Distractions abound! This world is inundated with shiny objects, so navigating this minefield carefully is difficult but imperative, especially if your goal is to write books and make money.

It’s a constant practice for me (and many authors) to stay focused when the world pulls us in every way it can and inundates us with so much noise and unwanted distraction that focusing can be one of the most challenging hurdles for writers.

Email popups, telemarketers, door salespeople, schedule kinks, sick kids, writer’s block, animals need attention, the house needs to be clean… And that’s not including the distractions and curveballs the publishing industry will throw your way.

Distractions with the writing biz aren’t just when we’re in the writing cave, but when we’re focusing on to-dos, prioritized tasks, multitasking - you name it. But for today, I’m diving specifically into writing. Writing is why we’re doing this, after all. It’s what we want to do most and what most wish we could do faster.

Being realistic and aware of your time is critical to being productive and staying on course. It sounds easy, and for some writers, it is. But for many (like me), it’s not.

In my Brainstorming and Outlining Novel workbook, I talk a bit about this because preparing yourself can make all the difference on writing day when you have limited time and that word count you’re determined to make.

No Excuses or Distractions! You can gather what you need beforehand to be productive while you're in your writing cave and minimize distractions.

Here are some items I make sure I have with me:

You might not need or want all of these items when you’re in the writing zone, but being honest with yourself about what your distractions tend to be can make all the difference when you have a job to do and need limited distractions to do it.

MOST IMPORTANT: NO PHONES ALLOWED

If you’re like me and get a little anxious if you can’t see your phone (in case of an emergency), consider turning off all notifications so that Messenger, Instagram, email notifications, etc., aren’t popping up and deterring you from the task.

Sometimes, it helps to turn my phone over so I can’t see the screen.

The write frame of mind.

In addition to blocking out shiny objects, getting in the right frame of mind is another way to set yourself up for efficiency and success during your writing session.

To do this, I start by outlining/bulleting what I need to do during my next writing session before I quit for the day. That way, when I sit down to write, it’s already figured out for me. And I generally re-read what I wrote the day before to settle back into the story.

Unless you're taking the night to rework a plot point or ponder something, don't leave snags in your story for the next day. Get them ironed out before you sit down to write again if you can.

Other resources:

Immersive Writing Sessions with Abbie Emmons (I use her writing sprints as well)

Noisli - white noise generator for focus

Here is an extensive list of apps that may help you focus.