Category: Overcoming Resistance

$66 to Replace Writing Resistance with a Writing Habit: Guest Post by BeccyJoy

November 9, 2013

Beccy is the author of beccyjoy, a blog she uses to share stories from her perspective as a young psychotherapist, Christian, mom, wife, writer and Minnesotan. Beccy posts focus on “having great relationships, motherhood, having awesome mental health, faith, saving money, being active, pursuing dreams, and understanding each other.” I’m honored to share Beccy’s observations … More $66 to Replace Writing Resistance with a Writing Habit: Guest Post by BeccyJoy

Have Squirrels Hijacked Your Creative Brain?

October 30, 2013

Maggie River’s “Squirrely” is Winner #4 in the Where’s Your Creative Brain photo contest! Congratulations Maggie on your squirrel training skills! Please email your mailing address to me and I’ll send you a copy of Around the Writer’s Block. I hope Maggie’s talent for taming squirrels transfers to her writing life because squirrels are a … More Have Squirrels Hijacked Your Creative Brain?

Going “Outline Commando” to Avoid Writer’s Block

October 23, 2013

“Excellent!” was my first thought when I read the title of Brian Klems article Six Secrets of Writing a Novel Without an Outline. I had found another writer willing to go “outline commando.” (Why I think outlines don’t work) “Absolutely!” I thought when I read Secret #3 Follow Rabbit Trails: “It’s inherent to the creative … More Going “Outline Commando” to Avoid Writer’s Block

From Close Enough to Excellence Through Failure

September 17, 2013

In answer to the questions raised in the previous post, you move from close enough to excellence with discerning, observant practice where you change what you do based on the results you get. Indiscriminate practice only reinforces what’s already there. There’s no point in polishing and repeating mistakes. Make your mistakes new ones. Recognizing failure … More From Close Enough to Excellence Through Failure

Perfection Causes Writer’s Block; ‘Close Enough’ Cures It

September 6, 2013

“Perfect is the enemy of good.” – Voltaire “‘Close enough’ is the olive branch.” – Bane Striving to do our best and challenging ourselves to keep developing our skills is vital for writers, but perfectionism only leads to resistance. When we recognize that perfection is an asymptote – a mathematical term for a point you can get … More Perfection Causes Writer’s Block; ‘Close Enough’ Cures It

Seven Reasons Writers Need Habits More Than Discipline

August 29, 2013

Forget about discipline and will power. What writers really need are habits. Here’s why. All the really cool writers have habits: Maya Angelou, E.B. White, Ernest Hemingway, Steven King, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens, JK Rowling.  (We can only guess what habits EL James employs… no wait, I’d rather not.) Habits get stronger every time … More Seven Reasons Writers Need Habits More Than Discipline