The Camera as a Writer's Tool (for Procrastination)

There are many things a writer can do to avoid writing. Today's tools for procrastination are the camera and scanner.

1. Take your camera outside and photograph the weather. Here's a shot from winter 2009 (just to cool you off since it's hot in so many parts of the country). It was early in the morning, the air was frosty, the snow fluffy, and the whole neighborhood was white.




2. Pull out your old picture albums, and scan and organize your best prints. I turned up this picture of me as a kid. That's kinda the way I look today when I discover a great new book to read. Some things never change.




3. If you've forced yourself to sit at the computer, open your photo editing software and play around with graphics. I took this photo in Norway in 1998.




Here's the altered version.




4. Follow your pet around and try to get the perfect shot.




5. Figure out silly games to play on your blog, such as: Whose Eye is This?

Hint: A Northern Colorado mystery author.

Okay. I know I'm not the only writer who procrastinates. It you write, what are some of your favorite ways to avoid working on your current project and what tools do you find most helpful?