Artistic temperament 101: Procrastination

I’ve been thinking a lot about procrastination lately. In fact, I’ve been thinking about procrastination while I could probably have found other things to do with my time. I’m sure those of you who have ever attempted any regular creative work will be familiar with this pattern: you have the idea, you might even get started on the idea, and then you go do more research, or there’s this book precisely about your idea that you absolutely must read, or you need to warm up to work on it, or you need a clean house to work on it… and then it’s been a month and you’ve got little to show for all your effort, except a growing pile of guilt. What is going on? How can you deal with this?Work is scary. The chance of failing, of screwing up that idea that is so perfectly shaped in your mind, grows exponentially with each step taken towards making the idea happen. Personally, I am ill-equipped for dealing with this failure, or even its mere possibility. In other words, I am terrified.

Many books on creativity (which, of course, I have read instead of working, right?) attempt to address this by urging fledgling artists to “stop researching and start writing”, but no one can really tell you when you personally have to put your foot down and will yourself to take the plunge. You have to know this.

I happen to be married to a writer who doesn’t have this problem. Never did. The only consolation I can derive from his inhuman confidence is that he was just born that way. Lucky bastard.

For the rest of us, here is what I think helps:

• It helps to have a routine, because routine helps you maintain discipline even if you have none. Behavior engenders belief, remember? If you sit down to work every day (or whatever it is you do), your brain will eventually get the message and start cooperating by thinking creative thoughts just about the time you need it to. I know this is the oldest song in the book, but it’s still true.
• It helps to have variety, because otherwise you’ll get bored. I am lucky that I have drawing to escape from writing, and translating to escape from both. The other benefit of pursuing multiple kinds of projects — and I emphasize kinds because the point is to stimulate different areas of your brain — is that you don’t feel guilty when one isn’t going particularly well, you can always excel at another one which brings me to the next point:
• It helps to be good. Let’s face it — it’s nice to have done a great job. When I look at my best work I remind myself of how not-good it felt while I was working on it. I recall all the times I threw the pen down. I remember the fear. And then — there it is, and it turned out just fine.
  

See if any of this rings a bell/works — and let me know what tips you have developed.

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