In the previous post, I promised that you can train your brain to follow two simple commands that will transform your writing no matter how resistant you are. The first was Sit-Stay. The second is: Pay Attention To the trainer, Pay Attention means “look at me, make eye contact with me” (which is why some … More Train Yourself to Resist Resistance: Second Trick
What will smart writers’ brains be wearing this summer? Whatever it is, it needs to be different from what your brain wore last season. Because your brain needs a makeover — a cognitive style makeover. If your brain is resistant to the idea of a cognitive style makeover, and really, what brain isn’t, remember that … More Want to Write Better? (Part 2) Give Your Brain a Makeover!
In our previous post, we explored how your brain is naturally creative, always making new associations and connections, but that you don’t notice because your brain prefers rational, logical thinking so much it drowns out other styles of cognition. Allan Snyder’s research suggests that we can increase our awareness of our creativity by temporarily inhibiting … More Want to Write Better? Think Different!
You know, of course, that stars don’t “come out” at night. They are always there emitting the same amount of light all day, all night. We just can’t see the stars until the sun “sets,” or more correctly, until the part of the planet you’re standing on rotates away from the sun enough to escape … More Don’t Let Logic Eclipse Your Creative Writing
How would you feel if you were playing hide-and-seek and no one came to find you? What if it turned out you were “It” and everyone else was waiting for you to find them? Are you playing a backwards game of hide-and-seek with your writing? Are you hiding, waiting for inspiration to find you when … More Waiting to Be Inspired to Write? You’ve Got It Backwards!
I have a miserable cold. Actually, the cold virus is probably quite content; I’m miserable. Creative cognition seems beyond me, so I invite you to appreciate this video. George Saunders will assure you that “It’s scary to not know where a story is going.” How is that reassuring? Because writing should be scary. Settle in … More Let Your Writing Scare You
“Where did that come from?” Usually I’m so enthralled by fresh ideas, images, insights and plot points, I immediately focus on weaving them into the story. I’m so busy figuring out where to go with those ideas and images, I don’t notice where they came from. For example, I couldn’t tell you why the leaves … More Writers’ Brains Require Random Input
“I’ve been polishing turds,” I confessed to my co-coach Laura. “I spent weeks revising and tweaking and polishing the last five chapters. Then I realized I don’t even need two of them.” “Could you have gotten here without polishing those chapters?” Laura asked. I didn’t answer right away. I grudgingly admitted that I probably could … More Do Writers Have to Polish the Occasional Turd?
Writers who resist research often have only a vague idea of what they’re looking for, so they don’t know how to start, where to go, or when to stop. Overwhelmed by the idea of research or hoping to not have to bother with it, their writing grinds to a halt. Writers who get in stuck … More When Research Blocks Your Writing, Questions are the Answer
Writers who don’t like research often don’t know how to start. Writers who love research often don’t know when to stop. Paradoxically, the solution is the same for both types. Stuck in the Research Some writers say they get stuck in the research because they love it. Whether they know it or not, many writers […]
Bane of Your Resistance 