We've all done it!
You sit down at your computer to write, and you get halfway into your new article and
BLAMMO!
You are struck out of the blue with the need, the urge,the compulsion to create something that goes along with the article that you're making. It might be a chronicle to organize several events and locations. It might be a timeline to track your writing progress. It could be a drawing to illustrate an insect's wing. It might even be a map of the island you've dedicated your writing to.
cough.
Whatever it is...in the end, it doesn't count toward your word goal. And that's ok! Because you are still enriching your world, your readers, and the entire universe with your creative spirit! So go forth! Waste WorldEmber writing time! It'll all be OK in the end!