I Have to get This Done!...Tomorrow

Procrastinate -to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost. As students and adults we are all at some point guilty of procrastinating. I would like to bet that while leading up to this post everyone prepped about the same way. Think about it, after class knowing about the next assignment, at some point you said I need to do my homework and get it out of the way so I do not have to worry about it later. Then either two things happened: one- you sat down that night and got your work done; or two (of the more likely) – that night you thought about your work and then said “well I will just do it tomorrow”. Well most like, tomorrow turned into today and the deadlines creped up before you noticed.

I know this happens to me all the time. I convince myself that I will, get off work and do this, this, and this/ wake up early and accomplish everything, but who I am kidding it always happens the same; I DON’T. I usually find myself creeping around on Facebook, captured my some show on TV, or my all time favorite sleep. Now of course I know the way to not procrastinate is to simply NOT to procrastinate, but that is way easier said then done. How exactly do I motivate myself to not procrastinate?

First I would say do not be around distractions. Turn off that TV show and started the work before logging in to a social network. I know this is extremely difficult when today’s culture is desperate to know what is going on. (Who is dating who, who’s prego, oh no he/she didn’t social blah blah blah) However I like to take these unbearable urges and turn them into rewards. For example, after I am done with this post I will be rewarding myself with a quick look on Facebook, coffee, and a long needed cigarette.

So to make that possible sometimes I like to think like to think about the essay “Shitty First Drafts” by Anne Lamott. I find the quote, "It's not like you don't have a choice, because you do--you can either type or kill yourself", to be very helpful when I find myself not wanting to write.

Organizing Thoughts

As a writer I know one of my challenges is organizing my thoughts and getting my point across the way I would like to. When given a topic I find my thoughts racing and struggle in putting my thoughts out there so that my audience understands fully. Students at the earliest ages have various formulas (on how to brainstorm and organize thoughts) engraved into our heads. For example: webs, charts, lists, ect…

However, what if these tools do not help you to your fullest? That is the issue I find sometimes. I know that I can be a great writer, only sometimes it takes me a lot longer then I would like to perfect one of my writing. Sometimes this is the cause of different variables like: If I fully know about what I am talking about. (Like most students in high school I perfected the art of how to bullshit people.), If I really cared about what I was writing about, and If I took my time in writing about the topic.

I would like to improve on these problems. I know every now and then I should research, try to care, and not procrastinate on my writings. Other then these issues, what could I do to help organize my thoughts? [Not including the graphs, charts and webs I already use is there any helpful advice?]

Tell

What are my writings purposes? As I sit here boggling that question– I try to think back to how my love to tell started.

Growing up I remember being artsy in the fact of storytelling, crafting, and presenting my imagination. Everything from music, writing, to drawing I could somehow elaborate enough to capture my audience. Starting with my earliest of age I have always seen myself as a “narrative” person. I am almost certain all of my awards or contest where the result of a story or article but, at what point were my writings me?

As a writer I believe my purpose is to narrate or tell, and I believe this has always my purpose. As an aspiring journalist it is my job to tell and inform my readers, but any writer can do this. However the question is: How can I do this without loosing me?

First aspects I must keep in mind and always improve on.

*Fundamentals: Grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, without these you are not a writer. From day one as writers we are harped this continuously, but I believe no one ever really masters fully. To me it does not seem possible because, what do they say, eventually when you are good enough you make up your own rules of writing. But, how do you know if you are ever good enough?

*Style-focus and flow: As a reader I do NOT continuously read an author or journalists work I do not enjoy. I believe it is very important to stick to yourself so that your work is recognizable.

In retrospect my goal in writing is to accomplish these two things. 

Keep it simple

As a journalist I find it sometime challenging to just slow down and keep thing simple. Which in journalistic writing this is a big “no no”, since the audience the writing is directed to is the “average Joe”. This style of writing is mint to be none bias, and for me this sometime apposes a challenge to not be opinionated; also to take in mind who I am writing for. Although I would like to improve on this, I am excited about not having such strict guidelines on blogging.