It’s Procrastination Friday! Sorry, no, Procrastination Friday is not really a thing. But procrastination—doing x while you should be doing y—is a very real beast. Especially for writers. Why write that chapter when you could clean the cat’s litter box or iron those twelve tea towels, or….well, you get the picture.

So today, Katie asks us Got a favorite writing procrastination tool?

FYI, this post was originally scheduled for March 22nd. Now that’s serious procrastinating!

Katie answers her own question with “Research.

And lots of things are “research”. Sometimes it’s falling down a Wikipedia hole, or a Pinterest garment page, sometimes it’s a vaguely related biography I’ve been wanting to read. But whatever it is usually feeds back into my work, and sparks a new scene, or new “ambience” that I’m trying to set. ”

C.V. says “Reading a historical novel with the “purpose” of research for my work in progress.

I also work on jigsaw puzzles, a great distraction that gets the creative juices flowing again.”

Linda shares “Oh, Facebook.

Facebook groups and my feed and games…anything Facebook except politics and coronavirus! Sometimes I sit down to write with the best of intentions and just go to check a Facebook post…then kick myself for an hour wasted. I do love my Candy Crush. “

Kathryn says “Knitting, gardening, cooking, walking–something physical that engages my senses and allows my mind to do its thing with less pressure.

At least those are my most favorite “productive” ways of procrastinating.”

Ana answers last with “Like Linda, Facebook fills my penchant for procrastination.

Facebook is a whale that can swallow me whole. My family, friends, fellow writers, and readers are spread across the globe, and I love to see what they are up to. I belong to lots of Groups and I like to see what they are up to. I like to comment. I like to offer my “Whoo-hoos” and “Congrats”.

The best way to prevent writing procrastination is to go directly into Word. Once I open up my mail or a browser, the procrastination party can begin!”