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Tip Tuesday #109

Tip Tuesday is a weekly feature where writers send in tips for fellow writers. If you'd like to send in a tip, please e-mail me at agentspotlight(at)gmail(dot)com.

Today's super useful tip was sent in by a new blog reader, Elizabeth Pettie, who writes MG and YA. She blogs at Remember, A Writer Writes and tweets at @ElizabethPettie. Please give her a warm welcome by visiting and following!

Say no to Facebook

I was listening to an NPR podcast about willpower. According to the podcast, we've got a limited supply of willpower so it's better to avoid temptation. Don't fill your pantry with cookies if you don't want to eat them.

Writing on the computer tests my willpower. It's hard not to check e-mail, Facebook, or the news (well maybe just the gossip news). That's why I hired my nanny. The nanny is a google chrome extension that blocks sites during specified hours. (For firefox you can use leech block.) If I try to click on facebook between the hours of nine to five, my nanny sends me a message that says, "shouldn't you be working." And the Nanny's right. I should be working.

~Elizabeth Pettie
on Tuesday, October 11, 2011

26 comments:

  1. Natalie AguirreOctober 11, 2011 at 6:27 AM

    Great tip. I need to get off the Internet, like all the time.

    I saw on your blog that you're a lawyer. Me too. Do you live in Ann Arbor? I wondered from the picture of winter.

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  2. UnknownOctober 11, 2011 at 8:37 AM

    A nanny is exactly what I need. :-D

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  3. LizOctober 11, 2011 at 9:00 AM

    Hi Natalie. I live in A2, but I'm from TX. After five years here, I'm still not ready for winter.

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  4. E. ArroyoOctober 11, 2011 at 9:30 AM

    Great. I'm addicted to blogging. I just want to know what everyone is up to...LOL. I need a life. =)

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  5. Kristen WixtedOctober 11, 2011 at 9:39 AM

    Such a timely comment for me! I just finished a draft of my MG novel and I found that I was having a much harder time than ever before with internet distraction.
    Didn't have to hire a nanny but it was hard.

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  6. Marta SzemikOctober 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM

    What a great tip! Thank you! I had to get a new lap top two weeks ago and insisted on not having any games uploaded. They're so addictive. Saves me a lot of time too!

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  7. Liz PettieOctober 11, 2011 at 10:32 AM

    Freedom is a piece of software that blocks the Internet for a specified period of time: http://macfreedom.com/

    I'm on the fence about whether to download it because it costs ten dollars and I don't think I'm ready to go cold turkey and block the Internet entirely.

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  8. Matthew MacNishOctober 11, 2011 at 10:32 AM

    I don't have this problem, but I'm off to follow here blog. Thanks!

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  9. Steve MCOctober 11, 2011 at 10:41 AM

    Great tip. I'd say more, but my nanny is coming...

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  10. LTMOctober 11, 2011 at 11:21 AM

    LOVE this tip! The only problem is the developer pulled Chrome Nanny. There seems to be another program called "Stay Focused" that might work as well. Yay! I need this~ :o) <3

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  11. TamsonOctober 11, 2011 at 11:51 AM

    Thank you, Elizabeth! I'm going to get this right away!

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  12. UnknownOctober 11, 2011 at 1:51 PM

    That's pretty cool!

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  13. AmieSalmonOctober 11, 2011 at 4:09 PM

    Oh wow, I am definitely going to be trying this one out.

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  14. HeatherOctober 11, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    LOL! I need the nanny, what an awesome idea. Can I set it up to do that for Twitter though, cause that's my poison of choice. ;)

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  15. Angela BrownOctober 11, 2011 at 6:00 PM

    The Nanny. Dear me. I got this odd picture in my head of some grim-faced governess-type wagging her finger at me when I click Facebook.

    LOL!!

    But truthfully, that is so needed. And it takes a lot of courage to acknowledge and accept when you need a little nanny in your writing life.

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  16. Shilpa MudigantiOctober 11, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    LOL! I cannot agree more...I need a nanny too!

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  17. Theresa MilsteinOctober 12, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    What an interesting idea. I wish I could hire a real nanny to cook dinner and do laundry. That would free me up to write AND social network.

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  18. Martha RamirezOctober 12, 2011 at 3:06 PM

    That is awesome! What a great idea!

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  19. Elizabeth PettieOctober 12, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    Thanks LTM. Here's the link for 'stay focused', if 'the Nanny' doesn't work:

    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji

    Although I do like the title 'the Nanny' a lot better.

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  20. Elizabeth PettieOctober 12, 2011 at 7:50 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. StinaOctober 12, 2011 at 7:52 PM

    I need the nanny too. :D

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  22. Michael Offutt, Phantom ReaderOctober 13, 2011 at 2:10 AM

    Ooh a program to keep you on task. That is interesting. I work in V.R. and I may have to recommend this to be installed on client computers.

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  23. Ishta MercurioOctober 13, 2011 at 9:47 AM

    A computer nanny is PERFECT! Great tip!

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  24. Carolina M. Valdez SchneiderOctober 13, 2011 at 10:48 AM

    Ha! That's so cool. I need this. I can imagine I'd get more work done!

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  25. TimJasonWallisOctober 19, 2011 at 1:25 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. TimJasonWallisOctober 19, 2011 at 1:27 PM

    Fantastic tip! Can you sync it with an audible voice? Something that sounds like an old british lady who is very stern yet has a soft heart but we only see that side come out after she has brought my family back together because of our distance caused by competing hectic schedules?
    ...Or Kermit the Frog...whatever is easier.

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