To clarify, I’m not offering advice here, I’m asking for it.
I remain about 65k words into my latest WIP, where I’ve been stuck since just before Thanksgiving. Why? Because I got distracted and I’m having trouble getting the ball rolling again. But wait, what’s that, there on the horizon? It’s an even bigger distraction!
To elaborate slightly, I got out of my routine because of a couple deaths in the family, then the holidays, then…well, general laziness after getting bumped out of my routine. And now, my family is contemplating a move out of state this summer. I say contemplate, but it’s practically a foregone conclusion. Now I don’t know about you, but I haven’t had a big move (as in out of my current city or state) in a very long time. There’s a lot to consider! But I need to put all of that out of my mind so I can get back to my WIP.
Can you say easier said than done?
If I try to focus on any piece of writing, the second I stall—even momentarily—my brain jumps back to things related to the move. I have to relearn how to prioritize, compartmentalize, and strategize so I can get my shit together and get my writing done. I *really* want to have this current WIP done before I move. I like the idea of starting a new project in a new place, not having the loose ends from the previous one that need tied up before I can move on.
On that note, one silver lining through all this is that even though I haven’t been actually writing much, I’m still constantly thinking about writing, and all that thinking has bore some fruit, so to speak. I have a short story I’m about to submit for an anthology I hope to get into (the odds are stacked against me, to say the least), and as is sometimes the case the general premise behind the short story blossomed into a larger idea that can easily be fleshed out into a novella or maybe even a full fledged novel. I don’t want to spill all the beans other than to say it’s a pretty pitch black comedy, and when I described the premise to a mentor/colleague, he coined the term “encouraged suicide”, which is pretty accurate. More on that to come.
So help me out here, WordPressians…Wordpresstons? How do you focus when it feels like you’re being pulled from all sides?
You know what the worst part is? I feel like I already know the answer: the answer is probably “you just write.” And with a little more effort, a little more concentration, and a lot more caffeine, I hope I can do just that. Just fucking write.
Which is what you should probably be doing too! Good luck!
BooksofJobe.com 
Jobe, yes, “Just fucking write” but also….I find that for me, it’s dedicated time. Every Sunday starting at 1 p.m. I write. I write until 6 p.m. or so… I know it. My wife knows. My friends know it. My fellow local writers know it. At that time, I’m in my Writing Cave (WITHOUT my phone) staring at a PC screen and, hopefully, writing. I’m not reading, I’m not on the Internet, I’m not doing anything else. I’m either staring at a blank screen or writing. That’s it. I’ve done this for years and it has helped me–and my significant others–plan around my writing time.
That’s the best advice I have for reliably producing words. It’s doesn’t ALWAYS work, but with practice I’ve found a way to make it ALMOST ALWAYS work. … Good luck!
Somehow I only just saw your reply. That’s great advice! I haven’t had many opportunities to dedicate time to writing at home, that’s why I try to get as much done as I can while I’m at work. Hopefully that will change as everything else changes here in a couple months 😆. Keep up the good work!
I will!