Lie back, have a margarita, and chill. Few of us have the luxury of being free from distractions. Most of us have jobs, spouses, kids, and responsibilities that occupy a huge amount of our brain space. If your productivity has stalled, or your frustration level has peaked at a new high, it may be that too many other things are on your mind. For many, bill paying and prior commitments begin to nag.
People get sick, people have to take a second job, children need extra attention, parents need extra attention, and so on. It is good, however, to keep your hands in the water.
For instance, in lieu of writing your novel:. Instead of feeling like a failed writer, be patient and kind toward your writing self until the situation changes. The less you fret and put a negative spin on it, the more small pockets of time might open up.
And, since you have been wise in keeping your writing brain primed, you may find it easier to write than you imagined. Susan Reynolds has authored or edited more than forty-five nonfiction and fiction books. She has a B. Susan also edits and coaches other writers in pursuit of happiness through publishing.
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Your Passion Has Waned It happens. Before you go back to the manuscript, ask yourself these three probing questions to reveal the real reason you chose this topic, these characters, this storyline, this theme, and so on: What drove me to write about this in the first place? Why did I feel that this was worth a year of my time? What is it that I wanted the world to know? Your Expectations Are Too High A mistake many novice writers make is in setting their sights too high, expecting perfection when they have yet to write a complete novel or screenplay.
For instance, in lieu of writing your novel: Read novels or works similar to what you hope to write. Read books about the setting or historical context of your novel. Keep a designated journal where you jot down ideas for the novel and other works. Write small vignettes, poems, or sketches related to the novel. Other times, you might need to kick your brain in action by putting yourself in new, unfamiliar spaces.
This is where creating a writing habit becomes useful. We need to train our brains to write by creating an environment and schedule conducive to writing.
If you can make yourself sit in the same space at the same time every day, you will encourage your creative motivation through sheer force of repetition. Where do you feel most creative? It may be at the desk or in the kitchen; it may also be in the bathtub, on your roof, or squirreled away in the closet. Who are we to put our humble pens on the page? Otherwise, you end up justifying your own self-doubt, which prevents you from writing the next Pulitzer Prize-winning book.
Many successful authors have their fair share of self-doubt. Often, self-doubters will assume their work will be meaningless before it even reaches the page. Every word you write brings you a word closer to the Nobel prize! First, ask yourself this: are you struggling to come up with ideas at all, or are you dismissing every idea you come up with?
Hit refresh as many times as you want, add or subtract certain requirements, and have fun in the sandbox of language. You might be rushing through ideas too quickly, and rather than finding your groove and setting words on the page, your thoughts are spinning like tires in a ditch. This is your reminder, then: slow down, chew through your thoughts slowly, and imagine yourself inside of your ideas.
You might find something unique or surprising, and realize that everything you need as a writer is already inside of you. Very few of us have the luxury of dedicating our entire lives to literature: we have jobs to work, bills to pay, kids to raise, and thousands of decisions to make.
Try to block out some time, even just 5 minutes, to journal or dream on the page before going to sleep. If this is the case, but you really want to write, then take a step back and focus on your needs first. Over time, this habit will start to produce the writing you want to create. Be gentle with yourself, and be diligent! This is something that, sooner or later, most writers grapple with.
Jot down as many reasons as you want, including false reasons, made up scenarios, and creative fantasies. But when we believe this lie we tell ourselves, it becomes real.
We do not hold ourselves to a standard of daily discipline, and therefore, neither do others. But this is a problem. When a toxin to our productivity gets into the creative bloodstream, it must be flushed out. The way we do this is not by treating the symptom, but by acknowledging the real disease.
But, for me, what almost always prevents me from writing is fear. I must be doing something important if an unseen force is trying to stop me from finishing, even if that unseen force is myself. Subconsciously, I must recognize that this is important work, hence the need to self-sabotage. So, when I realize this, I am encouraged. Excited, even. But rather: why do I feel stuck? Depending on the situation, my step three varies.
Could I fail? Would that destroy my career in a single stroke? Not at all.
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