Distractions by Darlene Beck Jacobson

Laundry, cobwebs on the ceiling, the sewing machine, dark chocolate calling in the pantry, Words With Friends on my tablet, a new book I'm finding hard to put down. There are so many things that distract me from writing - ALL of them found indoors.

When I really need to clear out my mental cobwebs and reset my mind to writing, I go outside. Taking a walk, playing in the garden, watching birds flutter in the yard, observing kids at the park playground, may seem like distractions of their own, but whenever I venture outside the man-made world into the world of nature, my mind opens up and begins to free-associate. It's like brainstorming in a way. Characters talk to me. Scenes play out before my eyes. I find an object that would be perfect for my character to obsess over...the ideas are flowing like they never do when I am staring at the computer.

When I am away from the physical writing environment and its distractions, my best writing begins to flow. Now if only I can find my pad and paper...