Write or Die?

In the past week or so, and over the past few years, I've had people suggesting the Write or Die site to me.  Umm, thanks, but it's not for me.  Not that there's anything wrong with the concept.  Many people need just the goose in the ass that place provides.  It's just not going to help with my particular problem.

You see, I don't have a problem writing once I sit down to write.  My problem comes with the act of actually sitting down to write.  I have a feeling no program is going to poke me into doing that.  I'd have to get up off the couch, come over here and implement the program - which means I'd already be sitting at my computer with the means to write. 

I'm lazy.  I get that.  Given the choice between sitting here working and sitting over there frittering away my time watching some asinine television show, I'm more inclined to fritter.  Unless I've given myself a deadline.  Then it's easy to drag myself out of my general malaise.  With a deadline - real or imagined - I can crank out the words.  Write or Die won't help me with that.  It'll just put undue pressure on me when I'm already putting enough on myself.

Another thing: I don't write well with someone staring over my shoulder.  I know the instant the Kid walks up behind me.  My brain stalls and my fingers get all stupid.  Same thing happens when the Hubs is watching.  Total paralysis of the writing muscles.  (Even when all I'm doing is typing a short email.)

Not every tool works for every person.  I've said that time and again.  And the whole different strokes thing is okay.  God, if we all wrote the same way, life would be pretty boring.  I do it my way, you do it yours.  Sometimes we can learn from each other's process, and sometimes we can't. 

Yeah, I was open to the Write or Die thing.  I just evaluated it and decided it wasn't my thing.  Which is probably what we all should be doing with every piece of advice, come to think of it.  Don't toss away advice out of hand, but evaluate it.  Who knows, something you never thought would work might just be the thing to get your book finished or published or at least get you over whatever hump your currently facing.

So, what do you think of Write or Die?  Is it your thing?  Why?  And if not, why not?

(And to those awesome folks who have suggested the Write or Die site - thank you.  I treasure your input always - even if I don't always follow it.)

Also, if you haven't dropped by my new endeavor - The Unpublished Writers' Guide to Survival - please do so.  Today's post is a link to advice by author Jeffe Kennedy.