Procrastination is a serious problem faced by many people when they’re trying to complete everyday tasks and more intense projects. Most people don’t procrastinate on purpose but often face some sort of mental or physical barrier that’s keeping them from getting their work done. Writers may procrastinate because they’re out of ideas, feel stuck, or just don’t have the mental clarity to continue on with a project. If you’re writing a book, procrastinating can mean that you’ll never complete your work if you don’t find ways to get motivated to write. Understanding why you procrastinate may help you find ways to overcome it so you can get back to writing.
What causes writers to procrastinate?
Maybe you aren’t sure what to write next, or you’re just distracted. There are many roadblocks that prevent writers from making progress. You may feel frustrated with your work and not know how to improve it. This can leave you feeling dejected, which often means you put off your writing in favor of doing something else. Some authors procrastinate because they worry about being rejected once their work is complete. While these feelings are valid, they’re also detrimental to your efforts.
Moving past procrastination
The best way to counter procrastination is accountability. As an author, you must hold yourself accountable when it’s time to write. Setting reachable goals can help. Some people find that using both short-term and long-term goals provides the motivation to keep going daily and to keep up the writing streak over time as their work continues to progress. Make yourself write, even when you’d rather do something else. Even a few words on paper or screen can urge you to keep going.
Nearly everyone procrastinates, especially when faced with a difficult or stressful task. While you may enjoy writing, creating a whole book is a huge endeavor. It takes time and effort, and often leaves you much less time to do other things. But procrastinating means it will take you even longer to finish your book. By understanding what causes you to avoid writing and making an effort to hold yourself accountable in meeting your writing goals, you can put in the work needed to finish your book.
