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Don't Let Procrastination Stop You |
Written by Alyice Edrich
Friday, 11 April 2008
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A few years ago procrastination was the name of the game when it came to finishing my latest book. While I am usually not a procrastinator, my new project had me frozen in my tracks for nearly a year. After trying every writer's block tool under the sun, I still couldn't shake the procrastination. I wasn't sure what was causing me to put off my latest book project, but the more I thought about the book, the more I didn't want to write it, edit it, or even interview for it. The worst part was that everything for completing the project was right in my head. There wasn't much research to be done because this particular topic was one that I dealt with on a daily basis so all I really had to do was write, edit, and interview. Yet, the more I talked about my book with colleagues, friends, and family the more I found myself turned off. And the more I tried to force myself to sit down and write the book, the more I found myself with an overwhelming sensation of anxiety. Then a colleague pointed out the obvious, I had "stage fright!" "I had written seven books, published a weekly e-zine, and ran a successful online publication. What could be causing stage fright?" I wondered. I pondered that revelation for three weeks when the underlying problem finally revealed itself to me. I began writing the book when the only book available on this particular subject was via electronic download and that book was selling for $295! Since I started writing my book, there had been several, more affordable books written on the same topic which meant I had a lot of competition. Truth be told, I've never read the other books but I have read their sales copy—all claiming to make tens of thousands of dollars per month doing the exact same thing I was writing about. "Why would someone read a book from me?" I thought. "Sure, I am making good money doing exactly what I want to teach others, but why would they buy from me when it's obvious these authors are making millions doing the same thing?" And that's when it hit me. I wasn't writing a book to compete with these authors. While my book would, in essence compete with the other books on the market, I was writing a book for people like me—people who weren't in it for the "quick rich scheme". I was writing a book for the average Joe—someone who wanted to earn a living from home sharing information about something he/she loved. I was writing a book for someone who wanted to earn a living while so that they could have more quality time to spend with their families. I wasn't writing a book to make millionaires. I was writing a book to help make a difference in someone's life. And that's when I finally felt free to write. So the next time you find yourself procrastinating on a writing assignment take the time to evaluate the real reason behind your procrastination. You just never know what you'll learn, or what will break that so-called "writers block" once and for all. Happy writing! Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
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