The Fine Art of Procrastination (And How To Live With It)

Writing is like starting the engine of a car. Sometimes, without trying, it just fires up, and you find yourself putting words together easily. Just as often, it can be like a cold car on a snowy morning. You sit down, try to get your thoughts in order, try to get into focus...

and nothing happens.

You stare at your fingers, as they sit on the keyboard. You might look out the window, take a sip of coffee, check your e-mail.

Radio silence.

You force out a couple of paragraphs. As you write, you notice how hard it is, and how slow it's going. Even as you type, you're not happy with the results.

Unless you HAVE to write to meet a deadline, don't torment yourself. Save the file and step away from the computer. You aren't ready to put down words.