Distractions; Killing Me

[Ranwulf]

Often I'll be sitting here alone in my home, writing, with the right words just kind of magically coming to me, you know what I mean? Then one of my parents or my sister enters, makes a bunch of noise, and boom, my vibe is destroyed. When I try to continue when it's quiet again, it feels kind of like I'm reading someone else's work and trying to finish it for him. I think I have trouble getting on the same 'gear' in multiple sessions. My writing style is somewhat variable I suppose. Any suggestions on what to do about this?

[Leisha]

You could try going back and re-writing the last several pages of your manuscript, altering them slightly so you're not just writing the same phrases again. At the very least it will improve the story (because you can add in what you perhaps forgot the first time around), and it will make you want to keep on going once you reach the part you stopped at last time!

Well, it's just an idea. I hope you find a way!

[ctg]

You get used to it, or then you move out and become a hermit or something.

[Orian]

I find when I'm writing, that I write it all down as I think. Every thought and idea that comes into my mind. When something disturbs me, either I keep writing and by doing so manage to keep the thread of my thoughts, or I lose it, but have everything else I wrote.

Reading through what I thought and the ideas I have, often I pick up the thread where it was cut before and can continue to write as I did. By doing it this way, I stop writing down ideas when I feel I've written enough, or when I feel the ideas are no longer relevant, then read through and expand on everything else I've written.

You could perhaps though take a short break before continuing on again. When you get interrupted your mind gets a little jumbled and may take a little bit to focus again. Just calm your mind down, take ten minutes to have a drink, then sit back down and try again.

Hopefully some of this helps.

[Malloriel]

Originally Posted by Leisha

You could try going back and re-writing the last several pages of your manuscript, altering them slightly so you're not just writing the same phrases again. At the very least it will improve the story (because you can add in what you perhaps forgot the first time around), and it will make you want to keep on going once you reach the part you stopped at last time!

Well, it's just an idea. I hope you find a way!

Now, from experience I can tell you that this isn't really the best idea, because what frequently happens for a lot of writers is that they'll get caught up in what then qualifies as the editing process and never progress far at all. Every time the start back up they re-read and edit before continuing the thread of their thought. I certainly don't disapprove of the editing process, but one thing I was told once is to plug on through. Continue writing even when it's crap, and it will be crap (as far as we're concerned being the authors), and the first draft is always going to be an unsatisfying lump of potential until beaten, broken, whipped, and crammed through the editing process a million times, and once done it's polished and glittering with all your effort. It can never glitter, though, if what you do is write a bit, and then edit and edit and edit and polish as you go along. What if later ideas contradict earlier chapters, but the later ideas are far too brilliant to be ignored, but you've already polished those earlier chapters to the point where you can't imagine cutting or changing them in any way now? You've just cut off your own foot. Congrats.

I too get in that perfect frame of mind where the images are living in your mind, you feel the characters and their emotions, the words come out fluid and pristine, and then the phone rings and it's a telemarketer. And you feel like you hate anything that's written outside that perfect state, which doesn't mean that what's written outside of it is BAD, just doesn't have the same feel and weight to it that everything within that trance-like state may have. It's hard to feel motivated to write when the conditions don't allow for that place, but to stop just because of it I would consider a mistake. A mistake I know I've personally made and would hate to see you suffer doing the same.

Perfect conditions are hard to find, so I would (and actually already do) follow the advice of Orian there, and write down notes and ideas as you have them. You can organise them into the structure you want later, but don't let lack of conditions strangle your story, or abuse and defile it while you're not looking.

But that's just me.

[Teresa Edgerton]

There are different ways to approach this kind of problem, and sometimes it can take a lot of trial and error to figure out which one works for you, Ranwulf.

My own approach is very close to what Leisha describes. I often find that in order to go forward I have to go back first.

[The Pelagic Argosy]

I know about distractions. I have a four year old. (More chocolate milk? Are you kidding me?!? It's going to start coming out of your pores!)

Whenever I'm going to be pulled away for a few hours, I jot down a few phrases at the bottom, describing my thought processes at the time that I had to leave. "Fire...stolen mirror...She is lonely...describe picture above fireplace...chocolate milk..." etc. Then I can pick up the thread again.

[Purdy Bear]

There are several techniques which might help:

a) When you do shorthand you get used to keeping one sentence in your head while writing another.

b) I just ask myself / higherself / subconscious, to bring it back to me. I know it sounds silly, but it usually works for me.

c) Learn to meditate in noise, this way you can keep your focus in any situation, and not loose your train of thought.

d) You may also like to have a sign (a raised hand), that you can do when a family member enters, so they know to wait for a few seconds.

e) Keep one word in your head, which reminds you off the rest. A lot of public speakers use this method to remember their complete speach.

[jenna]

Well I am lucky to have been living alone for a very long time, going on 10 years now except for a 6 month stint a couple of years ago when I lived with my sister. However, I do live in quite the noisy neighbourhood, and I've found the best thing to do is to plug my headphones into my laptop and hit iTunes. Even if it doesn't completely block out all the noise, the music takes up enough of my attention that it doesn't bother me as much. I do plan on building a dream house with a totally sound-proofed study though, how much easier would that be?!

[Commonmind]

I often follow Leisha and Teresa's approach as well, as I can get right back into the rhythm of the story and also helps me refine in the process. I wouldn't worry to much about this method causing you to get caught up in the "never-ending" editing process, as another poster pointed out, as I've never found it to be problematic.

[Lith]

A good lock on your door. The rest is practice. I tend to reread the current chapter to get back into it. I try and avoid rewriting until after I'm done with the first draft because there's not much point to rewriting until I know exactly what I need to change, which means knowing all the points along the line (the essential ones, anyway). As others have said, it's a trial-and-error process of finding the method that works best for you.

It does get marginally easier with practice.

[glandowski]

Post a sign "Author at work - do not disturb", and get a good pair of sound blocking headphones...

[ctg]

Originally Posted by glandowski

Post a sign "Author at work - do not disturb", and get a good pair of sound blocking headphones...

I'm sorry but this really doesn't work.

[Overread]

hmm my adivce (since its summer!)
laptop+fully charged battery for laptop + headphones + mp3 player (if you want, but don't use the laptops sound, drains the battery quicker) (pen and paper could also be used for those who can write and read thier own writing)
Then go on a nice walk and find an isolated spot - right!
Course it all works in theory till the last part - finding somewhere!

[chrispenycate]

It may be that it's better to be distractable. I write in busses, planes and trains, in noisy restaurants, in the corner while others are watching the television.
It is seiously better for me to be going to the last station; several times, either reading or writin, I've been forced to take a train back to where I should have got off.
I've never actually missed a plane takeoff by reading in the departures lounge, but I've been the last aboard.
Sticking a pin into me generally gets a reaction (not always the desired one, though) or, in doctors' waiting rooms, actually proceeding with the surgery…

And its "noise cancelling" headphones you need. Now, if we could develop "world cancelling" VR goggles, with a timer for when you ought to return to awareness.