The desire to write good stuff and especially an expectation that you’re supposed to write good stuff is a guaranteed, one-way trip to Resistance City. How can we possibly write anything worth reading if just wanting to do that triggers our resistance? We sidle up to it. We surrender the desire for any particular outcome … More Wanna Write Something Good? Start With Writing Something Awful!
I saw my dental hygienist, Nan, last week for a routine cleaning. She noticed that I had more build-up than usual and asked if I was using my electric toothbrush. I’d had a feeling Nan was going to ask me about that. So I’d thought about why, after consistently using my electric toothbrush for years, … More Don’t Let Perfectionism Sneak Up on You
True writer’s block — sustained periods of wanting and needing to write and being unable to — is rare. Most of us procrastinate or postpone starting or we distract ourselves as soon as we sit down so we don’t experience the agony of trying to write and finding we can’t. Most writers experience other forms … More Are You Ready to Solve Writer’s Block and Resistance?
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?
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
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
The paralysis of writer’s block feels like your brain is frozen. All mammals freeze when we’re threatened. When mammals first appeared on the evolutionary tree, freezing was a good way to escape notice of the reigning kings of creation, dinosaurs. True writer’s block – the paralysis of not being able to write, being unable to … More If Writer’s Block Is Brain Freeze, How Do You Thaw Your Brain?
Because you have brain loops. Brain scientists are still exploring the nuances of how memory works, but we do know that we have long-term memory, where you’ve stored the capital of France and how to drive, and working memory, where you would hold the memory of what you just read in an email. The capacity … More Why Do Brain Dumps Break Writer’s Block?
1. Dogs remind us to play. Especially as puppies, dogs know that play is the best way to explore the world. If you need a reminder about the value of play, check out the Top 10 Reasons to Play. 2. Training a dog gives you practical lessons in how to reward and motivate yourself to keep … More Top Ten Reasons Dogs Are a Writer’s Best Friend
One my coaching clients asked me, “Why didn’t you tell me writing was going to be so hard?” I’m pretty sure I did. And I’m pretty sure my mentors told me writing is hard work and yet I remember how surprised I was when I made my own transition from the high of writing when … More Writing Is Hard, Not Writing Is Harder
Bane of Your Resistance 