Go to a coffee shop with no free wi-fi.

(If you don't have a laptop, write by hand. The more you're accustomed to the physical, not just the mental, action of it, the easier it becomes.)

I came across this letter while surfing for election news while procrastinating from writing. Great answer.

Lose the computer. If Neal Stephenson can write a 2500 page trilogy longhand, you can write down what you had for breakfast. You might have a look at Lynda Barry's book ("What It Is") if you want a whole practical program for thinking and writing and not getting blocked.

Just do it.

If it's not the internet, you'll find some other distraction. Writing's hard work most of the time. Get used to just bearing down and doing it. It becomes habit.

Also - I echo what Cary said about bad writing. It's better to write garbage than to write nothing at all. Papa said the first draft of everything is shit, anyway.

Embrace the shittiness of your writing.

Just write.

with your writing. You are being distracted by the inevitability that you and your children and granchildren and their children and on and on and on will have to deal with the train wreck unfolding before your two lookin' eyes. Buck up, me hearty! You have changed poopy diapers and walked the floor sleepless for hours with a screaming baby so writing is a bubble bath for you.

Think of writing as something that will make you feel proud and good and creative. There's pride and satisfaction in that and I'm proud of you for doing this.

Politics will drive you nuts. Amen.

Cary's gem today: focus on the objective not on defeating the distractions.

I saw an article today framing the differences of Obama and McCain in terms of public versus private puritanism (I think it was on Salon, could've been Slate). To me the core problem with puritanism is that it has always focused on stamping out the bad, overcoming the sinful, rather than simply doing what is good, what is beneficial, what makes us happy.

I'm a young musician (and band teacher) who has struggled with this same issue: mostly of avoidance, but being a news junkie too. I've always beat myself up for not practicing hard enough, while avoiding practicing for fear of failing my dream. But the dream must be characterized in this way; not that I will achieve greatness but that I will discover what I'm capable of.

Our work in life is to discover our work and then do it. This brings happiness. So I regularly ask myself "Is what I'm doing making me happier?" I always find that I'd be a lot happier if I were practicing rather than reading another article rubbernecking at the roadkill that is Sarah Palin.

you spend any time at all on writing blogs, loops, whatever, you'll find that this is a problem for many, many writers--professional or aspiring. Turn the internet off--or use it as a reward for so many pages completed. And don't worry about whether or not what you write is crummy--if you get it down, you can fix it, but if you don't, you never will (that's a paraphrase of Nora Roberts, who's written more books than, well, maybe anybody). Don't overthink it--and good luck with your degree!

(btw, I've got an emotionally intense chapter up in my wip...and I'm looking at Salon to avoid it!)

http://www.webjillion.com/archives/2005/08/01/free-software-temptation-blocker/

http://lifehacker.com/software/downloads/download-of-the-day-temptation-blocker-115429.php

Dear Stumped,

I am you (that's why I'm here writing a letter to an anonymous person instead of working on my new chapter now).

There is only one thing to do. Turn the internet off!

1. You can disable the wireless at home.

2. You can disable the internet connection of your computer.

3. Leave home and go to an internet-free zone.

4. If you don't have to use your computer, use old technology: pen and paper.

5. Arrange a writing group that meets regularly. Everybody sits on their corner and writes quietly for a predetermined length of time.

Everything else fails. I tried everything. These work. You are an addict. Admit it and work from there. Good luck from the bottom of my heart!

I second what Hobgoblin said: You're an addict. I recognize the symptoms, they're mine too.

Writing is active, surfing the web is reactive. Writing is about struggling to connect with people you can't see and will never meet; surfing the web takes you -- with no struggle -- to people you can't see and will never meet who have already made the effort to connect with you. Writing is a long process, surfing the web is instant gratification... the crack cocaine of communication.

They require the same physical actions (i.e. turning on the computer and typing!) But surfing does undermine your concentration and sustained thought. And the more you do it, the harder it is to resist. When you're serious about writing, go to an internet-free zone. Disable your wireless and move your writing desk to a place where your ethernet cable won't reach. Go to a cafe. Write on paper.

Why are you still reading?

Look away!

How long does it take you to write the word "toast"?

"In other words, in order to overcome this habit of distractions, I recommend that you focus first on becoming who you are as a writer, and that you embark on a journey. I recommend that you enact a long-term plan, not just to start writing but to become a writer in the world. Join the worldwide community of writers."

Holy shit. Like a Sarah Palin ramble, that paragraph speaks volumes. Cary's quickly becoming a parody of himself; the longer he does this gig, the more self-serious he becomes. He's gone from an advice giver to Official Wise Man of the Mountain. Less is more, Mr Tennis, and that goes triple when you start spouting New Age bullflop.

Wait!

Hold on! Yeah... ehr... no, I lost it again.

While I was going to post something thoughtful, amazing and quite helpful, I became distracted by (not in any particular order): my dog, an animal or human scream from the street, this pesky fly on the monitor who rubs his hind legs together and will buzz away if I move the cursor near his shiny green body, a grumbling stomach, a beautiful photo, a pile of mail, pop up ads, a waking baby, ahh there is that song again, another something from the list of things to do that didn't get done, nice legs, the ding sound of another new email...

Uh,

What did I come in here for?

Gosh, whatever do you mean, you have trouble staying focused and on task while online?