It's one of the reasons I resist scheduling myself too far in advance. I start to feel pressured as the 'must do' dates pile up, and then I just want to go and hide away somewhere. It's awfully easy to say 'yes' all the time, but it can get you swamped. I've recently dealt with this by refusing to commit to anything inessential more than a day in advance. And as a result, I'm getting a lot more done!
Same here but even when I think I've distributed the load, something unexpected upsets the applecart again.
Oh, yeah. You're never really 'safe' from the swamp, are you? But I boggle at people who schedule every minute of their day, then every day from now till the end of time. They get lots more done than I do, that's for sure. But yikes.
I find that the more I schedule, the less I actually do. Writing is a creative activity and spontaneity is a function of the creative aspect of your brain, so I try to have them match up as much as I can. Like, today, I know I'm going to write. I don't know when or how much. I don't necessarily know what I'm going to write either. However, writing will be done today. Some people would panic over such a loose schedule, but I personally resist structure. Maybe you do, too? I find that this leaves one less stressed. Also, try to focus on one thing at a time. Multi-tasking gets a good name because some people seem to be efficient at it. Not everyone is. Not everyone can be, honestly. I'm not. When I'm writing, I need to be in that world. I can't be dealing with forty other things or have my mind half on another story. Otherwise, it shows up in the writing or some of the writing leaks out through the holes I've poked in the protective condom around my brain. So, anyway, remember that life isn't a to-do list. Write because you want to write, not because you have to. Even if you do have to.
Brainfogged ought to be my last name sometimes, as I have put my novel aside for the last few days, ,until I feel more inspired and less cranky. The last two days I have run out of soup, with no interest in writing whatsoever. Good to see I am not alone.
Sometimes, I get my notebook and pen, and I can't write anything. I want to but I can't. I can't focus. I simple can't. Really frustrating.
Always I have only a month to prepare a lot of things (products, banners, folders, cosplays props for friends, fix my own cosplay) for a nerd convention. Writing isn't in my schedule now (but I wanted to write a short for my new project to show in the convention).
I have always had the same issue when it comes to writing: When I start writing one thing, I get all excited about it, then I get another idea that has nothing to do with the current story I'm working on, so I abandon the first project to start the next. I was diagnosed with ADHD about 3 years ago, and I'm wondering if it's related. Also, how can I get my brain to sit still so I can keep to one story and stop dropping projects I started? I also have another problem that popped up as of 4 and a half years ago, when I began to have chronic, severe migraines (I got rid of them in 2013). I don't know if writer's block is the correct term for it, but for argument's sake that's what I'll call it. I'll just be sitting there, staring at my computer screen with my fingers poised over the keys and ready to type. But no words come out, even if I have an excellent idea. I have tried putting music of all sorts on; stopping then coming back later; writing random, nonsensical things; everything I can think of. Nothing helps. I spend more time trying to fix this problem than I do writing.
As for the first issue, your ADHD may or may not have anything to do with it. If you do a search of this forum, you'll find several threads addressing the same issue. I do not have ADHD (although my son does), and I've occasionally been distracted by a new idea. I find the best thing to do is to jot down some notes about the idea, maybe even do a quick character sketch, and then file it and go back to my main WIP. At times, I might even devote a couple of days to writing out a chapter or two, but the danger of that is the increasing pull of the new project on my attention. So, I try to stick with the first strategy. As for the second issue, you make it sound as if the migraines (or perhaps the meds you used to get rid of them) are related to the writing problem. I doubt that's the case, although if you are taking medication for them on an ongoing basis, you should ask your doctor just to be sure. Assuming meds are not the issue, are you perhaps afraid to get something down on paper? Anxious it might not be "good enough"? That's a common problem with new writers (and sometimes those not so new).
It seems that hyperfocus is what's killing me. I used to see a psychiatrist last year and talked to him about it, and he did tell me he would help me with organisation and such. But he never got to it even though I repeatedly asked (hence why I quit seeing him). Can't see another because there's only one other in my town, and she's terribly expensive. Having no car, I can't get out of town either. So I was hoping someone may be able to point me in the right direction for that. Not the medications, no. It started as soon as the migraines did, which was at least a year and a half before I started the meds. The migraines have long since been over, but now it's the allergies that are giving me terrible headaches. I'm no longer taking the medication, and really the only meds I'm on are for depression, anxiety (both of these I know aren't contributing as I've been taking them for less than a year), and two vitamin supplements on top of my normal vitamins. I've always been anxious about my writing not being good enough, but that's not the problem. It's like my muse is sleeping and won't allow me to put down my ideas to words.
I know how exactly how you feel and it is my biggest struggle. The problem is I am overthinking on writing a story and believing it has to be perfect and I have everything in order. I have composition notebooks of concepts and ideas and paragraphs for all different stories. I would buy a stack of folders and write out one story at a time, one for each folder. That way you can keep track of your ideas. However you can do the same with google drive. I am focusing on one story and lately I have filled 3 drawers of information that I am slowly scanning into my computer and my cloud account. Stories change and concepts change. Write out your ideas and little bit at a time keep building. Majority of writers that keep lists of ideas for their story often write their novel quicker. It does not help I have been diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism which puts my body on overdrive. Lately it has been easier with focusing on one idea, but I have no passion in writing much.
