Welcome back to my monthly Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) post. The first Wednesday of every month writers form across the virtual world log in and share in a collective moment of twittering focus. CHeck it out by clicking the image above.
The co-hosts for the May 1 posting of the IWSG are Victoria Marie Lees, Nancy Gideon, me, and Cathrina Constantine!
The May 1st question is how do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?
Hmm…depends on the day. I am very focused on most days. I set aside mornings to write, and I get up early to ensure it is a chunk of time. I go to my office and sit in front of my laptop and try to put down words without TV, music, or outside distractions. That works most days, but there are other days where I just need to curl up in my chair and zone out. Honestly, I give in to those instincts sometimes. I think it is part and parcel of expecting something out of my brain to also give it the zone-out days it seems to require. Today is one of those days, by the way. This blog post is the only writing I’m doing this morning. 😉
I’ll leave you with a book recommendation. I just finished Leah Bardugo’s The Familiar, and I enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a new read, give it a go. See you next month.
kimlajevardi 
Happy IWSG Gay, Kim! I hope all is well with you!
Happy IWSG day! I totally forgot. Guess I’m posting after work.
Thanks for co-hosting today. That’s great that you can devote time in the morning for your writing. I have a day job writing and do it then when I’m most focused. I try to write when I eat lunch, though today I’m reading blogs.
Everybody’s work schedule varies. I don’t get a dedicated lunchtime.
I agree – time to zone out (or replenish energy) is key to all forms of living a balanced life, so why not to writing too 🙂 Thanks for being a co-host today.
Debs posting today from Fiction Can Be Fun
Also found at Debs Despatches
Definitely helps me replenish my creative energies.
Thanks for co-hosting! I used to be a lot more writing-focused in the mornings, but it seems my time keeps getting shorter and shorter. Now I try to take care of the shorter tasks, like visiting blogs, before work, and leave the writing for my lunch.
Life shifts sometimes.
A writing instructor once said to me, “Thinking is writing, too.” Zone out days provide balance and gives your brain time to ponder, which can result in better writing. Thank you for co-hosting IWSG this month!
Sounds like you had a good writing teacher.
Hi,
I love your zoning out. There are times that I need that too, especially between four and five in the afternoon. I just need to sit back and rest my mind.
Have a lovely day and thank you for co-hosting.
Shalom shalom
Between four and five is a great zone out time!
I seem to recall realizing a year or so back that when I do long trips and hikes, sometimes I need to take a “zero day” when I don’t go anywhere or do anything. I think the brain needs a few of those as well!
Rebecca @ http://www.rebecca-Douglass.com
Definitely!
Zone-out days. I need more of those. Or maybe less.
Good answer to the question.
-Jamie of Uniquely Maladjusted but Fun
Sometimes more can feel like less. 😉
Happy IWSG Day! Thanks for co-hosting.
I like the sound of zone-out breaks. I think I take lots of those.
It appears we in good company with our breaks. They appear to be the consensus in my comments.
My favorite time is in the ‘zone’. Lately, I’ve even been wondering if I’m still a writer, when I haven’t been doing any fiction writing for a couple months. 😦
The zone is great! Good luck getting your mojo back.
Having a schedule helps. Sometimes I can make that work, but other times, that darned schedule is blown to bits by the unexpected. My hardest job is to learn to adjust. Thanks for the great post today and for co-hosting.
https://cleemckenziebooks.substack.com/p/writer-derailed
Oh gosh, learning to adjust is so hard sometimes.
In case my first comment has landed in another solar system, thanks for co-hosting!
~ diedre https/pensivepens.blogspot.com
A good mix of nature, reading, and research seems to keep my mind well rested and ready to continue, finish, or begin something new whenever I get back to my office. I think you’ve got a handle on that kind of balance. Thanks for co-hosting!
Thanks for dropping by!
It varies for me, too. I need different things on different days.
@samanthabwriter from<a href=”http://samanthabryant.com“>Balancing Act</a>
That makes sense to me.
I can do music if it’s without words, but like you cannot write with the TV.
I get distracted too easy.
Thanks for hosting! I think zoning out is actual a crucial part of letting our minds relax, digest the world, and (eventually) spit out some great ideas. Glad to heaar someone else zones out too (It’s nice to not be alone 🙂 )
You’re definitely not alone.
I’m definitely seeing a trend. It looks like it’s all about balance and knowing when to get distracted. Also, thanks for the recommendation, I just heard Leah Bardugo’s interview on NPR yesterday, and I’m definitely intrigued.
I love her work!
I absolutely agree. When that urge to take a break–zone out–takes over, go with it. There’s a reason.
Hard agree.
Thanks for co-hosting. Do you find drawn to a zone-out day when the day presents showers, soft hues of blue and grey, the muffled sounds of traffic? It’s life’s free ticket to slow down and just be. It can lead to blue thoughts so I resist going down that path. Being grateful for the present moment is something I have been working. Blessings
For me, it tends to be random, but too much busyness can prompt it. It’s like my thoughts need a break.
Thanks for co-hosting, Kim. Yes, I agree, it’s all about being kind to our inner child.
That’s a good way to look at it.
Thanks for co-hosting, Kim! Helpful members like you keep the IWSG a wonderful group. I’m am not good at zoning-out. I know it’s very healthy to take breaks like that, so kudos to you for recognizing that your brain needs a break. Have a great May!
Apparently, I’m very good at it. 😉
We do need zone-out breaks.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
We definitely do. My pleasure!
thanks for co-hosting today. You should like you’ve found a good balance!