Increased procrastination or increased motivation? That depends on you.

Have you ever been searching for that something special for one of your characters, a subplot, a setting, a way to kill off a character, or perhaps researching for a historical fiction manuscript and it happens? You click. You have no self-control—you simply click!

For example:

Xkcd’s Radiation Dose Chart – PA: 88. LRD: 988. TL: 5,863.

This is a chart about the radiation a person absorbs from various sources. This is a great way to visualize how much radiation poisoning you can get from things like airplane flights, x-rays, and CT scans.

WUIW’s Water Conservation Tips – PA: 77. LRD: 347. TL: 1,536.

This is a list of 112 different ways to conserve water. The tips are very short and provide quick, actionable information.

Thomson’s Evolution of Music – PA: 77. LRD: 80. TL: 955.

This is a visualization of how music has traveled over the past 200 years.

You have become a victim of link bait. (Tsk, tsk, tsk.) Do not, I plead with you, under any circumstances let these little bandits steal too much of your time.

Instead. make link baits motivate and inspire you. Make up a story from the above three baits. Here’s what I came up with in less than thirty seconds:

Elise always forced her ways on everyone she met. “When will you put a brick in your toilet to conserve water?” She continued with environmental rants while her boyfriend, a drummer, was performing—totally insulting the band.

After that wild night, Elise became sick…sicker with each passing day. Elise’s ex-boyfriend purchased a headstone for her:

“Her energy glowed for all the world to see.”

Don’t attack me. When I was somewhere around eight years old, I put a brick in our toilet so my family wouldn’t waste water, until my dad found out—something to do with malfunctioning flushing. And I (used to) play drums.

I’ve been told that when writers need another outlet for creativity they should try things like gardening, knitting, scrapbooking, photography, cooking, painting or poetry.

Speaking of cooking…okay, the following does not constitute cooking, but served to satisfy my sweet-chocolate-peanut-butter tooth without heating the kitchen. Just add however much peanut butter you feel like to a pan of melting marshmallows and Rice Krispies. Before the mixture completely cools, add any amount and type/combination of chocolate chips your heart desires, and then spread into some type of cake pan or cookie sheet. Eat at will.

Now describe how your treat tastes. How does it make you feel? How does it make your tongue and teeth feel? What do your characters think of what you’ve cooked? Make sure each describes it in their own voice.

I love untouched photography. A camera on glasses has been invented, but I sure wish there was one for my eyelids. I really need such a sci-fi invention. There I was ATVing this past weekend, (getting much-needed sunshine), when speeding along I saw it—him—her—the head of a bear traveling pretty darn fast. Now, I’m not sure of this whole spirit animal thing so I didn’t stop to see what had frightened said bear or what it was chasing.

I stood, (making myself appear larger, not to mention aiding my body to take increased jarring a bit better), and then pushed the gas like I’d never pushed before. My thumb really felt the repercussion.

Again, what would your characters do in this situation? In each character’s POV, write what they feel when adrenaline and cortisol rush around their bodies. Write what they think about animals. You may want to review Jax Hunter’s blogs on deep POV, which is on my to-do list as I perfect my characters’ story.

Happy creating!

Next month, the ugliest mule I’ve ever seen and bourbon balls.