🖋️ How to Beat Procrastination & Writer's Block
Learning from Victor Hugo
I want to start by telling you a story. I love collecting interesting stories, and this one is no different. This, however, is a story that many writers can relate to about procrastination.
It was the summer of 1930, and Victor Hugo was facing what he thought was an impossible deadline. Twelve months earlier, he had promised his publisher a new book, but he had become distracted.
Rather than writing, he had spent his time entertaining friends and having a good time. He knew what he had to do, extend the deadline. Instead, his publisher set him a deadline of only six months. The book had to be finished by February 1831.
Drastic action was called for, so Victor collected all his clothes and called his assistant. He told the man to lock them in a large chest and not to let him have them back. The only item he had to hide his modesty was a large shawl.
As many of you realise, a shawl is not a great dress for going outside. So all that was left was for Victor to spend his time in his study; with little else to do, he wrote furiously for Autumn and Winter.
This might sound like an extreme way to beat writer's block or procrastination, but for Victor, it worked. As a result, the Hunchback of Notre Dame was published two weeks earlier than expected.
If you have a project that needs to be completed, there is sometimes nothing better than making yourself do it through your actions.
In his writing routine, Neil Gaiman takes himself to the shed and gives himself two rules write or do nothing; he chooses writing
most of the time.
Sometimes you need to lock yourself away and deny yourself the little rewards until you complete what you have to write.
Hit reply and tell me what you use to beat procrastination and writer's block.
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Until next week stay safe
Sam 😊
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