A Cautionary Comic For Writers

Debbie Ohi on May 21 2011 | Filed under: Humor

Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes & illustrates for young people. Illustrated I'M BORED by Michael Ian Black (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers), a New York Times Notable Children's Book. Upcoming book projects with Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Random House. Blog for writers: Inkygirl.com. Twitter: @inkyelbows.

Debbie Ohi

View all posts by Debbie Ohi
Debbie's website

Other posts by this author:

• Comic Caption Challenge: Book Characters At A Bar (plus my exciting book news!)
• Comic: Writer At Tax Time
• Comic: A Good Hook
• Comic: Writers’ Resolutions
• Writers: Enjoy Every Success, No Matter How Small

Tags: comic

43 Comments »

43 Responses to “A Cautionary Comic For Writers”

1. Julia Munroe Martin says:

   May 21, 2011 at 12:28 pm

   Thank you so much for the comical look at my life!
   Julia Munroe Martin´s last blog post ..Blog 101

   Like? 0
2. Cynthia Robertson says:

   May 21, 2011 at 12:43 pm

   Hahahaha! So true!!
   Someone’s been looking over my shoulder =)
   Cynthia Robertson´s last blog post ..Blogtopia!

   Like? 0
3. Birgit says:

   May 21, 2011 at 12:45 pm

   Now that sounds familiar *lol*.
   Birgit´s last blog post ..Pajama Musings – The worst library of them all

   Like? 0
4. Kerry Ann (aka vinobaby) says:

   May 21, 2011 at 2:08 pm

   Fabulous! That is the absolute perfect example of my “typical” day. I swear I am just going to disconnect the internet from my writing computer. But I use the excuse of needing Dictionary.com at my beck and call.

   Thanks for a laugh.

   Cheers!
   Kerry Ann (aka vinobaby)´s last blog post ..Wine Pairing Playlist for the Apocalypse

   Like? 0
5. Kristan Hoffman says:

   May 21, 2011 at 2:11 pm

   Lol so. freaking. true!! And that’s precisely why I’ve started KILLING THE INTERNET for specified time periods. And then like magic, I suddenly pound out hundreds (sometimes thousands) of words.

   Freedom for Mac — I HIGHLY recommend it.
   Kristan Hoffman´s last blog post ..What I’ve been up to

   Like? 0
6. Richard Mabry says:

   May 21, 2011 at 2:38 pm

   Stop making me feel guilty–but don’t stop making me laugh. Thanks for sharing.

   Like? 0
7. Robin Weeks says:

   May 21, 2011 at 4:29 pm

   Yup. Just like that. Except you missed “check blogroll to see if any of the blogs she’s following have new posts.” Which is how I got here ….

   Like? 0
8. Kathleen Bolton says:

   May 21, 2011 at 4:34 pm

   *facepalm* This is me sooooo much! Thanks for the laugh!

   Like? 0
9. Lora Rivera says:

   May 21, 2011 at 4:59 pm

   So true!! Ugh.

   @KristanHoffman I’m going to try killing the internet. Somewhat like a refrigerator/pantry purge when one is on a diet.

   *musing* What if I hooked up a timer to my internet connection? Like on light-up Christmas reindeer? Seriously, I think I’m turning over a new leaf. Great comic!
   Lora Rivera´s last blog post ..lroseriver- @blanc52 And its done!

   Like? 0
   • Geoffrey Talbot says:

     May 27, 2011 at 9:20 am

     I have tried killing the internet and concentrating on writing, writing, writing but I just can’t do it…

     Probably why I am commenting on this blog right now…
     Geoffrey Talbot´s last blog post ..Our Unholy Stories

     Like? 0
10. Therese Walsh says:

    May 21, 2011 at 6:03 pm

    I second Kath’s facepalm. Thanks for the Comic of the Year!

    Like? 0
11. Edie Ramer says:

    May 21, 2011 at 7:46 pm

    LOL How did you get into my mind? I shouldn’t even be here! I should be writing instead.

    Like? 0
12. Mandy Calvin says:

    May 21, 2011 at 9:48 pm

    Delightfully witty comic, haha. I just posted on my blog about this very subject, getting sidetracked. It’s so very true though.
    Mandy Calvin´s last blog post ..The Writing Wagon

    Like? 0
13. VicK says:

    May 21, 2011 at 10:15 pm

    That is my life.

    I’m going to print it off and stick it to my computer to remind me not to do that one last check…

    Like? 0
14. Kit MacConnell says:

    May 22, 2011 at 12:01 am

    Wow. Story of my life. XD I feel self-conscious of my crappy routine now.
    Kit MacConnell´s last blog post ..Cancelled

    Like? 0
15. Mallory Snow says:

    May 22, 2011 at 1:32 am

    This is genius! Thanks for another great one, Debbie!
    Mallory Snow´s last blog post ..WriterDesign- Helpful Plugins

    Like? 0
16. anne gallagher says:

    May 22, 2011 at 5:55 am

    How can you know me so well when we’ve never even met?

    Like? 0
17. Stacy S. Jensen says:

    May 22, 2011 at 7:54 am

    This is exactly why I should check email at noon instead of in the morning.
    Stacy S. Jensen´s last blog post ..Thankful Thursday- For Son – Who Turns 1

    Like? 0
18. kathryn magendie says:

    May 22, 2011 at 8:20 am

    Laughing! So true …. lawd!
    kathryn magendie´s last blog post ..Showing you my innards -My guts on a Platter – all for you

    Like? 0
19. Amy Sue Nathan says:

    May 22, 2011 at 8:27 am

    Oh so true. Oh so sad! Oh so me!

    Oh so sadly true for me!
    Amy Sue Nathan´s last blog post ..Interview with The Heroine’s Bookshelf author Erin Blakemore

    Like? 0
20. Lisa Rivero says:

    May 22, 2011 at 8:29 am

    Perfect!! I so love your comics, Debbie, none more (so far) than this one.
    ~ Lisa
    Lisa Rivero´s last blog post ..Wrapping my arms around Solomon’s Oak

    Like? 0
21. Wonderful new Debbie Ohi (Inkygirl) Comic | Writing Life says:

    May 22, 2011 at 8:37 am

    [...] Be sure to go to Writer Unboxed for a wonderful new comic by Debbie Ohi (Inkygirl): A Cautionary Comic for Writers. [...]

    Like? 0
22. Lorna Suzuki says:

    May 22, 2011 at 10:24 am

    Oh, so true! lol That is why I must make sure I get a specific word count down before I get sucked into that vortex known as Twitter! And though fans have started the Imago Fantasy series FB fan page where I’ll be posting movie updates as it marches toward production, I deliberately avoid having a personal FB account I use otherwise, I know even less writing will get done!
    Thanks for sharing in your wisdom, Deb!

    Like? 0
23. Lou Belcher says:

    May 22, 2011 at 10:41 am

    Wow… this hits home. Great comic.

    Lou
    Lou Belcher´s last blog post ..Write from the soul

    Like? 0
24. Katherine Hyde says:

    May 22, 2011 at 2:15 pm

    This is why I do all my web activity on my desktop computer and my writing on my laptop. My laptop is connected to the Internet so I can do research if I need to, but other than that I pretend it’s offline.

    Like? 0
25. Celia says:

    May 22, 2011 at 7:51 pm

    Ha ha, excellent! I’m getting off the computer right now …

    Like? 0
26. Jeffrey Keefer says:

    May 22, 2011 at 8:16 pm

    Alas, my life.

    Like? 0
27. jenelcc says:

    May 22, 2011 at 11:46 pm

    Love this! I thought computers were supposed to make us MORE productive. :-)
    jenelcc´s last blog post ..“Yes- Master” – Being the Servant of the Story

    Like? 0
28. Rich says:

    May 23, 2011 at 7:17 am

    This is too damn true…and hysterically funny.
    Rich´s last blog post ..Happy Now by Katherine Shonk

    Like? 0
29. Debbie Ohi says:

    May 23, 2011 at 7:53 am

    Heh. Thanks, all. The comic isn’t at ALL based on my life, of course (ahem). :-)

    Seriously, though, I’ve been feeling this way more and more lately. So much so that I’m going to change around my work day so that I minimize my online time in the mornings. I’ll be posting more about this in Inkygirl.com today.
    Debbie Ohi´s last blog post ..In NYC right now

    Like? 0
30. Debbie Ohi says:

    May 23, 2011 at 7:54 am

    And uh, YES, I’m online now to post this comment. I did say “going to”…. :-D
    Debbie Ohi´s last blog post ..In NYC right now

    Like? 0
31. Rachel says:

    May 23, 2011 at 11:29 am

    OMG! This is so me! Thanks for the swift kick in the rear. I will start writing immediately…well as soon as I read your other blog post.

    Like? 0
32. Yahong says:

    May 23, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    LOVE this. Love. This.

    Like? 0
33. Jemi Fraser says:

    May 23, 2011 at 3:07 pm

    That’s so true!!! :)
    Jemi Fraser´s last blog post ..Build a World with Elana

    Like? 0
34. Sophia Chang says:

    May 23, 2011 at 3:11 pm

    This is so frightening I think it singlehandedly make me decide to go on another internet-dark period.
    Sophia Chang´s last blog post ..Magnolia Plantation and Fort Sumter

    Like? 0
35. Amanda says:

    May 23, 2011 at 9:53 pm

    Oh my – how terrifyingly accurate. Were you looking in my office window? For five hours?
    Amanda´s last blog post ..And now Im kind of an idiot

    Like? 0
36. Darren Cormier says:

    May 24, 2011 at 1:06 am

    And what did I do, once I saw this… I tweeted it. And posted it on a couple of Facebook and LinkedIn message boards.
    And how did I find this? From a different article on this blog that another writer friend had posted on Facebook. And what was my intention when I got home from work today (instead of Facebooking and tweeting?): to write… and fold laundry.

    I’ve written Facebook comments and tweets and folded half of my laundry. I guess that’s productive. : )

    Like? 0
37. StaceyW says:

    May 24, 2011 at 1:21 pm

    It’s sad how true this is. Great, fun little post. And a quick one, too. :)
    StaceyW´s last blog post ..Where Ive Been

    Like? 0
38. Moxie-Dude says:

    May 26, 2011 at 11:20 am

    HA-HA! So happy to learn that I’m not the only one who has days like that. DAYS?!! Ok. Now I’m just sad.

    Like? 0
39. Geoffrey Talbot says:

    May 27, 2011 at 9:21 am

    I believe I have an addiction and this blog highlighted this… I must make sure my wife never reads this post…

    Thanks a lot!
    Geoffrey Talbot´s last blog post ..Our Unholy Stories

    Like? 0
40. M. Thomas Ridley » Blog Archive » Has This Happened To You? says:

    May 28, 2011 at 8:00 am

    [...] via Writer Unboxed… [...]

    Like? 0
41. Phil Mills says:

    June 5, 2012 at 8:36 am

    I think you could change “writing” in your first image to “[name of your obligation here]“. :)

    Like? 0
42. Arun Kumar says:

    July 12, 2012 at 11:26 am

    I use pomodoro try it out http://www.tomighty.org/

    Like? 0