on Writers Helping Writers:

You know the feeling. You sit down to write, open your laptop, and . . . somehow end up reorganizing your photo files, watching three YouTube videos, or scrolling through book marketing tips you won’t use. Again.

Afterward, that familiar guilt creeps in. Why can’t you just do the thing you say you want to do?

If you’re like most writers, you’ve asked yourself that question more than once. And yet, even knowing how much it costs you—missed opportunities, lost time, crushed momentum—you still do it. So what gives?

In my work with writers, I’ve discovered that procrastination isn’t about laziness or lack of discipline. It’s much more complex. As part of my research, I’ve found three key reasons writers procrastinate. Once you see them clearly, you’ll begin to understand why the urge is so hard to resist.