WFMAD – Day 2 – Your Abundance of Time

 

You're back!!! Yay!

Congratulations to everyone who started yesterday and welcome to the newcomers. Thanks to all who took the time to post a comment or something that they wrote yesterday. Was it harder than you thought or easier to take those fifteen minutes? (Note: the first day is the easiest. But don't worry. We can do this.)

 

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This is the problem, right? You want to write, you yearn to write, but there is never enough time. Your job sucks up eight hours a day minimum, and your commute, and then there is the grocery shopping, and the kids have to be picked up, etc., etc., etc. Or maybe you're a full-time student and all your teachers expect you to do 80 million hours of work every night. Or your family needs you 25 hours a day. Or you're already a published author and the need to stay active on social media and fuel the publicity machine and remind the world that you're alive steals every waking moment. (Yeah, that last one is aimed at me! Now you know what I allow to get in the way of my writing time.)

Blah, Blah. Blah.

 

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Do you want to write that book or do you want to talk about writing that book?

Life is complicated and hard. That will never change, so save your breath and stop whining about it. I know that you're wasting at least fifteen minutes a day farting around on the Internet. How does reading People.com improve your life and get you closer to fulfilling your writing dream? Did playing Candy Crush help you write any pages last month? 

Our brains are wired to enjoy the false sense of accomplishment that we get from clicking on things as we scurry around cyberspace like hamsters smoking crack. Our compulsion to click on listicles about cats is rooted in the same brain wiring that makes people play nickle slots at seedy casinos for hours on end. 

 

start today

 

YOU HAVE AN ABUNDANCE OF TIME. 

I know you have fifteen minutes. That's all you have to do today. Write for fifteen minutes and promise that you will write for fifteen minutes tomorrow. This month is about putting your dream first and giving yourself permission to make it happen. TURN OFF THE INTERNET AND WRITE BECAUSE IT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY!!

Today's non-fiction prompt: What is your favorite time waster? Be specific: write down the websites and what you get out of spending time on them. The television shows and movies that you've watched in the last movies. The phone calls, coffee dates, lunches, or evenings out that robbed you of time you'd like to have back. What time of day are you most likely to engage in these time wasters and why? THAT IS YOUR WRITING TIME!! When you're done responding to this prompt, set an alarm for tomorrow's writing time.

Today's fiction prompt: Write an internal monologue of a character in which s/he rationalizes and justifies which websites s/he visits. Start with websites that have a strong connection to the character's work and/or life, then follow the path down the rabbit hole until your character is doing something silly (like playing Candy Crush). Is change possible? What will it take for that character to change?

Fifteen minutes. More if you want, but just fifteen minutes spent writing today could change your entire life.

Scribble… scribble… scribble…

010512 - who controls your life

19 Replies to “WFMAD – Day 2 – Your Abundance of Time”

  1. Nonfiction prompt:

    Form me my email is my biggest time waster.  I review books for my blog and when I get home from work I start checking my email.  There is the usual 5+ requests for book reviews.  Then  I start in on KindleNation, Book Gorilla to see what free books I can download.  I’ve figured I must set a time limit like I do with my writing if I am ever to overcome this addiction and time waster.  I am getting up 30 minutes early each day beginning today to write.  This is what I did a couple of years back and it worked wonders.  I am also going to spend less time watching TV.  Right now I watch maybe an hour a night but I can do without it.  I have in the past.

  2. Thanks so much for doing this again! I appreciate the push, and if I can complete this challenge in September with a new school year beginning I know I can keep it up throughout the year, too. I can't wait to read your newest novel!

  3. Recently I started a blog to post writing on, if any one could come see it and comment follow like. ANYTHING. I would be so extremely greatful.  I feel like I'm posting to no one currently and a little encouragement would defiantly help me to keep it up and keep writing.  I have a multi part fan fiction for "speak" I've started posting if anyone is interested in reading it and giving me their comments.  Much thanks!

    here is the site http://zipperoverlipspeninhand.blogspot.com/

    Im not sure I'll write on here much more but Ill definatly be posting on my blog.

    my biggest culprit for not writing is upworthy and Facebook.  I can spend hours on upworthy watching videos and reading.  The other thing that keeps me from writing is books but that one I'm not upset about.  School is starting this week and I'm sure that will keep me from rec writing, EXCUSES EXCUSES,  I will keep writing no matter what.

     

  4. Oh my heavens!  Laurie, you've been spying on me.  Either that or I have to review my privacy settings on Facebook so that it doesn't report all my Candy Crush activity.  Yes, that is the cute addictive monster standing in the way of my writing.  Not to mention that I am very much like those dogs in "Up"…."SQUIRREL!"  I've been doing a 100 words for 100 days challenge, so your WFMAD is the perfect way to bump it up.  I'm off by a day because I faltered, but I'm declaring today a do-over.  And no more Candy Crush until I've done my 15 minutes.

  5. "I know you have fifteen minutes. That's all you have to do today." My mantra for September, and hopefully beyond…. My writing for today:

     

    I used to take long baths. I mean marathon, hour-long, skin-pruney, hot-water-turning-cold baths. I knew every inch of my body, or at least the parts I could see without going into some kind of water yoga pose. I’d stand up in the garden tub after I’d lathered my hair into a shampoo mohawk (my mom would have had a heart attack about me slipping and cracking my skull if she’d seen me) and do little dance moves, watching myself in the mirror over my parents sink. Naked used to be fun.

    That was before. Before my thighs and gut and boobs ballooned out to make me look like some kind of dough monster lurking beneath the surface of the dying bubbles.  Like the fresh mozarella my mom buys at the store that blobs around in some kind of murky cheesewater.

     

    Now I take showers. Warp speed showers. I wrap the towel around me before I open the shower door so there’s no chance I’ll catch a drive-by view of anything below the shoulders or above the knees. I have OK knees.

    And there’s hair where it didn’t used to be too. I haven’t asked mom about shaving anything or what I’m supposed to do about it. Like, do I have to use anything special to wash it? Do I use conditioner down there? It’s kind of gross.

  6. I need the writing discipline that I used to have when I was young and foolish. Now you've inspired me to devote at least 15 minutes a day instead of waiting for that two-hour or eight-hour window during which writing happens. Simple but brilliant concept!

  7. Not certain what I'm writing is what I want to write just now, but I'm writing … two days in a row.  The last time I did that, I'm very sure that there was no FB dinging on my computer, so I'll need to turn that off tomorrow!

  8. Here is my 15 minutes today. It's not my favorite, but it's better than nothing, I guess. 

    What am I doing? I’ve spent the last 4 hours on the internet doing nothing. I can’t even remember all the pointless, meaningless website’s I’ve been too.  I mean I love just surfing the web, it’s relaxing and it makes me feel like I’ve done stuff. Except now I’m looking around, and it’s very clear that I’ve done nothing. I have nothing too show for the last 4 hours except some useless celebrity trivia that will do nothing to help me in any productive way. Man, I’ve really got to stop doing this. 

    Ooooh! Candy Crush! I’m just gonna play this until I decide what is a more productive use of time. 

    *Five minutes later*

    Stupid bombs, I hate how they just take away my lives! Ugh, my house is a disaster, I really need to clean. Oh wait! I haven’t checked PostSecret yet this week, I’ll just do that and then I’ll get up and be productive.

    That reminds me I haven’t checked my Facebook today, I’ll just swing by there and see what everyone is up too. 

    I should probably check my Goodreads account too, I’m sure everyone is wondering where I am. I haven’t checked it for a few of hours. Look book recommendations! What is this author? This book? Maybe I should head over to Parajunkee’s website, looks like she’s reviewed this. 

    Man, I’m so ADD. I have got to get up and be productive. Wait! I haven’t checked Pinterest yet either. I had better head over there and make sure I’m not missing anything good. Humor, check. Health and Fitness, check. Film,Movies, and Books, check. Oh yeah and let me also check to see what food options are available. 

    OH MY GOD, it’s been 6 hours! That’s it I have had enough I am putting this computer to sleep. But wait…No, I think I’ve searched everything I wanted. 

    I think I need to go on a computer break. How would I survive? I’d still have my phone! Well, that seems like cheating, maybe I can turn off my data? What if someone emails me or needs me? I can’t be completely incommunicado for long. I think. Still half a day wasted to the internet, that’s pretty ridiculous.  I don’t know maybe I should get on the internet and research this. 

    WAIT, WHAT?  I’m going to use the internet to research not having internet? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard, and I’m the one who thought it! I have an addiction. I need Internet Anonymous. Hi, My Name is Marie and I’m an internet addict. It’s been one day since my last log on. OMG IT’S OFFICIAL I”M UNPLUGGING THE INTERNET FOR A WEEK……………….

  9. I wrote about my time wasters today.  At the top of my list, I find Facebook and Pinterest.  I think I need to take some time and walk away from those things and focus on more productive things, like writing, to enrich my life and my time.  That is my goal for this month and I hope it carries over and beyond.

  10. I'm playing catch up! I like today's prompts. I will post something on yesterday's and today's tomorrow. Your post today was a great reminder. I have the time. Instead of thinking about writing, I need to just get BICHOK! I wasted enough time as it is 🙂 Thank you!

     

    Peace and love,

    Paula R

  11. My grandmother was addicted to gambling. True story. She would sit at those slot machines for 8, 10, 12 hours, while me and my brothers spent the time in the "kiddie" room, bored out of our minds. I think that's why I hate gambling. But your comment about it being the same brain wiring that compels us to keep clicking on internet articles, is scaring me. I watched my grandmother gamble away her life. And now you've made me see I am doing the same thing. Thank you, I think.

    I decided to write from the non-fiction prompt today, just to explore this idea a little further. It was making me depressed, so I switched to my wip (fiction) and gave my mc some things to think about. She's feeling a little depressed today, too. Maybe we both needed to look at this today.

     

  12. Hi Kasey–

    Just wanted to let you know that even though this might not be your "favorite" I got a kick out of it, and you did a great job illustrating how easy it is to get distracted by Internet stuff. You have a gift for humor–keep writing!

  13. Hi Laurie–

    Interesting comparison between gambling addiction and internet addiction. I spent a few days this summer checking out lists like "The 50 worst movie endings ever," etc. Fun stuff and fine for a temporary distraction, but not worth spending hours over. Hope you and your MC get un-depressed : )

  14. Hi Laurie–

    We met 3-4 years ago at ALA (I'm a librarian) and I told you I just finished a novel. You were kind enough to autograph my copy of Speak with "Welcome to the club!" One of my most prized possessions. Anyway, your 15 minutes a day challenge came at the perfect time. I don't work summers (I realize that's a luxury many don't have) and I started a new WIP in August, vowing to write 500 words a day (I'm a slow writer). And then school started back and I felt depressed and overwhelmed. But I've made myself write the last couple of days, even if my word count isn't progressing as quickly as I want, because it sustains me, and I have this story that so needs to be told. And my MC is actually researching something important to his character on the Internet–I love the idea of him getting lost in Candy Crush or something like that because he'd rather do that than look at himself and what's going on in this life. So thanks for the inspiration!

  15. I'm so glad I'm not the only one with ADHD like those dogs! I'm always saying "SQUIRREL!" when anything distracts me, just because everyone gets the joke immediately. haha.

  16. This resonates with me. The carefree exploration of childhood into the terror and utter confusion of puberty.

    Thanks for writing this. It reminded me of how I used to be. My mother and I used to share baths Friday nights (such a cherished childhood memory), until I became too embarrassed to see myself, let alone anyone else.

  17. Okay, I'm already loving the fact that we're only 2 days in, and I never know where anything comes from or what it is or where it's going. There's such a beauty and a freedom in that.

     

    "When you’re gone

    I’m still here

    When you’re here

    I’m still gone

    No matter where we are

    We are never together in the

    Same place

    It doesn't matter how

    Far I reach or how

    Fast I run

    We remain exactly as we are.

    The problem is I can’t figure out if I’m running

    Towards

    Or

    Away

    There are days when I want you

    Need you

    Can only exist with you

    Where who am I does not make sense

    Without you for comparison

    Connection

    Intervals where your path is all I see

    The only choice I have in this world

    Worse still are the times when our incompatibility

    Consumes me

    Where the desire for indifference

    And separation becomes

    Malevolence

    A word that sits on my tongue

    Burning its stain

    Leaving me choking on ashes

    Of what you always promised we would be

    Together

    Together Forever

    Forever to

    Never

    With you I am a mere

    Fragment

    Of who I could be

    Without you I am only

    Shadows

    Of what I used to be

    So which way do I run

    Is there such a way as

    Through

    How can I have you

    Without losing

    Me

    When you’re gone

    I’m still here

    When I’m gone

    You’re still here

    We may always be as we are

    And I may never have us

    But the scars remain"

     

    (should I put punctuation in? most of the lines would normally have one if it were written in paragraph form, but I thought it looked weird to have some lines end with punctuation and other lines remain free. ? I haven't written poetry in awhile…and when I was prolific, most of them rhymed. That will tell you how young I was. haha)

     

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