May 2014 – Bane of Your Resistance

New Book Update: Best Laid Plans Oft Go Astray (But Don’t Let That Block Your Writing)

May 29, 2014

You might remember from a previous New Book Update, that my plan for revising my novel was to: dreamstorm possible new scenes and modifications to existing scenes then play around with new, modified and existing scenes on index cards or Post-it Notes to find a new structure (at the macro level of scenes) BEFORE I … More New Book Update: Best Laid Plans Oft Go Astray (But Don’t Let That Block Your Writing)

Process Play or Prouct Time Writing?

May 27, 2014

“I spent 15 minutes journaling last night. Is that Process or Product Time?” “I started out just freewriting, but ended up with a character sketch. Do I count that as Process or Product Time?” There are times when the lines between Process and Product Time can get hazy. It may not matter what you call … More Process Play or Prouct Time Writing?

How To Let Go of What Others Think to Create Better Art: Guest Post by Joel D Canfield

May 22, 2014

Author and musician Joel D Canfield made such an intriguing comment on my last post on how people-pleasing interferes with writing that I invited him to expand that comment into this guest post. Joel is the author of eleven books and the Someday Box blog for those who want to get a book out of … More How To Let Go of What Others Think to Create Better Art: Guest Post by Joel D Canfield

Hidden Writing Resistance Is Just as Dangerous as Obvious Blocks

May 20, 2014

With a title as long as AWB’s, you’d think I’d covered all the bases. Really: the full title of Around the Writer’s Block includes the sub-title Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance*. The sub-title in turn introduces a sub-sub-title that lists the primary forms of resistance: *Including Writer’s Block, Procrastination, Paralysis, Perfectionism, Postponing, Distractions, Self-Sabotage, … More Hidden Writing Resistance Is Just as Dangerous as Obvious Blocks

Is Writer’s Block in the Forest or the Trees?

May 16, 2014

The next time you feel resistance or writer’s block, notice where your attention is. It’s not a question of whether you’re paying attention – you’re always paying attention to something. It’s a question of what you’re attending to and what kind of attention you’re using. Flavors of Attention I used to think attention is attention … More Is Writer’s Block in the Forest or the Trees?

Unbelievably Simple Cure for Writer’s Block

May 14, 2014

A coaching client confessed recently that one of her worst fears was that no one will believe her novel, that readers will say “This could never happen” and stop reading. That fear generated a lot of writing resistance until we worked through it. Most of us have similar fears. I’d hate it if someone thought … More Unbelievably Simple Cure for Writer’s Block

Laugh Your Way Out of Writer’s Block

May 7, 2014

There’s nothing funny about feeling blocked or recognizing that you’re spending more time resisting than writing. But the solution might be a laughing matter. The Gamma Connection Humor increases creativity. Recent research shows that “mirthful laughter” triggers your brain to release gamma waves, which are the brain’s highest electrical frequency. Gamma waves are required to … More Laugh Your Way Out of Writer’s Block

Writer’s Block Can Be a Laughing Matter

May 2, 2014

The research is in: humor boosts creativity. Laughing is a great way to bust through writer’s block. I could cite the research and I will next week, but it’s Friday afternoon, so let’s cut to the chase. A panda walks into a diner and orders a bamboo sandwich. The waitress brings him a sandwich. After … More Writer’s Block Can Be a Laughing Matter

Bane of Your Resistance

Stop distracting and fighting yourself, Surrender perfectionism and procrastination, Give yourself writing habits and outcomes you are proud of

Month: May 2014