I will designate a two-hour block each day where I turn off my phone, disable internet access on my computer, and focus solely on writing.
Obstacle Course (optional):
Potential Roadblocks: Urgent work-related emails or calls during the detox period. Feeling the urge to check phone or social media. Unexpected interruptions from family or roommates.
Navigating Challenges: Set up an emergency contact method for truly urgent issues. Use app blockers or site blockers to prevent access to distracting websites during the detox period. Communicate clearly with household members about the importance of the focused time and ask for their support.
Reflection (optional): Some other obstacles I face include mental fatigue and burnout. An often ambivalent lack of motivation on particularly stressful or busy days. And difficulty maintaining a consistent schedule.