In response to my recent post about the David Brooks “Modesty Manifesto” video, Rachel V. commented: “I think I see a lack of modesty in my writing when I feel unwilling to change something (like a scene or dialogue) that doesn’t work for my reader. Even if I know that my readers are giving me … More Why We Resist Feedback (and Why and How to Stop)
New York Times columnist David Brooks is a writer worthy of respect, a writer to emulate. Brooks consistently sifts through a vast array of research from credible sources, combines and interprets facts to create new insight and wisdom, and then wraps that intelligence with delightful humor that engages his audience. I highly recommend his book … More Recommendation: David Brooks Delivers a Modesty Manifesto at Aspen Ideas Festival
If you don’t know where to start or where to go next in your writing, anything is possible. So there is no reason to not play around with random chance. Of course, a part of you will think “I can’t throw just anything into my writing. It wouldn’t make sense. It would be stupid.” And … More Play With the Random
Writers are more likely to feel blocked when they’re trying to start a new piece of writing and don’t where to start or when they first get into a piece and don’t know where to go next. But not knowing is not the problem. It is the combination of not knowing AND thinking that you’re … More Feeling Blocked? Don’t Know What’s Next? Don’t Worry!
The blank screen or page can be dangerous – stare at it too long and every idea you ever had can be wiped away. Avoiding the blank screen/page until you know exactly what to write is just as dangerous. Some days you’ll be blessed with ideas and images that inspire your writing and make it … More Don’t Know How to Start Writing or Where to Go Next?
(In Part 1, we identified the Poop Principle; in Part 2, we saw how love brings us back to our writing.) We love writing (or love at least a significant part of writing), yet we all have excuses and ways to avoid writing. Why this is so puzzled me for years. I explored and reflected … More Poop on Writer’s Block Part 3: A Habit of Love
Part 1 invited you to write your Writer’s Poop List of the things you don’t love about being a writer. So why do we deal with all this s**t? Why do I pick up what a friend euphemistically calls “recycled dog food”? Because I love my dogs and that is part of having dogs to … More Poop on Writer’s Block Part 2: Love Brings Us Back
I will always have dogs. I can truly think of no greater poverty for me than to not be able to love and live with a dog or two. I do not love picking up dog poop, but poop is an unavoidable part of having a dog. We do hire a service to remove it … More Poop on Writer’s Block
Earlier today I realized it’s already Wednesday and I haven’t written a blog entry this week. I groaned. My head dropped and my torso slumped in my office chair. But now, I’m physically and mentally refreshed and ready to go. What changed? I just spent 15 minutes monotasking. I set the timer for 10 minutes … More Monotasking: The Quick Cure for Writer’s Block
Identify the Opportunity and Desire Take a few minutes to complete this sentence (on the page or screen or in your head): “I want to write…” Did you write mainly about what content you want to write (e.g. a story about a rodeo clown, or poetry that moves people to tears, or an essay about … More The Right to Write What’s Right for You
Bane of Your Resistance 