Writing Pitfalls

When I talk with other writers, we often commiserate about how many things keep us from writing. Things like work. Or family--which I realize isn't a thing. Or other priorities like sleeping or exercising or paying bills or buying groceries or doing the laundry . . .
You get the idea.
Then I ran across a Writer's Digest online column: The Top 10 Productivity Pitfalls for Writers to Avoid. When you do have time to write, how do you make sure you're not wasting your time?
Sage Cohen compiled a list of time wasters, including:

1. Fear - "When we let fear prevent us from taking steps that could bring our writing dreams closer, we limit our opportunities to succeed,"Cohen said. I blogged about "writer's fright over at MBT Ponderers.
2. Shabby systems - I'm more of a "pile-r" than a "file-r", so I know what Cohen's talking about when she said you limit yourself when you can't find the latest draft of your essay or you can't remember where you scribbled down that great idea.
3. Perfectionism - My desk may be messy, but I like my writing to be perfect. But there comes a time to say, "This is good to go"--and release your . I'm practicing what I'm preaching by sending my manuscript to my agent--finally! Forget perfect. I like how Cohen puts it: "Focus, instead, on professionalism—doing the best you can, learning along the way, and understanding that mistakes and failures feed every success."

Check out Cohen's list of pitfalls. What one's are you most likely to fall into?