Ah, the joys of waiting for the last minute to start a project you've been intentionally avoiding for as long as humanly possible. Isn't it fun to work under the stress of a looming deadline?
Studies have actually shown that people work better under pressure than when given free rein to set their own schedules, so procrastinating is fairly common. The anxiety produced by waiting until the last minute actually heightens senses and makes the brain work faster. Which is good news for those of us who are perpetual procrastinators.
But there's some good that comes from procrastinating when it comes to creative writing.
When I'm intentionally not working on my writing by distracting myself with other activities or doom scrolling the internet, my brain is constantly reminding me that I should be writing. It comes up with short snippets of the scene I'm supposed to be working on. It shows me emotions that my character might be feeling while under pressure. It reminds me of plot holes that need to be filled in. My fingers may not be actively writing, but my brain is still working on the project. Then, when I finally sit down to write, I usually have the first few sentences ready to go. Once I get started, the words tend to flow.
Procrastinating can just be a passive way of actually getting things done. So don't sweat it too much if your hands aren't on your computer or you haven't picked up a pen all day. Your brain might be working for you.
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