Inundated With Ideas

A while ago, I came across an entry in my journal from last year that made me think:

“If God is where I get my creativity and ideas from, I could write for all of eternity and never run out.”

God really has gifted me with a great imagination. 

I have never lacked ideas for stories, and he’s given me such a creative mind (which comes in handy when it’s time to fill in plot holes).

But even with all my ideas and my wild imagination, writing can still be a challenge.

When Distractions Set In…

Sometimes I’m really excited to write my stories, and other times, I’d rather clean my room, empty the dishwasher, do laundry—or anything else—rather than open my laptop and start typing.

Or, even if I do want to write, there’s the struggle of actually staying focused on a project. 

Yes, right now I’m editing two novels. A royal intrigue fantasy novel, and another fantasy novel that’s set in a desert. 

But what about that shiny new idea I had for a sci-fi murder-mystery novel? Or the epic fantasy novel about a beast tamer who comes across dragons, griffins, and other fantastical creatures? Or the other royal intrigue story I’ve been thinking about writing for the past couple years?

I definitely prefer having a ton of ideas to having none at all, but when I have deadlines to meet, or if I actually want to finish a story, having a lot of ideas to write can make accomplishing my goals a challenge.

So, how do I keep myself from losing to distractions?

#1 Write The Idea—And Leave It There

If I get a really good story idea, I immediately write it down. 

I probably won’t do anything with it right away if I already have a writing or editing project, but if I get a good idea, I want to file it away so I won’t forget about it once I do have the time to work on a new story.

#2 Create Writing Prompts 

Sometimes I get really good ideas that I don’t have time to develop, or that I don’t ever see myself writing. 

When that happens, I usually like to turn those ideas into writing prompts so that other people can use the ideas and they don’t go to waste.

#3 Evaluate The Story

If I constantly get distracted or lose interest in a story, chances are that there’s something wrong with it. 

Maybe the characters aren’t developed well enough, or the plot is lacking action and depth. 

Or maybe there’s a particular scene that I’m having trouble with, and it’s making me feel like abandoning the story altogether. 

Once I evaluate my story and figure out the problems, I’m one step closer to fixing them. Which usually brings my motivation and focus roaring back to life.

#4 Timed Writing Sessions 

Sometimes the best way to keep myself focused on my writing is to set a timer and force myself to write until the timer goes off.

I usually set my timer for 33 minutes.

Why 33?

Because it usually takes me a few minutes to collect my thoughts and figure out how or where to start writing/editing my stories.

So, giving myself a few extra minutes allows me to refocus on my writing without feeling like I’m wasting time.

I’ve found that 33 minute writing sprints are long enough that I’m able to get a decent amount of work done, but short enough that I don’t lose focus or experience writing fatigue.

#5 Writing Sprints With Friends 

Sometimes writing on my own isn’t enough to keep me focused or motivated.

When I’m struggling to keep my mind on my writing, I usually like to reach out to my writer friends and sprint with whoever is available.

Accountability is a great tool when it comes to staying on track.

#6 Create Deadlines 

Speaking of accountability, if I’m struggling to finish a project, one of the most effective methods of keeping myself on track is giving myself a deadline for the project.

I put the deadlines in my planners, or on my calendar, and I tell at least two people who are sure to hold me accountable if I fail to finish my projects by the deadlines.

#7 Take A Break

Sometimes the true culprit behind distractions is just burnout.

When that’s the case, and if it’s possible, I like to take some time to relax and indulge in a creative hobby—like drawing and jewelry making.

Or, I’ll go out and enjoy nature, or read, or spend time with family and friends.

After I take a little break to do something creative or fun, I usually find myself motivated and ready to get back to work.

It’s A Choice

At the end of the day, I chose to become a full-time author, so that means that I need to treat writing and editing like a normal job.

I’m not always going to feel like writing, and it’s always tempting to give in to distractions.

But giving into distractions isn’t going to help me.

I want to be a good steward of my time and energy, which means that sometimes I’ll need to force myself to focus—even if it’s really hard.

Before You Go…

How do you usually deal with distractions?

Let me know down in the comments!

Have you read The Forbidden Garden yet?