Home   |   LCS Prints Store   |   About Me   |   FAQ   

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Off the Rails - IWSG May 2024

 


Welcome to IWSG Day. The goal of this blog hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a haven for insecure writers of all kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of our fearless ninja leader Alex Cavanaugh.  Thank you to co-hosts for May:  Victoria Marie Lees, Kim Lajevardi, Nancy Gideon, and Cathrina Constantine.

This month’s optional question: How do you deal with distractions when you are writing? Do they derail you?

I started writing a response to this month’s question last week, but then, well, I got derailed.

I am not an effective multi-tasker. When I'm writing, I’m all in, to the detriment of anything else on my to-do list. Currently though, there’s a construction project going on at my house which has provided enormous distraction. No matter what I think I’ll be doing after work each afternoon, very little of it has been getting done.

The early mornings are quiet, so I can still write then, and during the first two weeks of demolition, I wrote after work, sitting down at the computer wearing headphones. Now though, it’s the decision-making stage and every answer requires research. Rather than doing the late afternoon writing that has been powering me along, I’m Googling. The building inspector has required me to replace a door to the garage. Research doors. Do I want overhead pendant lights? Research, research, research and…no. The bricks I chose to match existing brick for a part of the project are unavailable, which meant visiting brickyards. During one such adventure, Google Maps played games, sending my daughter and me onto the highway then off and over it, only to put us back on the highway where we started. Ultimately, it directed us to a subway parking garage and announced we were at our destination. When we finally found the brickyard, half a mile from that garage, it was in the process of being demolished. Thanks AI. I swear I heard the phone chuckle.

So, back to this month’s question. How do I deal with distractions? With headphones until that doesn’t work anymore. Then I hop off the tracks. It’s all good. I still have my morning writing time. Eventually the project will get done and besides, the trip to the brick yard provided fodder for future writing.

In the meantime, they're about to start hanging cabinets. There are drawer pulls to choose. Who knew you could have handles or knobs, or handles and knobs? (Insert eye roll here.) Time for more research.

16 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Headphones help me.
Crappy that Google Maps led you on a wild goose chase.

Jan Morrison said...

When we built our own house (15 years ago and long sold) it was my job to choose things like knobs, lighting fixtures and on and on. Only fair as the fella actually built it but man oh man I hated that task. Good luck to you! And yes, I with you - get off the rails then back on. They aren't going anywhere.

Fundy Blue said...

In spite of all you're dealing with, Liza, you wrote an engaging post! Good luck with your renovations and writing!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

It's funny because, as I was reading, I was thinking the brickyard might stir something up. :)

Our house was a new build, and we had choices to make, but they were limited choices, which worked well for me. I'm much better with choosing between 5 kinds of door pulls than 50. :)

Natalie Aguirre said...

Yes, the writing will get done. And sometimes life happens and you have to attend to other things.

Joyana Peters said...

Happy IWSG Day! Ah, construction projects. I've been there! Yes, so much research and time and just the general mental energy that gets zapped by having your sanctuary in such chaos. Good luck weathering the crazy and yes, it will be done eventually and your time will be more available again.

Señorida Anastasia said...

I can relate to the first sentence but got derailed into writing something else. Tried to write this and found myself unable to write anything without completing a chapter of something I'm writing. Google maps really are the worst sometimes. My family has a way of giving google maps funny nicknames cuz of this playing around. Have a nice day:)

Leigh Caron said...


When I built a house and had to choose everything is when I started gettin up at 4:30 am. Interuptions and distractions started when the sun came up but I got some good writing on those few hours.

F. Stone said...

Hello. It's nice to be back in the group. Life's challenges did derail my writing of novels. Instead, I began to research my ancestors' lives. That is a rabbit hole that can take you on a shocking journey. I've been encouraging everyone I know and meet to write their biography. Seriously, this is important, maybe not for the current generation but it will be fascinating to family who arrive in another one hundred years. My objective was to expand the details of birth, death, etc. to include photos, stories, and more precious are the letters. Are letters still being written? So much more authentic expression was being said in those letters than what we find on facebook or other social media. Consider writing your ancestors' bio and, especially important, your own. Blessings

Sarah Foster said...

Glad you're still able to write in the morning before all the distractions start! Sorry that Google maps sent you on a wild goose chase, but I guess you got a funny story out of it!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Yeah, sometimes you just can't fight the distractions.

Nick Wilford said...

That's certainly an overwhelming distraction. I hope things will be more sane again soon!

Yvonne Osborne said...

That trip to the brickyard is definitely story-telling material! It sounds like the convoluted routes GPS has sent me on. Oh, for an old fashioned road map that lets us be in charge instead of following orders from a discombobulated voice. It sounds like you are going through a lot right now but you'll still find the private "quiet" time you need.

Victoria Marie Lees said...

All the luck with your home projects. At least you will know everything will be up to code when you finish. Good to use headphones for quiet. Patience. It will soon be over, Liza.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Liza - well a major home project deserves first attention - other things can happen once that's finished/ or nearly sorted. But that's great you've got your two hours in the morning ... at least you can mull over the storyline during the day - take care and good luck with all - cheers Hilary

Joanne said...

It is easy to get derailed and projects involving worker bees is the worst. I'm always nervous with workers in my home. Good luck with that.
As for writing, again I was terrible about not staying focused. And for you - good luck, again.