Writing Myths and Avoiding Procrastination Analytical and Rhetorical Writing Matt Barton

One Minute Writing #1 Why do some students wait until the last minute to get started on important writing assignments?

Writing Myths Many people struggle with writing because they believe destructive myths about the writing process. Writers must overcome these myths if they hope to make progress.

Writing Myths Writers Are Born Rather Than Nurtured Gifted Writers Are Overflowing with Ideas Writing Is a Lonely Craft Conducted Best by Introverts Writers Work Best at Their Desks

Writing Myths Writers Are Most Critical When They Are Planning and Drafting Truly Skilled Writers Rarely Revise Once Written, the Word Is Final It Is Inappropriate to Use “I” in Writing Instructors Only Care about Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling

One Minute Writing #2 When and where do you feel most comfortable writing?

“I work best under pressure” Many writers claim they work better under pressure. They need to feel the fear of an impending deadline before they are motivated to work. Procrastination is a deadly problem that can cause you to earn low grades and even flunk out of college!

I’ll do it after I… Something always seems to come up that has to be done before the assignment: “I’ve got to clean up my room just to be able to think straight.” “Look at this desktop—I can’t start until I delete those unused icons.” “I’ll check my email, the news, and see what my friends are doing tonight, then I’ll start.” “As soon as Sex and the City goes off, I’ll start on the assignment.”

Understand the Problem Procrastination stems from a negative attitude towards the task at hand. “There are so many things I’d rather do!” “That task will be so difficult!” “I don’t want to start suffering until I absolutely have to!” Procrastination can also stem from fear or feelings of insecurity: “I’m just not ready to do that.” “I need a big block of free time before I can start.” “I need much more preparation.”

Adopting Effective Habits Balance Believing with Doubting Write Daily Plan Your Documents Collaborate with Others Use Technology Wisely

The Right Attitude How can you quit procrastinating? First, recognize the problem for what it is. Remind yourself about your ultimate goal: Graduation, a good career, personal satisfaction. “This assignment is just one small step towards success! I can do it, no problem.” “I can hang out with my friends anytime; this is something important that I need to do for me.”

Dream about Success! Be ambitious. Strongly consider and fantasize about the rewards that come from excellent work: “What would it be like to really impress my professor and earn an A?” “I’ll write the best essay that’s ever been written on this topic!” “It’s time to show people what I’m truly capable of doing!” “My parents will be so proud of me if I do well in this class!”

Reward Yourself! Promise yourself a treat if you start the assignment and get work done: “It’s 6:00 now. If I work hard on this and don’t quit until 9:00, I’ll buy myself a café mocha.” “If I get this done, I’m going out to enjoy a nice dinner at Chili’s.” “After this, I’ll watch the show I recorded.”

FEAR If all else fails, remind yourself of the awful consequences of failing or not getting the job done! Scare yourself! What if you underestimate how much time it will take and turn it in late? So many people don’t make it—what if I don’t? What if you earn a low grade that affects your GPA permanently? What if you lose your scholarships? Your loans? Do you really want to risk being a total loser?

Just DO It! There are many reasons to avoid waiting until the last minute to work on an assignment. If something goes wrong, you will have time to fix or work around the problem. You will have more time to check over, proofread, and revise your work. Good writing takes time to perfect. You will have time to “go the extra mile” and produce something truly special.

Benefits of Starting Early Start projects early, even if it’s just to create a new Word document and insert a heading. Anything you can do now will make your life easier later on. It’s much, much easier to continue or finish up an assignment than it is to start. The longer you wait to start, the harder it will be to motivate yourself! Remember, you don’t have to do the whole project at once. Just do part of it now. You will be so thankful that this part is done later on, when the due date is approaching.

Planning Strategies Try to get as much information as you can about upcoming assignments so you can plan for them. Try to think ahead—start planning projects in your mind long before they are due. Do “Baby Steps.” Set small goals for yourself and see that they’re accomplished. If you have a big reading assignment, count the number of pages and divide by the total number of days you have before the due date. A 200 page reading assignment is only 28 pages a day!

Good Time Management On a sheet of paper, make a list of all of the tasks that need to be done. Break up big tasks into smaller ones. Prioritize this list from most important to least important. Estimate how much time it will take to complete each item.

Getting Psyched Don’t let people convince you to put off important assignments. Friends don’t let friends flunk out of college! Remember: You now have an opportunity to really make something of yourself. Don’t blow it! If you catch yourself saying or thinking, “I work best under pressure,” “I can do that tomorrow,” “I really don’t want to do that assignment,” and so on, take the time to correct yourself—and JUST DO IT!

One-Minute Writing What can you do to overcome the urge to procrastinate?