Monday, July 11, 2011

WORD WAR: How Twitter Can Help AVOID Procrastination!!!

So upon entering into the nifty Twitter world after I got my book deal, I've made a bunch new writer friends, figured out what a hashtag is (and also since walk around hashtagging my REAL LIFE, making a hashtag sign with my fingers like they used to do with air quotes!), and last, but not least, learned about #wordwar.
I don't know what brilliant writer person fighting procrastination came up with this idea, but I could kiss them. How it works: word wars occur when someone declares one on Twitter, and other people chime in using the #wordwar hashtag to see who can write the most words in an hour. I've only done it a few times, but it always creates exponential word count. I write more in that hour than I do entire DAYS other times.

It's not about the contest part of it, not really. It's just this wild community activity--you know that AT THAT MOMENT you and writers across the country, even the world sometimes, are all writing together. And you can't stop and crap around on Facebook or refresh your email for the billionth time that day. You just write, and the hour slowly passes and the page & word count grow and you just. keep. writing.

And that, my friends, is how I finished my first draft of Book 2 today. The fabulous Bree Despain called for several wordwars today, and after two of them, I'd written 3,000+ words and wrote through the end of the book! Very Exciting Things!!!

So there you have it. Twitter not only helping AVOID procrastination, but also AMPING UP PRODUCTIVITY. If I was hashtagging this blog post, it would be: #awesomethingspeopleusetheinternetfor

6 comments:

  1. Heather!! Congrats on the book deal! I will be buying it :) I need this kind of motivation for sewing!! Thanks so much for posting this.

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  2. Congrats on finishing your draft! I'm so happy to see you in #wordwar!

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  3. Thanks Shelia! #sewingwars I can see it now ;)

    Thanks Brodi - and double thanks actually, because I'm pretty sure YOU were my gateway to discovering wordwars in the first place!!

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  4. Hooray! Congratulations on finishing your draft of book 2. I haven't yet ventured into #WordWars -- I'll have to try it out. So far I've only had #NapWars: seeing how much I can get written while the twins sleep :)

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  5. beating procrastination is also about understanding what causes it in the first place. It could be one of 4 reason.
    Sam
    www.beatprocrastination.com.au

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  6. Thanks Tiffany, yep, I remember fighting to write during the kiddo's nap when he was a wee munchkin, quite a feat in itself!! And oh my gosh, TWINS?!?! I bow down, I bow down :)

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