Get it Done! What’s Your Best Tip for Sitting Down to Write?

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Parnassus Books, an independent bookseller in Nashville, Tennessee, runs a prolific blog called Musing. They asked novelist and creative writing professor Jennifer Close to share her five best tips on how to reject distraction and focus on her writing. Among them, she cautions students that to write, they should avoid the internet to quiet their mind.

Stop looking at the internet!

My students at George Washington University are (obviously) younger than I am, which means they’re even more addicted to and dependent on technology. I get to sound really wise and old and righteous as I lecture them about not looking at their phones, and they get to teach me about Finstagram and other important developments on the interweb.

They try to assure me that they can still write while pecking away at their phones or taking a break to look at Instagram and I tell them over and over again that they can’t. (Don’t my writing classes sound fun so far?) I tell them that something happens when you quiet your mind and sit alone with your thoughts for a while, that there is a switch in your brain as you move into writing mode and really focus.

I don’t know the scientific term for this phenomenon but I think it’s something like stoplookingattheinternetandyourbrainwillwritebetter. And even though I tell my students this about 400 times a week and I know it to be true, my fingers still itch to check Twitter/Facebook and watch just ONE MORE cute dog video before I start writing.

It’s hard, but we can all resist! Put your phone on silent and maybe in another room. Disconnect your wifi. Do whatever you have to do. It gets uncomfortable. That’s the point. (Also, every so often my wifi just refuses to work, and instead of blaming Verizon I believe this to be the writing gods trying to help me out. They work in mysterious ways.)

Read the full post at musing.

What’s your best tip for achieving the focus needed to write?

199 Comments

  2. Yea you gotta stay focused, there are too many distractions on the internet. One thing that helps me is writing out all of my thoughts with a pen and paper for 30 minutes. Once I do that my mind feels clear and refreshed, and I’m ready to write 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  3. I agree, especially the “stop looking at the internet” part. Even though I’m guilty of this but I must say that at times, it can also be helpful, especially when a topic needs supporting, if not additional, info. The problem is WHEN to stop, or when to know when you’ve had sufficient data.

    Liked by 3 people

  4. I do not complete a writing bit and often take a break when I already have an idea about what should follow. That way, when I get back to writing, I am not staring at my screen as words fail me! Works for me.

    Liked by 6 people

  5. This great advice. I definitely struggle to write when I have the internet at my fingertips, but then feel like I’m wasting my time if I just sit down and think!

    Liked by 3 people

  7. I find the pressure of deadlines really helps me. So I usually have a deal with a friend or another writer to share work at specific dates so I’m motivated to get to work. And you are right—disconnecting from the internet is so important. You can’t fully engage with your thoughts or writing when you are getting distracted every 5 minutes by status updates and cute puppy videos!

    Liked by 4 people

  9. This is so true! All these smartphones, Internet completely ruin the essence of original writing. It happens with me all the time. Everytime I am about to write, I just can’t resist checking on my phone one last time! #realitycheck loved the writeup

    Liked by 5 people

  10. Thanks for this advice! I definitely treat writing as a job. It’s the one way to treat my self imposed deadlines seriously. I use the internet to get ideas or do research, but sometimes I get sidetracked with all the interesting stuff!

    Liked by 3 people

  11. I am a photographer that writes fun limericks about my images. I look at my image, get into a quiet room, think about the words I want to rhyme and the number of syllables I need for each line. I have to admit sometimes I have to ask the internet for help on rhyming words.

    Liked by 4 people

  12. Removing the shackles of everyday responsibilities, adulthood and the monotonous routine of sleep, work, eat, survive. I write when the world sleeps, when I’m free to be me and I can tap into my skill with no distractions.

    Liked by 2 people

  14. If I sit down and try to write about a topic, but I can’t come up with a first sentence/paragraph that feels like a good “hook” for the reader, I either scrap the idea or revisit it later. I also like to jot down quick notes on my phone when I don’t have time to actually sit down and write in order to help with the process when I do have time to work with an idea.

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  15. Anytime I have a writer’s block while writing rhymes and fiction for my company. I work on word association.

    For example: If I am writing about the Moon then I’d take into consideration everything that defines, describes of proves as a trait for my subject.

    I write down 5 words that best describe the mood of my rhyme.
    5 words that best describe the subject of my verse
    5 words that best describe the setting around the subject.
    5 words that personify my subject.

    Then I play around with all the words written and try creating a verse or two!

    Liked by 2 people

  16. Every word to word holds so true to my emotions about writing. So many of us proclaim to be creative writers but keep searching internet for ideas. I can proudly say that i never cheated on my passion for writing by looking over internet for ideas.

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Whenever I get a thought, I put it on any paper in my visibility. I will forget it if I keep it for later. I write every where and at any time like on the bus, in a caravan, middle of my lunch, while watching a movie… I just need a thought in my mind.

    Liked by 3 people

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