Today’s tip is directed toward all the perfectionists out there… and when I say that, I’m talking squarely to myself as well.

Here’s writing habits practice #4:

Don’t wait for the perfect conditions to write.

We writers dream of writing in a beach cabana with the wind softly tussling our hair. Or we dream of a quiet house with no distraction so we can bring our creative genius to life.

But that vision doesn’t usually align with reality. We are irritable, we have interruptions, the weather is bad, we have stressors, or other issues. We just have to get it done anyway. We can’t wait for the perfect situation to actually get our work done.

EB White, author of Stuart Little and other classics, said this:

. . . the members of my household never pay the slightest attention to my being a writing man — they make all the noise and fuss they want to. If I get sick of it, I have places I can go. A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper.

Think of the amazing gifts that E.B. White has given us with his words. If he didn’t need perfect conditions, you and I don’t either. After all, that’s why God made headphones, correct? You can always put on a pair, crank up some focus music, and keep on writing.

Question: How do you handle distractions when trying to write?