AVOIDANCE--Let Me Count the Ways

Simply put, Avoidance is attempting to ignore the issue at hand. Psychologists may have reams—or saved documents—of essays expounding the details of the topic, but I can break this down into a few simple ideas.

Note that I don't speak for others; I am not a psychologist or a counselor. My claim is simply what I know.

Some "issues at hand" might fall into serious categories, but I'm only analyzing my life as I know it. Specifically, my writing life. Probably, we as adults have practiced some form of Avoidance our entire lives, but when I began writing, I became a master.

My expertise on Avoidance has increased via the internet. Yes, I have discovered Yahoo discussion loops, Ning groups, FB, Twitter, instant messaging, my blog, other blogs, quick free reads, contests, chats, forums, Goodreads, and many new friends I can't ignore.
Can I?

Editing falls under the category of an "issue at hand." Actually, the editing process is rather satisfying, for I like to clean up a manuscript. I do not like spelling errors in my books, repeated phrases, POV shifts, unnecessary tags, or useless phrases. However, after the third or fourth round I begin to despise my own story that once held me spellbound by its sheer brilliance. In this case, I Avoid the document with all those colored balloons my editor and I have hashed over, and take a detour onto the internet.

Writing a synopsis is a huge "issue at hand." I may never submit another manuscript because of that dreaded three-page document. Talk about Avoid—I choose to do laundry, scrub the bathroom, or sweep the driveway in 100 degree heat instead of directly confronting the task.

Formatting is about as exciting as watching grass grow—or in the case of my dry yard…die. I have more documents with formatting rules than I can count. Let's see, I have five publishers, so that would be five different sets. All have some things in common, but not one of them is the same.
Self-editing also falls into this category.

I keep a notepad to the left of my computer. There, I have neat lists of tasks to perform concerning my writing life. One list covers a month, another a week, and one for the day. As a rule, I am organized and like to check tasks off a list. But there are days when boredom, malaise, or a novel I'd rather read pulls me away from my desk.

Why am I writing this blog this Sunday afternoon? Avoiding those nasty little items on my list. Aha! It's almost five o'clock, time to think about dinner, bathe, put on my jammies, and get ready for the NBA finals. I can't work anymore today—I have too many other things to do.



Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas
http://www.celiayeary.blogspot.com/
http://www.celiayeary.com/
http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/