8 Tips for Writing Sucessfully in Front of the Small Screen
Struggling to find time to update your blog. Yet you never miss your favorite TV shows or somehow find yourself watching "Roeasanne" again, c'mon "Roeasanne". What channel even has the audacity to still play that show anyway.
You could be writing right now. Or least sitting there with pencil and paper in hand looking like a writer. Don't worry we'll get your hand moving across that page. This post will cover some tips to make things happen in front of the small screen.
1. Relax
Your writing can't be as bad as another episode of "Night Court".
2. Love the Reruns
Usually reruns are boring. "Seinfield" isn't so funny the 5th time. But when its time to write in front of the TV reruns are your best choice. The more times you've watched a show the easier it will be for you to tune it out and write. In fact buy some "Friends" DVDs and play them while prime time is on. You might miss the next "Prison Break" or "24", but you'll write better. Who am I kidding. I'm not missing my favorite shows.
3. Embrace Distraction
There is a reason your in front of the boob tube. Either your feeling tired, lazy, bored, stress-out, or your just procrastinating. In any case your there for distraction. Well writing is as good a distraction as any.
4. Accept that Your Not Shakespeare
Clearly the greatest poets of all time didn't write in front of the TV, which is good. It takes the pressure off. You don't need a muse flowing through you to get some good ideas down on paper. Your also there ready with pencil in hand if lighting does strike. And we're bloggers anyway. Not poets for god's sake. Take that black turtle neck sweater off.
5. Let Your Ideas Flow
Don't furrow your brow with concentration. You didn't sit down in front of the TV to concentrate. Just let the ideas flow without pressure.
6. Capture Your Thoughts
This isn't the time to do your most detailed writing or work on polishing a draft. It is a great time to come up with some ideas. Make lists of topics for your blog, or lists of headlines that interest you, sketch out some concepts, or write a rough article outline.
7. Turn Off the Editor
If inspiration comes run with it. This is a great time to turn off that internal editor. Don't worry about misspellings or bad ideas. Just run with your thought process. You'll be surprised at how much good stuff comes out. You might surprise yourself and bang out a good first draft during a 30 minute episode of, yet again, "Cheers".
Even if you end up cutting out half of your writing once you go to edit later on that's OK. This is work you might not have gotten written down any other way. Would you have found the energy or the time otherwise?
8. Have Fun While Finding Your Voice
Writing in Front of the TV is a great way to inject some of your personality into your posts. Your relaxed, your defenses are down, your just having fun writing. Its a good way to find your voice.
Worst Case Scenario
If all else fails you could actually watch that episode of "Law and Order" for the eighth time, which is what you sat down to do anyway.
Now tell the truth. How many of you have been writing in front of the TV lately?
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Tube in tube
Get a TV tuner card for your PC and add TV to your working environment. TV is another window on your PC screen. Works great with a wide screen monitor.
George Fragos
February 9th, 2008
TV as background
Since I was a kid, I always needed background noise to work. I remember being 12, having the TV and the radio on simultaneously, and knocking out essays.
I concur on reruns. You don't get as engrossed, you still feel entertained, but you get more done. Worst possible TV for working? CNN or any other news media. You get hooked into "breaking news" and interrupted by "this just in" announcements. I tend to get nothing done on those days.
Leo
February 13th, 2008
TV
Hey guys thanks for stopping by.
@George Fragos
Good idea about adding TV. I'm on a Mac and I think there is Apple TV. I'll have to look into that. It would be super cool with a double screen setup. I gotta get TV in my office.
@Leo
Yah, news would be real tough to write with that on.
Good points about background noise. I find I get lonely after awhile of being alone in my office and things like a TV would help keep me company. A little electronic friend constantly telling me familiar stories.
I'll probably just get a cable hookup in here. Then I can put the Sci-fi channel on and have alien monster movies as background noise while I work.
Sean Hodge
February 13th, 2008
Magnifico!!
Hola!
Gracias por tu consejo!
Thank you for the article!
Our Spanish readers always watch T>V>. We know this will be great for them!
Compudito
February 26th, 2008
Thankss
I always suffer from writers block and usually get frustrated, But i am going to give this technique a shot. Thanks
Soa
March 4th, 2008
Learn to Spell
It's Roseanne, you idiot!
Anonymous
March 12th, 2008
i like the "turn off the
i like the "turn off the editor" idea
Jeff Gordon
March 18th, 2008
Testing
This is just to test as I was trying to post hte comment but it failed.
Test
March 24th, 2008
Listen to music
I think that if you put the headphones in your ear and listen to some soft music while working, it gives more energy and it's also a fun. It's my tip or advice to all of them who are looking in the blog. Thank you.
Mac
March 24th, 2008
Hey Sean - I usually find
Hey Sean - I usually find myself wasting time on the internet...when I should be writing. Thanks for the tips.
mark @ mytropicalescape
April 1st, 2008
TV
I don't think I agree. Silence works better for getting the internal voices going.
Scott Gostyla
April 2nd, 2008
This just doesnt work for
This just doesnt work for everybody. Some people just cannot multi task. Myself on the other hand, I can write in the shower if I am needing to beat a deadline.
Dmitry
April 16th, 2008
You spelled successfully
You spelled successfully unsuccessfully.
Anonymous
April 27th, 2008
Very interesting
This is very interesting article. I stongly agree with the "Relax", especially the description.
Rasterbator
May 27th, 2008
Interesting topic! The thing
Interesting topic!
The thing is to get in a void, blocking out everything else, get in focus and feel relaxed.
Background noise, like something on tv helps alot. Music for me however doesnt help and neither does complete silence. I work best late in the night.
zombie
June 14th, 2008
Inspiration
Well, at least Cesar Millan's show inspires me with ideas for my dog blog! (At least that's what I tell myself...)
Pat
June 27th, 2008
Will Writing Service
I'd say remove yourself from the house and go for a walk in the park to focus.
Will Writing Service
June 28th, 2008
Good Points
TV helps me to stick to my work. If its totallly quiet, I get nothing done. So I know what you mean.
Seamless Gutters
June 29th, 2008
Those are great tips about
Those are great tips about tv but for myself, I find the tv way too distracting when I write. I do much better listening to music. I find music much more inspirational.
cheap blender
July 1st, 2008
In front of the tv I always
In front of the tv I always get new ideas and start thinking more outside the box. Also music helps me when it comes to writing. Like seamless gutter said, when it is totally quiet I usually get less done.
Compound Bows
July 2nd, 2008
I am always in front of the
I am always in front of the tv with my laptop. Great little commercial thing to do.
Clarence
July 10th, 2008
Following your own advice?
hey you haven't had a new post since January. Are you following your own advice?! ;)
Pittsburgh SEO Meetup Group
July 10th, 2008
You could actually
even take some of the ideas from what you are watching at that time on TV, and then craft them into posts, I guess. :)
Mike
July 17th, 2008
I do this
all the time when I write on my blogs. Actually I prefer sitting on the sofa watching my favorite TV shows as opposed to sitting at my desk...in fact now that I think about it...I hate sitting at my desk. Great post!!
Holy Tea
July 23rd, 2008
Best way is
to just watch something you are not really interested in, then you will pay more attention to what you might be writing. :)
cheap chanel handbags
July 27th, 2008
great tips thanks man
great tips thanks man
anabelle
August 15th, 2008
Walking Spain
Hi
A strange thing just happened, I was reading through some blogs and stopped when a hoilday program came on the TV, I stopped reading and watched the show, guess whose site I came to straight after I finished watching. You guessed it, weird or what.
What you say is true, watching TV is a great way of overcoming writers block.
Take Care, and thanks
Walking Holidays Spain
August 19th, 2008
Relaxing helps
I completely agree that relaxing helps you to have refreshing ideas.
Investment Property
August 20th, 2008
Embrace Distraction
"Embrace Distraction" - I think I do this too often haha.
Competitive Gaming Team
August 21st, 2008
Mispellings should not be a hindrance
I do agree that with the part that says "Don't worry about misspellings or bad ideas. Just run with your thought process.". That can be corrected at a later part with Microsoft spell check :)
The Construction Crane Guy
August 21st, 2008
Background Noise
The TV or radio is sometimes soothing just as background noise. Sometimes silence is too deafening, and you need the feeling things are going on in the background to relax. Failing that, switch off the TV and get out and go for a run or a walk - I find these two ways of relaxing to be the best to find new ideas of what to write about, or simply make plans to do stuff in the future.
Online Photo Editor Guy
August 25th, 2008
Not me
My girlfriend does everything with the tv on and it drives me crazy. My kids nad her kids will be over and the tv will be blasting while we are eating dinner, Drive me batty.
There is no way I could write on my blog while watching tv, too distracting.
Cheers.
Memphis Used Cars
August 29th, 2008
Thats great to see that the
Thats great to see that the tv helps some people write! I cant concentrate on work when I have music or the tv playing! But I am not a creative writer, so its great for inspiration probably!
Voos Baratos
August 31st, 2008
Cool
Hello! Nice tips to get the creative juices flowing! Thanks
Cartao de Credito
September 3rd, 2008
Writers block can be the bane of my life.
Yes writers block can be the bane of my life, I have battled and considered courses once I wrote a poem that was actually pretty good I got so excited thinking that I had turned a corner but then I never managed to write anything else that was any good for years. Maybe tonight when I’m lunching out in front of the soaps I’ll do it with a notepad and pen see what happens.
investment property
September 11th, 2008
Been there...
I write day in and day out as an article writer for freelance and I have always needed a muse of some sort so I type on one side of the screen and watch my cartoons and movies and even t.v. shows on the other side of the screen. It helps and I rarely get distracted.
Stephanie
September 11th, 2008
Also...
Sometimes I find myself either getting inspiration from the shows and movies that I watch during writing or getting terribly distracted. I checked out your steps and the use of reruns has definently improved my writing output. Thanks for the tips! Also, I agree about the Seinfeld comment, enough is enough...although hilarious first few times around.
Stephanie
September 11th, 2008
Oh yes...
One of the best inspirations for me when I have to write an essay or whatever is to take a study break and check out the tube. Then about ten minutes later I find myself just brimming with content that I just have to write down fast before I forget.
Stephy
September 11th, 2008
oh and...
I totally agree with the posters that say some people just can not multi task. Me being one of them because I just get too into what I'm watching, rerun or not. But maybe with a little bit of practice I could get into the multiple task thing. But for now I'll stick to taking breaks.
Stephy
September 11th, 2008
Hey there! Thanks for these
Hey there! Thanks for these tips! Looks like a great way to get creative!
Disfuncao Eretil
September 15th, 2008
Been There
This post struck a bit of a chord with me. When I don't know what the hell to write, I pick out a line on the TV show and try to work it into the post. It adds a bit of fun when you're lacking inspiration and motivation.
Al
September 17th, 2008
HDTV
is you have hdtm output you can work with widescreen monitor insted of your 15/17" )) But i prefer work listening to music, not watching a TV.
Serge Network Monitoring
September 19th, 2008
Distractions
I can't type or think with the TV on either. It can be good for inspiration or to get out of a funk, but I need to dis-engage from it first. I like to listen to soft music with no lyrics when I'm typing. Something that can flow in the backround almost as white noise, and let me think clearly.
Tony Brueski
http://www.bestradiocommercials.com
Tony Brueski
September 23rd, 2008
What a wonderful idea. I
What a wonderful idea. I never thought of that. Now I know what I can do when I'm watching Dancing with the stars!
Sharon
Sharon
September 26th, 2008
I love watching ....or
I love watching ....or having Hawaii 5-0 on when Im doing this. For me, it is just funny to watch Steve Mcgarret drive out of a place in Hawaii Kai, and then go to his office which is the Iolani Palace!
Shaw
September 26th, 2008
For me, What works best is
For me, What works best is when I have the news on. I can mentally tune in and tune out when Im hearing things that interest me.
Plus, current events helps me get ideas to blog about!
Kelly
September 26th, 2008
I Love Roseanne!
I have to have some background noise, so I play Roseanne on my Charter TV!
Charter TV
October 2nd, 2008
The TV stays on all the time
The TV stays on all the time in my house. I work from home and have the TV on in the background as I write and work.
Mia Ackerman
October 8th, 2008
Great tips
Good tips but I dont know if they would work for me. I lose my concentration every time the box is on....
Herb
October 9th, 2008
I have to confess...I almost
I have to confess...I almost always write while there's a movie or a re-run of "Friends" playing. I seem to enjoy the background noise.
Gifts from Ireland
October 12th, 2008
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