Tip: If You Can, Write While You Watch TV! (I Swear)

Okay, I know this one sounds weird. And I want to preface it by saying that not everyone can do this, and that is fine. If you are the kind of person who likes or needs complete silence when you write, who likes the library or your own quiet den or bedroom, then that's what you need. Don't force yourself into this suggestion. But if you're the kind of person who likes music on when you write, who likes to be out at a cafe to hear the bustle, who used to do your homework on front of the tube, see if this works for you.

The point of this is not that you should turn on the TV if you are already happily writing away. The point is to try to pleasantly utilize the time that you spend collapsed and exhausted in front of Seinfeld reruns when you get in from work (who? me? collapsed in front of Seinfeld reruns?), or just bored and channel surfing.

Keep your notebook or laptop or whatever by the couch. When you are vegging out in front of the TV, reach for said notebook or laptop or whatever. Start writing, working on whatever you want. It's okay if you stare at it vacantly a lot and just put down a few sentences every now and then. It's okay if you don't follow what's on the TV and it fades into the background (hey, they'll rerun it in summer, even if it's not already a rerun). You may find that when you stand up, you haven't only just watched an hour and a half of TV, but you've also written a page. (And it's okay if it wasn't your best page - you can revise it later.)

I do particularly well in front of That Seventies Show reruns and, for some reason, the A&E production of Pride and Prejudice, the one with Colin Firth. Go figure.

Just see if it works.