Monday, June 1, 2015

CONFESSIONS OF A PROCRASTINATOR


 
My name is Ursula Renée and I am a procrastinator.

When it comes time to write, I can always find something else that needs my attention. The litter boxes need to be completely emptied and scrubbed until they sparkle. All of my plants need to be repotted and pruned. Or, I need to design an aquatic garden, which also means a three hour trip to the fish store.

Of course, there are always emails that need to be answered, updates that need to be posted on social media accounts, blogs that have to be read and articles (like this one) that need to be written.

Though I am a firm believer in research, this can also be a time waster for me. I can spend hours touring museums or historic sites to get a sense of life during another time period. I may read newspapers to determine the issues that concerned people and the attitudes they had towards each other, the government and the world. Or, I may browse magazines to get a sense of the fashions of the day or watch movies and listen to the popular songs to get a better understanding of the entertainment.

Because I have a tendency to procrastinate, I cannot plot my novels beforehand. Once I have made a decision about the characters’ names, the setting, and the time period, I jump into a novel. I move from one scene to the next until my characters achieve their happily-ever-after.

After I complete the novel, I create the outline or fill in profile sheets. I refer to these as I edit to ensure the hero and heroine stay in character and I have a clear idea of their goals and the conflicts that prevent them from achieving their goals.

For many people, this is not the ideal way to write. However, as a procrastinator, I need to focus on getting the words on paper. Once I have achieved that goal then I worry about making the manuscript perfect.♥


Thanks to the support and encouragement of the members of RWA/NYC, Ursula signed her first publishing contract in 2013 for her historical romance, SWEET JAZZ. As President of RWA/NYC, Ursula wants to offer the same encouragement and guidance to other RWA members.  Visit her at www.ursularenee.com. 


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