Six distractions I prefer to writing (sometimes)

Now I love writing. The entire process - from the first idea on what to write, the shitty first draft, editing, revising, final draft along with the anxiety, dissatisfaction and everything else. That being said, writing is not my life. And it's important to recognize this.

Now if an idea strikes, I will want to focus purely on preserving the idea. Strike while the pen is hot, at least until the first draft is down on paper or the hard drive. Sometimes the tip tap tap of the keyboard just feels great but not always. I try to write a set number of words a day. (I have let this slide lately) The thing about life is that it keeps on trudging along even if I'm not there to be a part of it. This list changes often and it's not always accurate, but it's what came to mind as I wrote this.

Reading:

It could be a chapter before I turn out the lights, a five minutes on in kindle, a blog post or newspaper article. I want to read something every single day. My interests have changed somewhat over the years. In the past I read only horror novels. From Stephen King to Poppy Z Bright to a random read from the unread pile by my bedside. But lately my interested have turned to non-fiction. I sometimes wonder if that is why I prefer to write more non-fiction now instead of my short stories.

Family:

Sometimes I wish I had installed a cone of silence around my desk. Or had a man cave I could disappear into behind a steel dead bolt separating my from any other human life via three inches of sound proof walls where my words could flow unobstructed. But throwing the ball around the yard with my son or watch a horror flick with my wife or visit my parents is something I want to enjoy at the moment, not through regrets and should of's.

Meditation:

Meditation has taken a back seat in my life and that's not a good thing. Mornings can be the perfect time to reflect on my choices and prime myself for the brand new day. It is a better way to start the day as opposed to frantically trying to writing something or looking through Steemit.

Horror Flix:

Give me a schlocky 80s horror movie and I'm yours. Sure I could spend that time penning my horror narrative and sometimes should, but after a stressful day it helps to sit back and watch a hockey mask wearing hillbilly test a group of teenagers that sex, drugs and camping is a sin...Ok so maybe Jason is not the best judge of character.

Las Vegas:

Vegas, vegas, Vegas....Ever since my first experience with this sinful city I became infected. always having to return to the city that fills me, chills me and takes my money from me. from the dive bar casinos, the topless reviews, the nearly free drinks, the lights, the sounds and the vibrations, Las vegas has me dropping my pen to pull the slot machines handle one more time.

Bad Weather:

Be it a late night downpour of rain or a day long blizzard and whatever mother nature throws in between, I love being present during a bad weather. Sure I could combine writing with and often do but more often than not I end up wanting to be a part of nature's wrath.

Is this everything? I doubt it. I allow the simplest distraction to take me from my writings. I justify these by telling myself that writing is more of a hobby and not a career. I don't earn much money from it (but hey, the super size fries are on me)

By far the largest excuses I tell myself is that classic tune of "I don't have the time." This is a semi-truth. I have a full-time job and an over time child and those two right there take a lot of time. Add eating, sleeping, and other daily distractions and soon the small pockets of time become valuable as plutonium.

sure I could read less or spend less time with the family. I could deny myself time to meditate or pass on a spooky horror movie and close the curtains to the storms brewing. I could do that and write more but the cost is been too great. That might mean compromising my integrity even more than I already have.

So I adapted to my situation. I now write more non-fiction. Personal narratives, blogs and whatever other random nonsensical ramblings melted from my mind. I stopped spending the obscene time to submit my writings to publications. Now I publish everything I write on blogs and, soon, to Amazon Kindle. I choose myself (Thanks to James Altucher) let the publishing world find me if they want.