Amazon.com Widgets
---

Stuff Gets in the Way · 28 May 2016


No matter what you do, sometimes stuff gets in the way of you doing it.


I love to write. (Much to the chagrin and dismay of people I know.) But sometimes, posting on my blog or working on a book cover or uploading my newest book to the publisher get in the way of actual writing. (I have a bunch of books on Amazon, if you have not already heard. Hint, hint.) Sometimes, these things are diversions I use to keep from writing. But more often than not, I have a great idea that ought to get written when I have other not-quite-writing tasks to do. Okay, the notion that I have any great ideas might be a stretch, but there really are times when I ought to be writing instead of doing whatever I am doing. Even when what I am doing relates to my writing.


Like today for instance. Instead of finishing my thoughts for this blog post, I am taking care of my dog who is up early. She is insistent that I take care of her. And since she is out of her crate, I need to listen to her whine and complain. Oh, I am not fussing over her too much, but she is interrupting my routine. Which is par for the course. Or rather, what I was writing about in the first place. (Except that taking care of the dog is not writing related.)


Do not get me wrong. I like to do the other things that are related to writing but are not-quite-writing. I like to create cover art. I like to look for photos that fit with my blog. I like to upload my books to the publisher. (Did I mention that my books are available on Amazon?) But I have a limited time budget, and I would actually like to write during my writing time. I want to be creative with the written word. (I know some of you are rolling your eyes at that one.)


Regardless of the diversions that I create for myself. Or the urgent tasks that get thrust upon me. (I am making the dog wait for her meal, lest she starts thinking she is training me to change my writing time to her eating time.) Or the necessary not-quite-writing tasks I must do for my writing. Regardless of all of these, I do write. I write six days a week. Even if it is just a few words.


I know that we all have tasks that we must do for our jobs that really have little to nothing to do with our jobs. There is unnecessary paperwork that is deemed important and urgent. There is the dog to be let out and attended to. There is something not done yesterday that needs to be done today even though it was not important yesterday either. Still, we must get those jobs done. We must do the things that we must do. Even when they are not the most important part of what we do.


So like it or not, I must do the not-quite-writing tasks (and the dog-related tasks) that need to get done. Despite the fact that they often take away from my writing time.


Just like everybody else, sometimes stuff gets in the way of getting the real stuff done.

© 2016 Michael T. Miyoshi

Share on facebook
---

Comment

Commenting is closed for this article.