For sure writing this short blog qualifies as procrastination … I should be reviewing French, in anticipation of a course starting Monday. Is taking a French course procrastination? Is reading books about procrastination procrastination? This is a murky realm!
I’d hate to count how many books on writing I own—could be 30, could be 50, could be more. When I’m gearing up to write (and at other stages in the process), I become ravenous for writing on writing. Right now I’m gulping down two books that I requested from the library (I do own quite enough, I think).
One is The 101 Habits of Highly Successful Screenwriters—a perfect sort of book to read during my husband’s turns at scrabble. It’s not as great as I had hoped, although there is a lot in it. The other is The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, and I recommend it. It’s all on—can you guess?—resistance to writing. Here’s from an opening:
It’s not the writing part that’s hard. What’s hard is sitting down to write. … What keeps us from sitting down is Resistance.
And so: is writing this blog Resistance? Is putting off writing until July 1, when we’re finally moved back to our country home and I can be sure to write every day without stopping Resistance? It does make me wonder …
If you’re having trouble sitting down to write … for whatever reason … read The War of Art. It’s very good.
Sorry, Lorraine — I didn’t quote you exactly. You said something more like: “I like to think that there’s a difference between procrastination and gestation.”
Loranne Brown sent this note on Twitter: “Gestation: a much better world than “procrastination”.
Thank you, Loranne! So true.