Why Writers are Procrastinators

[Dark]

Find the article here.

 

I found the following points made by the author particularly interesting:

 

1.  We procrastinate because we're afraid to write something crappy, forgetting that the published stuff we compare our own writing to is a final-final draft, gone over by multiple betas and editors, etc., in order to be polished and worthy.

 

2.  The current generation (called the "trophy" kids) are exactly what I see in my classroom!  The students don't want to work without one-on-one intensive help, which basically comes down to nodding and saying, 'yes, you're correct' after every question on a worksheet.  It's maddening, and heart-breaking.  The cause of all this might be different than what's discussed in the article, but I saw the same thing in the 'fancy, middle-income' high school I taught at in L.A. and I certainly experienced the tutoring epidemic there.

 

Such a dramatic shift in such a short period of time!

[Sasha Distan]

I would totally agree with your second point there. No kid in my class (with the odd exception) wants to work without this constant loop of reassurance that what they are doing is correct. Somehow we got them hooked on being approval junkies (in this i feel that the instant twitter/facebook and social media culture has a lot to answer for) and now they don't want to commit to anything as simple as a choice of words.

 

As for being a writer and thus procrastinator... no! of course i'm not avoiding writing by browsing the forums. Don't be silly...

[Mann Ramblings]

As for being a writer and thus procrastinator... no! of course i'm not avoiding writing by browsing the forums. Don't be silly...

 

Me either...

[Mark Arbour]

If I could just figure out how not to procrastinate, I would be so much more productive! 

 

Much of this applies to me IRL, though.

[Daddydavek]

No one want to put something out that on reflection comes off as a hack job.  

 

As far as Mark Arbour being able to be so much more productive, I don't think his beta readers and editor could handle much more.......

[Celethiel]

Find the article here.

 

I found the following points made by the author particularly interesting:

 

1.  We procrastinate because we're afraid to write something crappy, forgetting that the published stuff we compare our own writing to is a final-final draft, gone over by multiple betas and editors, etc., in order to be polished and worthy.

 

2.  The current generation (called the "trophy" kids) are exactly what I see in my classroom!  The students don't want to work without one-on-one intensive help, which basically comes down to nodding and saying, 'yes, you're correct' after every question on a worksheet.  It's maddening, and heart-breaking.  The cause of all this might be different than what's discussed in the article, but I saw the same thing in the 'fancy, middle-income' high school I taught at in L.A. and I certainly experienced the tutoring epidemic there.

 

Such a dramatic shift in such a short period of time!

you realize of course to number 2, our parents generation said that about ours....

and I am SURE being the hippy generation theirs definately said it about them.

[Graeme]

From the article:

Over the years, I developed a theory about why writers are such procrastinators: We were too good in English class. This sounds crazy, but hear me out.

 

Most writers were the kids who easily, almost automatically, got A's in English class. (There are exceptions, but they often also seem to be exceptions to the general writerly habit of putting off writing as long as possible.)

I know this isn't true for me. English was my worst subject (after I managed to get out of having to do Art, of course) and I hated it. I loved reading, but writing and analysis was a pain. I'm still a procrastinator, though. I'm supposed to be working on my new novel and I'm replying to this post instead....

 

I can appreciate the concern about not submitting something that's good, though. That's why there are so many writing projects that I haven't kicked off -- I'm concerned that it wouldn't be 'good enough'.

 

 

 

As these kids have moved into the workforce, managers complain that new graduates expect the workplace to replicate the cosy, well-structured environment of school.

I can relate to this. That's exactly how I felt when I left school and started work as a computer programmer, back in the mid 80s. I expected the work I'd be given and the work I would have to produce would be of a similar nature and quality to what I had to do in university. I quickly learnt otherwise. This is nothing new There may be a qualitative change, but I would hate to try to quantify it. The work environment today is in many ways different to the work environment from thirty years ago, so how do you compare in a manner that's fair?

 

As an aside on the 'need for constant praise' that the author of the article refers to, could it be that they're just seeing more of a particular personality style because of the business they're in? I remember doing a management course many years ago and it was pointed out that some people need constant reassurance and encouragement and they thrive on that, while others get turned off by praise unless they think they've done something to really deserve it. They feel praise is devalued if it's given when not deserved. That was twenty-plus years ago. Could it be that the people interviewed for this article are in industries that attract people of the first type and not the second? As an aside, computer programmers often fit into the second category -- we're task oriented and tend to prefer praise when we finally get a problem solved.

 

Hmm... I think that's enough procrastination for now. Time to get back and write a few more words on my novel....

[TetRefine]

The whole "trophy kids" crap that so often gets labeled to my generation is complete horse shit. Despite what others think, we are not coddled or babied nearly to the extent that many older people think. And the ones who are coddled, you can blame the parents for fostering that kind of environment. 

 

To be expected to be coddled and lazy in today's economy is counter-productive to surviving. Finding and getting a job is a cut-throat competition with the way things are now, and only the strong make it. Not only do we face tough competition, we also have to be technically skilled like no other generation before us before we even start and without any formal training. We face more adversity than our parents did, and therefor have to be tougher. 

 

By your own admission you worked in a "fancy" LA high school. Well of course those kids are going to expect to be spoon fed everything. That is how their parents do it at home! They never had to face adversity. I've worked with inner-city kids from both New York and Philadelphia. I guarantee you would not be saying the same thing about them as you about the spoiled LA brats you work with. 

Edited April 12, 2014 by TetRefine

[Dark]

Whoa, no need to bite my head off!  According to the folks I work with now, yes, my last school was "fancy."  It's just a different mindset, but the behavior in the students is the same, that's what I was trying to point out.  In the inner-city schools I worked at prior to becoming a teacher, I saw the same thing.  I have worked in 6 different schools, 3 as a teacher, and saw the same thing.

 

The article resonated with me.  There are always exceptions.  You may be an exception; I think my youngest brother (he's about your age) is an exception -- but remember we're talking about generalities here. No one's trying to say 'this is the way it is' or that it's the only thought out there on the subject.

 

The "trophy" aspect of childhood has been around at least as long as I've been alive.  Since I've become a teacher, those news articles about schools and teachers being sued have caught my attention.  You might not believe how many people sue when their darling child didn't make the school sports team or drama thing, or recital or whatever.  There's even a group within the education field who believe that all kids should pass their classes if they only try and grades should be done away with because they're detrimental to a child's self-esteem. 

 

I have no answers for you - I think it's food for thought.  It makes me think back to the on-again, off-again debate over GA's stars and ratings features.  Many of our new authors get discouraged when they don't get "enough" reviews or likes on a story.  Nobody wants to feel like they're being ignored, but it's interesting all the different ways we've built into our culture to provide ourselves with instant feedback.

 

This week as part of culture heritage, one of the elders taught a group of us, myself included, to make our own kuspuks, a type of shirt worn by Native Alaskans.  The female version has the option of a skirt, but in general, they're all the same and historically, everyone made their own clothing.  Today I caught myself doing what my kids have been doing all year, stopping at each step and asking our teacher if I was doing it right.  On the other hand, it made sense in this context because the cultural method of teaching is to show once, then make together, and then you're on your own.  It's one-on-one teaching with the student copying the elder until it's done. 

 

It made me think and for that the article was worthwhile.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Dark

[Celethiel]

well from what i've seen the work place can be quite hectic, especially in the case of say a newspaper... deadlines are short... and much work is usually done at the last minute.... as in a few hours before it goes to press... there have been times that the writing and editing staff has sat up half the night to get something finished in time for the printers... (who also have been known to spend half the night on a job)

And certianly more than a school when you are given work and allowed some semblence of time to complete it and complete it well.

A boss wants you to hop to get it done five minutes ago and not just done but done in some semblence of quality... however when it comes between the two speed is more important.

[Ashi]

"I am not a procrastinator; I am just waiting for the right moment."  -- Ashi

 

Okay, quoting self is kinda tacky, but anyways, I think the trophy kid phenomenon might have to do with parenting skills as well....  I went back to college several times, and I know some kids are working very hard, if not harder than before due to economics.  But then there are those kids who take things for granted, and need constant reassurance.  There are many reasons why things are the way they are.  There is no need to find something/someone to blame.  Give credit where credit is due....