Episode 082 - Perspectives on Writer's Block
June 8, 2021
"Fabulous interviews, practical, thoughtfully produced. An inspiration to be sure. Thank you, Matty!” —Podcast listener Catherine
Writer's block--is it fact or fantasy? Does it require inspiration or willpower to overcome? What tips or tricks can get a writer writing again? In this episode, previous guests of The Indy Author Podcast share their perspectives on writer's block, from specific tasks you can perform to break through the block to frank discussions of its emotional and psychological basis.
Many thanks to Robert Dugoni, Emma G. Rose, Pauline Wiles, Dale L. Roberts, M.K. Williams, Wade Walton, Jerri Williams, Jeff Elkins, and Julie Duffy for sharing their perspectives.
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For more information on my guests, go to https://bit.ly/TIA_Podcast and search on the guests' names to find links to their episodes and bios.
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Matty: We start out this discussion of Perspective on Writer’s Block with Robert Dugoni, who joined me in Episode 047 - Backstory and Flashbacks. Bob is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post bestselling author of the Tracy Crosswhite police series. He is also the author of the Charles Jenkins espionage series, the David Sloane legal thrillers, and the standalone novel THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL, which was Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year. He is also the author of the nonfiction exposé THE CYANIDE CANARY, a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. So I think it’s clear that Robert has found ways to combat writer’s block.
Robert Dugoni
Hi, I'm Robert Dugoni, author of the Tracy Crosswhite series. And I've been asked to give a perspective on writer's block. First thing is you have to make sure that you really have writer's block, which is an anxiety provoked inability to get a story going or to continue. I say that because a lot of times writer's block is simply an author not understanding or knowing the subject matter that they're writing on. So it's very easy then for them to not be able to go forward. So for instance, if you were writing about your character being on the deck of a submarine and you didn't know anything about submarines, you'd probably get writer's block because you wouldn't know what you're writing about. ...
Robert Dugoni
Hi, I'm Robert Dugoni, author of the Tracy Crosswhite series. And I've been asked to give a perspective on writer's block. First thing is you have to make sure that you really have writer's block, which is an anxiety provoked inability to get a story going or to continue. I say that because a lot of times writer's block is simply an author not understanding or knowing the subject matter that they're writing on. So it's very easy then for them to not be able to go forward. So for instance, if you were writing about your character being on the deck of a submarine and you didn't know anything about submarines, you'd probably get writer's block because you wouldn't know what you're writing about. ...
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[00:00:41] But writer's block is a real thing. I had that explained to me one time by a psychologist at a writing conference. What I think is the most helpful thing that you can do is get the endorphins going. Exercise, get out and exercise and get the blood flowing and get the thoughts going and get all those things moving and going forward.
[00:01:00] The other thing I'll share is the best writing advice I'd probably received in a long time, and that was from my buddy author, Mike Lawson. And Mike said that he never has a bad day writing because if he gets to a place where he just doesn't know for sure where the story's going, but he knows where he wants the story to be at a certain point, so for instance, maybe the climax or how it's going to end, he writes the chapters that day that he knows are going to be in the book or he expects to be in the book. And then what happens is that gets the mind going, that gets the thought processes going, and he can go back, and he can fill in the blanks on days where things are going better.
[00:01:40] Writer's block is tough. A lot of authors have suffered from it during the COVID crisis. I've heard them talk about it. But it's one of those things that you got to try to power through. And if you can't power through, then my advice, like I said, is to get those endorphins going and get out exercise and try to get the mind thinking and the body healthy and moving.
Matty: My next guest shares Bob’s belief that sometimes a better understanding of the subject matter can allow a writer to push past writer’s block. Emma G. Rose joined me in Episode 068 - Handling Difficult Topics in YA Fiction. One of Emma’s early career aspirations was to become a kick-ass girl reporter like Nellie Bly, so with that investigative background, it’s not surprising that Emma echoes Bob comment that sometimes what you need to do to break through writer’s block is hit the books.
Emma G Rose
Hi, I'm Emma G. Rose. I'm the author of NOTHING'S EVER LOST, NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE, and the upcoming novel ASSEMBLING ELLA, all YA fantasy novels. In my daytime job, I also write blog posts and other content for companies. Here's what I know about writer's block. It doesn't exist. Writer's block is a fancy name we give to this feeling that I don't know what to write next. It can be a debilitating feeling. As a writer, if you're not putting words on the page, are you even a writer? But the truth is you can overcome writer's block in some pretty simple ways. First is understanding why writer's block, as we call it, exists. You don't know what to write next because, A, you haven't done enough research, usually in nonfiction, or, B, you don't know what happens next in your story or worse you think you do and you're trying to force your story to do something that isn't going to work. So the first problem, super easy to solve.
[00:01:08] Find more sources. Read more about your thing. Think more deeply about it. Write more. Usually, this is a pretty quick process and you can often spot the holes very quickly if you just pick up a book about your subject.
[00:01:22] For fiction, if you're trying to force your story in a direction it doesn't want to go, or that, you know isn't working, then try writing something completely different.
[00:01:32] You can write with the same characters, but put them into a zombie story, put them into a romance, grab a tertiary character that you haven't explored very much and write about them instead. The point is to just keep writing because writer's block becomes an actual block when we let it stop us from putting words on the page.
[00:01:52] The truth is the words that you write when you're having writer's block may not be the best words you've ever written, but you have to get through there to get to that place where the writing really sings. So don't be afraid to write. And just keep writing.
Matty: Emma recommends working on something completely different to help get unblocked … and one of those things you might work on is your website! Let’s hear from Pauline Wiles, an author and website designer who builds simple, stylish sites for authors and writers. Pauline is a three-time guest, joining me for Episode 027 - Why to Stop Blogging and What to Do Instead, Episode 073 - Author Websites, and the first Perspectives On episode, 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding.
Pauline Wiles
Hello, Indy Author friends. I am Pauline Wiles. I am an author turned website designer. So I've had my fair share of writer's block while I was working on my novels. But these days, the type of block I tend to see more often is people feeling very stuck about what to write on your website. So some tips for you on that.
[00:00:24] Firstly, don't assume your website text is final. Even if you're working with a website designer, I really hope that you'll have the ability to make small text changes and edits as things evolve. So that can take the pressure off. Also write way less than you think you need to. Writers can trip up with this.
[00:00:46] The truth is your visitors are busy. People are going to skim. And unless you've got some super fans out there, they're probably not going to want to read every word. So please don't think of your website as the Wikipedia of your writing career. Even your About You page isn't truly about you. It's more about why you love your work and how it benefits your reader.
[00:01:13] So how to achieve some good wording on your About You page is to focus on your passion for what you do. How does it benefit your reader? Why do you love your work and what are some of the good reactions that you see coming in from people that like your work? You can think about the compliments that you've received, good reviews, of course, and even what you would like your legacy to be.
[00:01:39] And then a super easy tip when you're writing throughout your website, count the number of times you used the word I instead of you. When you say I, that means you're thinking too much about yourself and by trying to phrase it in terms of you, then you're putting the emphasis and the benefit on your reader.
[00:01:58] So above all else, have some fun with it. And please take my encouragement to keep editing and keep iterating. Again, I'm Pauline Wiles. If you would like some further website tips, head on across to my website, PaulineWiles.com and download a free website starter kit.
Matty: One thing I love about these Perspectives On episodes is that contributors offer such different insights to the topic, and Pauline combined her perspectives as both an author and a website designer, and her driving principle about the benefits of simplicity, to offer some really valuable advice. I loved Pauline’s advice about counting the number of times you use the word “I” instead of “you” … that’s great advice for a lot of writing—not just for your website.
Next up is another three-time guest: Dale L. Roberts. Dale is a fitness author, video content creator, and self-publishing advocate, and his YouTube Channel, Self-Publishing with Dale, was voted by Feedspot among the Top 100 websites and Top 50 YouTube channels devoted to self-publishing. Dale joined me in Episode 034 - Connecting through Video, Episode 044 - Using Aggregators versus Going Direct, and Episode 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding. As with other guests, Dale Roberts also finds that switching your attention to something completely different helps him overcome writer’s block.
Dale Roberts
This is my thoughts on writer's block. Thanks by the way, Matty, I appreciate you including me in on this. So what are my thoughts on writer's block? You've got some people that lie over in the camp of that, Oh, it's completely factual. And some people say, Oh, it's all just in your head. But if we were to dig out the ever-reliable dictionary, you'll see that the actual definition of writer's block is a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece.
[00:00:32] When some people are quick to discredit those that don't have writer's block, they don't understand, you got to walk a mile in their shoes. There's so many things that could create some type of inhibition, your inability to actually write. So it's trying to uncover that reason or play to the strengths. What it comes down to typically when someone sits down to write something and they haven't really fleshed out anything, if they're finding that they're stuck, they're like, I don't know where to go, my best suggestion would be to just stop what you're doing, because it's almost like trying to ram a square peg in a round hole. You're not going to be very successful. So you're just going to need to take a step back.
[00:01:22] And this is something that I do is I will write something completely unrelated. It could probably be a story from my childhood, it could probably be a recipe. Anything that can grease the creative wheels is going to be what's going to help you move forward.
[00:01:42] I know that this particular way of doing things works for me. It may not work for you, but it's definitely worth a shot if you're finding that writer's block is stopping you from what you're supposed to be doing, which is writing. So my thought is sit down, write anything. It doesn't matter what it is. Maybe write a letter to somebody.Who knows? Just take your time and really try to get it to where you feel comfortable in front of the keyboard.
[00:02:08] Now, my next tip would be when you're writing, and this especially applies to first draft, you have to put your inner editor on a shelf. That inner editor is fired. You just tell them, No, you're out of here, you're laid off. I will let you know when we're ready for you. And this is where you're just going to have to let it fire off. Because I think a lot of times people get writer's block, they will get stuck on the same paragraph. They type it out, they go back and they read it and they go, Oh, that wasn't good. And they erase the whole thing. And then they just rinse and repeat this process. So of course they're going to be forever stuck on that single paragraph because they're allowing their inner editor, that critic inside them, to stop the creative process.
[00:02:55] The most important thing for you to do when you're writing is be creative. Allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes too, because you can get all that sorted out when you go through the editing.
Matty: Dale also reflects the theme that when you are stuck in a particular project, switch your attention to another piece of writing work. I also really appreciated Dale’s comments about the importance of sending your inner editor away.
Whereas Dale recommends setting aside that author hat in order to overcome writer’s block, M.K. Williams suggests the benefits of swapping to a different hat. M.K. Williams is the author of the sci-fi novels NAILBITERS and THE INFINITE-INFINITE, and ENEMIES OF PEACE. Her non-fiction work includes writing and self-publishing guides, a budgeting and planning workbook, and THE FIOLOGY WORKBOOK: YOUR GUIDE TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. MK joined me for Episode 071 - The Provider Side of Author Services. Let’s hear what she has to say about writer’s block.
M.K. Williams
Hi guys. It's MK Williams here from AUTHOR YOUR AMBITION. I'm so excited to share with you my number one tip for dealing with writer's block. And honestly, it's not going to help you overcome writer's block, but at least you'll be a bit more productive. So for me, I never really get blocked with my creativity.
[00:00:15] There's some days where I just don't want to write, or I just feel like I'm not getting enough done, right? Like the idea of writing a book or writing this chapter, even writing X many words per day, it can just seem really daunting. And I like to cross a lot of things off my to-do list. So if I feel like I haven't been getting things crossed off my to-do list, that's usually when my block sets in.
[00:00:35] So what I'll do is I'll take that time that I've allotted for writing, and I'll do something else productive with it. As independent authors, we have a lot of work to be doing, to market, edit, maintain our backlist, try and get the book out there in so many ways. So I will use that time instead to work on other book work, as far as marketing, connecting with other authors, trying to line up reviews, et cetera.
[00:00:55] So that is my suggestion for you. If you are dealing with writer's block right now is do some other bookwork, so other items related to getting your book out there, because then you'll still feel productive, it's actually good for the book in the long run, and then hopefully that'll inspire you to be like, Hey, I need to get this book done now.
Matty: M.K.’s comments about focusing on the business side of your writing business is a great lead-in to these comments from Wade Walton. Wade is a television producer, photographer, writer, musician, and motivational trainer, and he joined me for Episode 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding and also appeared way back on Episode 002 – Creativity Tips.
Wade Walton
Hi there. It's Wade Walton, and I love this topic of writer's block. My gut reaction when Matty sent the question was what I've always said. Writer's block? No such thing. And that was going to initially be my response. I had a whole rant planned about how I felt that waiting for the muse to speak to me was a pretty loose approach to creativity.
[00:00:21] And then I thought about it for a little while. And in fact, this video gave me a chance to contemplate some of the causes of what people think of as writer's block, because it took me a very long time to think of what to say here and be relevant and useful.
[00:00:35] So is writer's block fact or fantasy? I think it's very real for some people. And even my initial inability to get clear about which message to send here could be thought of as being blocked. So I spent quite a bit of time sorting all that out. Then once I was clear on a few messages, I took more time trying to hone them into something that is hopefully watchable and useful.
[00:00:59] For me being blocked tends to be less about having nothing to say, do, or write, but of having too much. So if I have a million thoughts swirling, a thousand tasks in a given day, how do I focus? And so this little description of this discussion right here is a great example of how I've sometimes gotten in my own way creatively. So does writer's block exist? I think it depends how you define it.
[00:01:24] What gets you through this? Is it inspiration or willpower? I think it's my own accountability to do or not do, and I'm letting myself off the hook if I assign the blame to a muse or a higher power or wait around for inspiration or to blame anything other than my own procrastination or inability to focus. I never want to give that power away to a third party.
[00:01:50] Now I've been fortunate to enjoy a career where I get paid to tell stories. I'm a video producer and director, a commercial writer, a photographer, a musician. It's a lot of fun. It's also very deadline driven. What that means is if I don't write, I won't be employed very long. Nothing focuses the mind and gets the words and visuals flowing like a good career threatening deadline. And if nothing else works, I certainly make sure to hit my delivery date. That's not only because I like getting paid. It's also because my customers depend on me. I have an obligation to my audience, and I take that really seriously. I'm grateful to have an audience and that's motivating for me. So tips and tricks.
[00:02:39] Number one, get to work. I talked earlier about overwhelm in my own work, and I think we've all experienced some of that this past year in our lives and work. When there's so much to do, and you don't know where to start, start anywhere. Putting in the time and getting content on the page, that's rarely wasted work. Early drafts for me, I've found, have always given me clarity and a better end result. And the ideas that sometimes I scrap early on, they seem to always find their way back into other things. So I feed creativity and stop blocking by just getting on with it.
[00:03:20] Second tip, get motivated. Find what works for you. What motivates you? Is it reward? Stress? Happiness? Chocolate? It's important to understand what rewards a job well done, and it's different for everyone. My creative work tends to be deadline-driven and I'm happiest when I have a goal that I can work towards in an orderly fashion. I hate chaos. So I know I work best when the project can unfold in an orderly way. So pre-planning is super important to me in getting me motivated, getting me unblocked, and creating productively.
[00:03:56] I need recess. Building in time between creative sprints allows my mind to clear so that I can be productive again. I never could pull all-nighters or all-dayers either. And that break time means I can actually create more quickly, with higher quality.
[00:04:13] And that brings me to my third tip. Give yourself a break. Dale Cooper was the fictional FBI agent on the TV show Twin Peaks in the 1990s. Even though Dale was fiction, he had some great and very real advice for his partner. He said, Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt in a men's store, a cat nap in your office chair, or two cups of good hot black coffee.
[00:04:50] So what are those gifts you can give yourself to get unblocked, to inspire creativity, to be accountable and keep that creative power for yourself? For me, blocking becomes less of a factor when I recall, how I personally overcame procrastination and overwhelm so that I can get to work.
Matty: I couldn’t resist following Wade’s comments about advice from a fictional FBI agent with advice from an actual FBI agent. Jerri Williams served for 26 years as a special agent in the FBI, working major economic fraud investigations. Her novels PAY TO PLAY and GREEDY GIVERS were inspired by actual FBI cases, and she is the producer and host of the true crime podcast FBI RETIRED CASE FILES REVIEW. Jerri joined me for Episode 051 - Podcasting as Content Marketing and Episode 067 - Mistakes Writers Make about the FBI and How to Avoid Them. Let’s hear from Jerri.
Jerri Williams
Hi Matty. Hi listeners of The Indy Author Podcast. I have a lot to say about writer's block. I'm Jerri Williams, retired special agent and author of FBI crime fiction and nonfiction. You can learn more about me at JerriWilliams.com. So whenever I hear the term writer's block, I get a little sad because I recall being at a major writer’s conference in New York, where one of the attendees asked a panel of best-selling authors.
[00:00:34] How do you deal with writer's block? With a condescending tone, every one of the panel members, one by one, told her there was no such thing. Their message was, if you're a professional, you just write. A truck driver doesn't get driver's block. A teacher doesn't get teacher's block. A chef doesn't get cooking block.
[00:00:58] They just do their job. She was humiliated. And the saddest part was that she started crying because she knew what she was feeling was real, the same feelings that most of the audience was experiencing were dismissed. Those authors up there on the panel had forgotten about the fear and the anxiety that's often present for new authors.
[00:01:22] Hold up, let me be transparent. I'm writing my fifth book right now and I still get those feelings. Fear and anxiety is exactly what causes writer's block. Come on, you know what I mean. Writer's block is allowing distractions from your personal life or your job to stop you from making time to write.
[00:01:45] Writer's block is when you finally do sit down to write, you keep second guessing your work so that you revise and edit the same words and the same pages over and over again, never actually finishing a project. Writer's block is what author Steven Pressfield calls resistance. And guess what? I bet those best=selling authors experienced it themselves when they wrote their first, or second, or third novel.
[00:02:14] So the next time someone tells you to pull up your big boy or big girl pants and just get to it, remember what you're feeling is real. Something is blocking you from writing, and it's self-doubt. But things will get better as you gain confidence in your writing and storytelling abilities. But in the meantime, to conquer self-doubt, fear, and anxiety, you have to face it head on. Write this down and post it where you can see it: If you weren't afraid, what would you write today? That's my perspective. Happy writing.
Matty: Jerri mention’s Steven Pressfield’s concept of resistance, and we’re going to hear about that again in our next perspective. Jerry also points to self-doubt as the driver of writer’s block. I believe that that is true for so many creators, so I’d like to end with the perspective of Jeff Elkins. Jeff, who is a novelist, ghostwriter, and editor with more than 10 novels on the market, joined me in Episode 048 - Building Great Protagonist and Antagonist Voices. When he’s not working on his own books or the books of his clients, he leads the writing team for a company that simulates difficult conversations for professionals to practice. He also helps authors improve their dialogue in order to engage readers more fully through his excellent podcast The Dialogue Doctor.
Jeff Elkins
Hey, Matty. Writer's block. Oh, I'm Jeff Elkins the Dialogue Doctor from DialogueDoctor.com. Writer's block is something I struggle with a lot and it's a weird thing. I think when I see it in the movies, it's like somebody staring at a blank computer screen and they'll type a sentence and then erase a sentence, type a sentence and erase a sentence.
[00:00:22] That's not how it looks for me. Because writer's block keeps me from ever actually sitting down to write. So for me, what writer's block looks like is that I'm going to wander around my living roomdoing other things instead of writing. Or I'm going to sit down at the computer and I'm going to sigh and then open Facebook instead of writing. Or I'm going tofill my evening ... I'm going to think about writing all day, and then when I get to my writing time, instead of writing I'll fill my evening with other stuff. Yeah, I think that's what writer's block is for me.
[00:00:59] And for me, writer's block is 100% emotional. It's not about a lack of ideas. I've never struggled for a lack of ideas. It's not about an inability to write the scene because I know that if I just start writing, the scene will appear. It may be crap, but I'll get some words out. It's fear-based and it's emotion-based for me.
[00:01:29] Anda lot of times that emotion takes different forms. Sometimes what I'm afraid of is failure. AndI struggle with a ton of self-doubt. So I know, especially around the middle of a book, so I've written 12 books andI'll get to the middle, almost every time, and that little voice in the back of my head will be like, This is crap, nobody's going to read it. This is crap, nobody's going to read it. Just in the back of my mind, and that creates writer's block. Because I'll start believing that thought and I'll get discouraged. And writing is hard enough already, especially when you have a full-time jobor a family or other things that are calling your responsibilities, forcing yourself to sit and create is difficult.
[00:02:20] So for meit's that voice that creates writer's block. Or sometimes it's because the scene I'm writing, I'm really afraid of. In a book I'm working on right now, I was about to write a scene that involved some aspects of sexual assault, and it was emotional and painful and thinking about it made me sad. And so I just didn't want to do that. And so I felt blocked because I couldn't get the motivation to write. I couldn't rally to sit down and do it.
[00:02:54] And so for that instance, there's this little voice in my head that's, You're not good enough to do this or this isn't going to come out right. Or people aren't going to like it, or people are going to close the book. So rather than it being about the whole work and about self doubt of no one's going to read this and this is crap, it's more about me not being enough to actually pull the scene off in a way that's going to make it go.
[00:03:21] And all of that stuff, blocks me, in that it keeps me from sitting down to do the thing. Or as Steven Pressfield wrote in The War of Art, it increases resistance's hold on me. And so then I can't sit down to do it. I feel like I can't sit down and do it.
[00:03:44] So the way that I've worked out to do that, I've actually stolen some tools from a form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches that our thoughts and feelings and actions are all connected. So my inability to write, my writer's block, is connected to the thoughts that I'm having and the feelings those thoughts are creating. So for me, it's about catching that thought, that first thought, and challenging that thought or pushing against that thought with another thought. We're trying to counterbalance that thought
[00:04:16] So I'll get the thought of, Nobody's going to read this. This is crap. Nobody's going to read it. And I'll challenge that thought with, Well, you don't know that. Or I'll challenge that thought of, They're definitely not going to read it if you don't write it. Or I'll challenge that thought with the challenge of, Right now at this moment, the goal is not to publish. The goal is to finish. So I'll reframe the question for myself. What's the goal right now?
[00:04:51] All of that stuff helps me move past the emotions I'm having, the things that are keeping me from writing, into actually doing the work. Or if it's about the scene itself, that I'm not enough to accomplish that scene or the scene isn't going to come out how it's supposed to come out, or this is a difficult scene and I just don't want to deal with it right now, I'll take that thought and I'll just say in a very Elizabeth Gilbert, pushing towardsher understandings of creativity, Hey, this scene came to you and you writing it is a privilege. So even if you're not good enough, give it a shot. The scene came to you, so you need to at least try. Honor the scene, honor the muse, if you want to use Elizabeth Gilbert'slanguage and grab that scene and do your best with it. It's not going to be perfect. It's not going to be like it is in your head.
[00:05:49] Or sometimes I'll use the phrase, I don't know how to do that and it's not going to be good enough. And then the answer I'll use is, It's not going to be perfect, but it's just got to be the best it can be.
[00:06:04] And using those kinds of counter thinking help me battle the emotions I'm feeling and then help me make different choices with my actions. So instead of wandering around the living room, I'll say, Okay, now I'm going to sit down.
[00:06:16] A lot of times, a little help too, is countering those thoughts with a why. So I'll have the thought that creates writer's block that's, No one's going to buy this. This is going to suck. And then my why for writing this is to create a different future for my kids. And so I'll be like, But if I don't move forward,the financial future I want for my children isn't coming.
[00:06:39] So I can sit here in writer's block, but it's not going to accomplish the purpose for me writing. And again, that's like catching that thought and recognizing that I'm having that thought and that that thought is creating feelings in me that are bringing about that writer's block and then manipulating that thought, challenging that thought, pushing back against that thought with something that's going to motivate me and encourage me to sit down and write and create different actions, different behaviors.
[00:07:09] I don't know if to helpful anybody else, it might be a little toopsycho orientedpsycho oriented, psychosomatic. I don't know what word I'm looking for there. But the goal for me is to recognize the thought or the feeling that's creating that writer's block and then take that thought or feeling on so I can then choose not to be blocked and choose to move forward to do something else. I hope that helps. Hi, and thanks for the opportunity.
Matty: I love’s Jeff’s perspective am so appreciative of him being so open about his own writer’s block. I especially loved the idea of pushing against the negative thoughts that are keeping you from writing with positive thoughts—pushing against “no one is going to read this” with “for sure no one’s going to read it if I don’t write it”—and reframing the goal—“the goal right now is not to publish, it’s to finish.”
I also love how Jeff doesn’t ignore the practical implications of writer’s block. Just as Wade Walton talked about how “nothing focuses the mind and gets the words and visuals flowing like a good career threatening deadline,” Jeff is motivated to conquer writer’s block because of his goal of creating the future he wants for his children.
Matty: I’d like to close out the episode with a perspective from Julie Duffy. Julie joined me for Episode 017 – Story A Day, and she’s not only leads her community of writers at StoryADay, which you can find at storyaday.org, but is also a sought-after guest speaker on topics related to creativity, productivity and community, and I think you’ll see why.
Julie Duffy
Hi, it's Julie from StoryADay, and here's what I think about writer's block. Is it real? Depends how you define it. I get a little irritated with people who say things like, it's not real. Nobody gets plumber's block, nobody gets bricklayer's block. They just go out and do their job. Why don't you just go out and do your job? Just get over yourself. Now, as writers, sometimes we do need a little bit of tough love. Sometimes we do just need to stick our butts in the chair and do the work, you know, write a hundred words, write 50 words, write 750 words. See if you can get the flow going.
[00:00:37] But that whole nobody gets bricklayer's blocked irritates me because maybe if the bricklayer had to go out and find the clay and then build an oven and bake the bricks and then draw up the architectural plans and then build the house with no guarantee that anyone was ever going to pay them for that house, in fact, they may have to do all of that and build seven houses before anyone ever paid them for the seventh house, and they wouldn't even pay them nearly what the value of the seventh house is when you take into account the actual labor on that house, never mind the six that came before it, if that was what we were talking about, then I would say, sure, nobody gets bricklayer's block. Nobody gets writer's block. You should just go do your writing.
[00:01:21] What we do is so huge and so courageous and so vulnerable that of course sometimes we get overwhelmed with fear. What if it doesn't work? What if I'm no good? We get overwhelmed with, well, I've written a thing, but maybe it's not really good enough. Maybe I'm an imposter. We get overwhelmed with, well, I published one book, but you know what, if the second one, what if that was a flash in the pan? Well, I published eight books. What if those are flashes in the pan? Am I going to be able to do it again? Maybe it's easier just to go and teach for another semester or be an accountant for one more tax season.
[00:02:04] And then at the end of the day, you're tired and the fear and the uncertainty is going to make you resistant to going and finding the clay and building the oven and baking the bricks and drawing up the plans and building the house and doing any of that work. It can feel overwhelming. So, yeah. I think writer's block exists.
[00:02:31] I think it's not because we're special. It's because anybody faced with a challenge like the one we were attempting to take on needs to break it down into the constituent steps and they need to be realistic about what those steps contain. How much energy each of those steps takes, how much time each of those steps takes.
[00:02:54] If you don't have writers in your life, when you say to people, I'm writing, they think you're just sitting down at the desk and putting words on the page. And we know there's so much more to it than that. There's coming up with the story world. Creating compelling characters, shaping the story, whether it's a short story or a novel, there's an internal structure that we have to learn to dissect. And it's hidden from most people. Even people who read a lot, they don't see everything that goes into making a workable story that connects and resonates emotionally.
[00:03:32] Then you have to learn the business of publishing. Then revising, you have to teach yourself to let the first draft be whatever the first draft is, even when it's not good.
[00:03:42] There's a lot of mind set work to allow yourself to be vulnerable, both in doing work that might be imperfect and needs to be improved and in putting it out into the world. There's the whole public side of writing, if you ever want to get there.
[00:04:01] So writer's block is a whole universe of, this is a hard job, and nobody's probably paying you for it yet, so it's easy to walk away. Who do you think you are? It's all the voices in your head from your past questioning and doubting.
[00:04:20] But you know that writing makes you happy. Not all the time, not every minute of it, but creating is part of who you are. So facing the challenges of writing and breaking them all down into little steps and practicing so that you understand how long it step is going to take and how much energy it's going to take and being patient with yourself and getting support from other writers. These are things that will help you combat the symptoms that look like writer's block.
[00:04:57] In my experience, working with writers for a couple of decades, running the StoryADay May Challenge, this is the 12th year, I've worked with a lot of people who've gone from not writing to writing a lot, to having a great writing practice that they love. And some of them publish and some of them don't and some of them have good days and bad days and good seasons and bad seasons. And understanding that and being patient with yourself and not thinking there's anything wrong with you, because it's not always easy is I think the first step to conquering, not conquering, the first step to dealing with all of the symptoms of this thing we call writer's block and just having a sense of humor about it and remembering that what we're trying to do is really difficult. And if you could find other people who understand it, other writers who can sympathize and commiserate with you, but not too much, and then be able to, at some point, roll their eyes and say, come on, just start laying some bricks. That's I think the only way I've found to deal with this thing we call writer's block.
Matty: Julie beautifully summarized all the reasons why it’s so easy to experience writer’s block, and Jeff encapsulated what I think were the overarching themes of my guests’ perspectives: the importance of recognizing the thought or the feeling that's creating that writer's block and then taking action. That action may focus on getting unblocked so you can continue with the work at hand, like Robert Dugoni getting outside and getting those endorphins going, Wade Walton giving himself a gift that will motivate him, or Jerri Williams acknowledging the self-doubt but moving ahead nevertheless. Or that action might be choosing to move forward with another task, at least temporarily, as Emma G. Rose, Dale Roberts, and M.K. Williams do. And maybe that other task is paring down your website verbiage, as Pauline Wiles suggests.
My guests mentioned a couple of great resources for combating writer’s block: Steven Pressfield’s THE WAR OF ART and Elizabeth Gilbert’s BIG MAGIC, and I’ll include links to those in the show notes.
Finally, be kind to yourself. Extend the same generosity of spirit to yourself when you’re struggling to find words as you would to another struggling writer. Maybe that means giving yourself permission for recess, as Wade Walton suggests—go outside and play a while—or have some fun with Julie’s bricklayer metaphor and play with some clay.
Many thanks to all the guests who shared so generously of their own experience and hard-won knowledge: Robert Dugoni, Emma G. Rose, Pauline Wiles, Dale L. Roberts, M.K. Williams, Wade Walton, Jerri Williams, Jeff Elkins, and Julie Duffy.
I would love to hear your thoughts on writer’s block—what resonated with you in the advice my guests shared? What has and hasn’t worked for you? What other resources, like THE WAR OF ART and BIG MAGIC have helped you through a block? Please cruise on over to theindyauthor.com/Podcast and click on Episode 082 to leave a comment and let me know. And if you found my guests’ perspectives helpful, I hope you’ll bookmark this episode and return to it for inspiration.
[00:01:00] The other thing I'll share is the best writing advice I'd probably received in a long time, and that was from my buddy author, Mike Lawson. And Mike said that he never has a bad day writing because if he gets to a place where he just doesn't know for sure where the story's going, but he knows where he wants the story to be at a certain point, so for instance, maybe the climax or how it's going to end, he writes the chapters that day that he knows are going to be in the book or he expects to be in the book. And then what happens is that gets the mind going, that gets the thought processes going, and he can go back, and he can fill in the blanks on days where things are going better.
[00:01:40] Writer's block is tough. A lot of authors have suffered from it during the COVID crisis. I've heard them talk about it. But it's one of those things that you got to try to power through. And if you can't power through, then my advice, like I said, is to get those endorphins going and get out exercise and try to get the mind thinking and the body healthy and moving.
Matty: My next guest shares Bob’s belief that sometimes a better understanding of the subject matter can allow a writer to push past writer’s block. Emma G. Rose joined me in Episode 068 - Handling Difficult Topics in YA Fiction. One of Emma’s early career aspirations was to become a kick-ass girl reporter like Nellie Bly, so with that investigative background, it’s not surprising that Emma echoes Bob comment that sometimes what you need to do to break through writer’s block is hit the books.
Emma G Rose
Hi, I'm Emma G. Rose. I'm the author of NOTHING'S EVER LOST, NEAR LIFE EXPERIENCE, and the upcoming novel ASSEMBLING ELLA, all YA fantasy novels. In my daytime job, I also write blog posts and other content for companies. Here's what I know about writer's block. It doesn't exist. Writer's block is a fancy name we give to this feeling that I don't know what to write next. It can be a debilitating feeling. As a writer, if you're not putting words on the page, are you even a writer? But the truth is you can overcome writer's block in some pretty simple ways. First is understanding why writer's block, as we call it, exists. You don't know what to write next because, A, you haven't done enough research, usually in nonfiction, or, B, you don't know what happens next in your story or worse you think you do and you're trying to force your story to do something that isn't going to work. So the first problem, super easy to solve.
[00:01:08] Find more sources. Read more about your thing. Think more deeply about it. Write more. Usually, this is a pretty quick process and you can often spot the holes very quickly if you just pick up a book about your subject.
[00:01:22] For fiction, if you're trying to force your story in a direction it doesn't want to go, or that, you know isn't working, then try writing something completely different.
[00:01:32] You can write with the same characters, but put them into a zombie story, put them into a romance, grab a tertiary character that you haven't explored very much and write about them instead. The point is to just keep writing because writer's block becomes an actual block when we let it stop us from putting words on the page.
[00:01:52] The truth is the words that you write when you're having writer's block may not be the best words you've ever written, but you have to get through there to get to that place where the writing really sings. So don't be afraid to write. And just keep writing.
Matty: Emma recommends working on something completely different to help get unblocked … and one of those things you might work on is your website! Let’s hear from Pauline Wiles, an author and website designer who builds simple, stylish sites for authors and writers. Pauline is a three-time guest, joining me for Episode 027 - Why to Stop Blogging and What to Do Instead, Episode 073 - Author Websites, and the first Perspectives On episode, 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding.
Pauline Wiles
Hello, Indy Author friends. I am Pauline Wiles. I am an author turned website designer. So I've had my fair share of writer's block while I was working on my novels. But these days, the type of block I tend to see more often is people feeling very stuck about what to write on your website. So some tips for you on that.
[00:00:24] Firstly, don't assume your website text is final. Even if you're working with a website designer, I really hope that you'll have the ability to make small text changes and edits as things evolve. So that can take the pressure off. Also write way less than you think you need to. Writers can trip up with this.
[00:00:46] The truth is your visitors are busy. People are going to skim. And unless you've got some super fans out there, they're probably not going to want to read every word. So please don't think of your website as the Wikipedia of your writing career. Even your About You page isn't truly about you. It's more about why you love your work and how it benefits your reader.
[00:01:13] So how to achieve some good wording on your About You page is to focus on your passion for what you do. How does it benefit your reader? Why do you love your work and what are some of the good reactions that you see coming in from people that like your work? You can think about the compliments that you've received, good reviews, of course, and even what you would like your legacy to be.
[00:01:39] And then a super easy tip when you're writing throughout your website, count the number of times you used the word I instead of you. When you say I, that means you're thinking too much about yourself and by trying to phrase it in terms of you, then you're putting the emphasis and the benefit on your reader.
[00:01:58] So above all else, have some fun with it. And please take my encouragement to keep editing and keep iterating. Again, I'm Pauline Wiles. If you would like some further website tips, head on across to my website, PaulineWiles.com and download a free website starter kit.
Matty: One thing I love about these Perspectives On episodes is that contributors offer such different insights to the topic, and Pauline combined her perspectives as both an author and a website designer, and her driving principle about the benefits of simplicity, to offer some really valuable advice. I loved Pauline’s advice about counting the number of times you use the word “I” instead of “you” … that’s great advice for a lot of writing—not just for your website.
Next up is another three-time guest: Dale L. Roberts. Dale is a fitness author, video content creator, and self-publishing advocate, and his YouTube Channel, Self-Publishing with Dale, was voted by Feedspot among the Top 100 websites and Top 50 YouTube channels devoted to self-publishing. Dale joined me in Episode 034 - Connecting through Video, Episode 044 - Using Aggregators versus Going Direct, and Episode 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding. As with other guests, Dale Roberts also finds that switching your attention to something completely different helps him overcome writer’s block.
Dale Roberts
This is my thoughts on writer's block. Thanks by the way, Matty, I appreciate you including me in on this. So what are my thoughts on writer's block? You've got some people that lie over in the camp of that, Oh, it's completely factual. And some people say, Oh, it's all just in your head. But if we were to dig out the ever-reliable dictionary, you'll see that the actual definition of writer's block is a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece.
[00:00:32] When some people are quick to discredit those that don't have writer's block, they don't understand, you got to walk a mile in their shoes. There's so many things that could create some type of inhibition, your inability to actually write. So it's trying to uncover that reason or play to the strengths. What it comes down to typically when someone sits down to write something and they haven't really fleshed out anything, if they're finding that they're stuck, they're like, I don't know where to go, my best suggestion would be to just stop what you're doing, because it's almost like trying to ram a square peg in a round hole. You're not going to be very successful. So you're just going to need to take a step back.
[00:01:22] And this is something that I do is I will write something completely unrelated. It could probably be a story from my childhood, it could probably be a recipe. Anything that can grease the creative wheels is going to be what's going to help you move forward.
[00:01:42] I know that this particular way of doing things works for me. It may not work for you, but it's definitely worth a shot if you're finding that writer's block is stopping you from what you're supposed to be doing, which is writing. So my thought is sit down, write anything. It doesn't matter what it is. Maybe write a letter to somebody.Who knows? Just take your time and really try to get it to where you feel comfortable in front of the keyboard.
[00:02:08] Now, my next tip would be when you're writing, and this especially applies to first draft, you have to put your inner editor on a shelf. That inner editor is fired. You just tell them, No, you're out of here, you're laid off. I will let you know when we're ready for you. And this is where you're just going to have to let it fire off. Because I think a lot of times people get writer's block, they will get stuck on the same paragraph. They type it out, they go back and they read it and they go, Oh, that wasn't good. And they erase the whole thing. And then they just rinse and repeat this process. So of course they're going to be forever stuck on that single paragraph because they're allowing their inner editor, that critic inside them, to stop the creative process.
[00:02:55] The most important thing for you to do when you're writing is be creative. Allow yourself the freedom to make mistakes too, because you can get all that sorted out when you go through the editing.
Matty: Dale also reflects the theme that when you are stuck in a particular project, switch your attention to another piece of writing work. I also really appreciated Dale’s comments about the importance of sending your inner editor away.
Whereas Dale recommends setting aside that author hat in order to overcome writer’s block, M.K. Williams suggests the benefits of swapping to a different hat. M.K. Williams is the author of the sci-fi novels NAILBITERS and THE INFINITE-INFINITE, and ENEMIES OF PEACE. Her non-fiction work includes writing and self-publishing guides, a budgeting and planning workbook, and THE FIOLOGY WORKBOOK: YOUR GUIDE TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE. MK joined me for Episode 071 - The Provider Side of Author Services. Let’s hear what she has to say about writer’s block.
M.K. Williams
Hi guys. It's MK Williams here from AUTHOR YOUR AMBITION. I'm so excited to share with you my number one tip for dealing with writer's block. And honestly, it's not going to help you overcome writer's block, but at least you'll be a bit more productive. So for me, I never really get blocked with my creativity.
[00:00:15] There's some days where I just don't want to write, or I just feel like I'm not getting enough done, right? Like the idea of writing a book or writing this chapter, even writing X many words per day, it can just seem really daunting. And I like to cross a lot of things off my to-do list. So if I feel like I haven't been getting things crossed off my to-do list, that's usually when my block sets in.
[00:00:35] So what I'll do is I'll take that time that I've allotted for writing, and I'll do something else productive with it. As independent authors, we have a lot of work to be doing, to market, edit, maintain our backlist, try and get the book out there in so many ways. So I will use that time instead to work on other book work, as far as marketing, connecting with other authors, trying to line up reviews, et cetera.
[00:00:55] So that is my suggestion for you. If you are dealing with writer's block right now is do some other bookwork, so other items related to getting your book out there, because then you'll still feel productive, it's actually good for the book in the long run, and then hopefully that'll inspire you to be like, Hey, I need to get this book done now.
Matty: M.K.’s comments about focusing on the business side of your writing business is a great lead-in to these comments from Wade Walton. Wade is a television producer, photographer, writer, musician, and motivational trainer, and he joined me for Episode 074 - Perspectives on Personal Branding and also appeared way back on Episode 002 – Creativity Tips.
Wade Walton
Hi there. It's Wade Walton, and I love this topic of writer's block. My gut reaction when Matty sent the question was what I've always said. Writer's block? No such thing. And that was going to initially be my response. I had a whole rant planned about how I felt that waiting for the muse to speak to me was a pretty loose approach to creativity.
[00:00:21] And then I thought about it for a little while. And in fact, this video gave me a chance to contemplate some of the causes of what people think of as writer's block, because it took me a very long time to think of what to say here and be relevant and useful.
[00:00:35] So is writer's block fact or fantasy? I think it's very real for some people. And even my initial inability to get clear about which message to send here could be thought of as being blocked. So I spent quite a bit of time sorting all that out. Then once I was clear on a few messages, I took more time trying to hone them into something that is hopefully watchable and useful.
[00:00:59] For me being blocked tends to be less about having nothing to say, do, or write, but of having too much. So if I have a million thoughts swirling, a thousand tasks in a given day, how do I focus? And so this little description of this discussion right here is a great example of how I've sometimes gotten in my own way creatively. So does writer's block exist? I think it depends how you define it.
[00:01:24] What gets you through this? Is it inspiration or willpower? I think it's my own accountability to do or not do, and I'm letting myself off the hook if I assign the blame to a muse or a higher power or wait around for inspiration or to blame anything other than my own procrastination or inability to focus. I never want to give that power away to a third party.
[00:01:50] Now I've been fortunate to enjoy a career where I get paid to tell stories. I'm a video producer and director, a commercial writer, a photographer, a musician. It's a lot of fun. It's also very deadline driven. What that means is if I don't write, I won't be employed very long. Nothing focuses the mind and gets the words and visuals flowing like a good career threatening deadline. And if nothing else works, I certainly make sure to hit my delivery date. That's not only because I like getting paid. It's also because my customers depend on me. I have an obligation to my audience, and I take that really seriously. I'm grateful to have an audience and that's motivating for me. So tips and tricks.
[00:02:39] Number one, get to work. I talked earlier about overwhelm in my own work, and I think we've all experienced some of that this past year in our lives and work. When there's so much to do, and you don't know where to start, start anywhere. Putting in the time and getting content on the page, that's rarely wasted work. Early drafts for me, I've found, have always given me clarity and a better end result. And the ideas that sometimes I scrap early on, they seem to always find their way back into other things. So I feed creativity and stop blocking by just getting on with it.
[00:03:20] Second tip, get motivated. Find what works for you. What motivates you? Is it reward? Stress? Happiness? Chocolate? It's important to understand what rewards a job well done, and it's different for everyone. My creative work tends to be deadline-driven and I'm happiest when I have a goal that I can work towards in an orderly fashion. I hate chaos. So I know I work best when the project can unfold in an orderly way. So pre-planning is super important to me in getting me motivated, getting me unblocked, and creating productively.
[00:03:56] I need recess. Building in time between creative sprints allows my mind to clear so that I can be productive again. I never could pull all-nighters or all-dayers either. And that break time means I can actually create more quickly, with higher quality.
[00:04:13] And that brings me to my third tip. Give yourself a break. Dale Cooper was the fictional FBI agent on the TV show Twin Peaks in the 1990s. Even though Dale was fiction, he had some great and very real advice for his partner. He said, Harry, I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Every day, once a day, give yourself a present. Don't plan it. Don't wait for it. Just let it happen. It could be a new shirt in a men's store, a cat nap in your office chair, or two cups of good hot black coffee.
[00:04:50] So what are those gifts you can give yourself to get unblocked, to inspire creativity, to be accountable and keep that creative power for yourself? For me, blocking becomes less of a factor when I recall, how I personally overcame procrastination and overwhelm so that I can get to work.
Matty: I couldn’t resist following Wade’s comments about advice from a fictional FBI agent with advice from an actual FBI agent. Jerri Williams served for 26 years as a special agent in the FBI, working major economic fraud investigations. Her novels PAY TO PLAY and GREEDY GIVERS were inspired by actual FBI cases, and she is the producer and host of the true crime podcast FBI RETIRED CASE FILES REVIEW. Jerri joined me for Episode 051 - Podcasting as Content Marketing and Episode 067 - Mistakes Writers Make about the FBI and How to Avoid Them. Let’s hear from Jerri.
Jerri Williams
Hi Matty. Hi listeners of The Indy Author Podcast. I have a lot to say about writer's block. I'm Jerri Williams, retired special agent and author of FBI crime fiction and nonfiction. You can learn more about me at JerriWilliams.com. So whenever I hear the term writer's block, I get a little sad because I recall being at a major writer’s conference in New York, where one of the attendees asked a panel of best-selling authors.
[00:00:34] How do you deal with writer's block? With a condescending tone, every one of the panel members, one by one, told her there was no such thing. Their message was, if you're a professional, you just write. A truck driver doesn't get driver's block. A teacher doesn't get teacher's block. A chef doesn't get cooking block.
[00:00:58] They just do their job. She was humiliated. And the saddest part was that she started crying because she knew what she was feeling was real, the same feelings that most of the audience was experiencing were dismissed. Those authors up there on the panel had forgotten about the fear and the anxiety that's often present for new authors.
[00:01:22] Hold up, let me be transparent. I'm writing my fifth book right now and I still get those feelings. Fear and anxiety is exactly what causes writer's block. Come on, you know what I mean. Writer's block is allowing distractions from your personal life or your job to stop you from making time to write.
[00:01:45] Writer's block is when you finally do sit down to write, you keep second guessing your work so that you revise and edit the same words and the same pages over and over again, never actually finishing a project. Writer's block is what author Steven Pressfield calls resistance. And guess what? I bet those best=selling authors experienced it themselves when they wrote their first, or second, or third novel.
[00:02:14] So the next time someone tells you to pull up your big boy or big girl pants and just get to it, remember what you're feeling is real. Something is blocking you from writing, and it's self-doubt. But things will get better as you gain confidence in your writing and storytelling abilities. But in the meantime, to conquer self-doubt, fear, and anxiety, you have to face it head on. Write this down and post it where you can see it: If you weren't afraid, what would you write today? That's my perspective. Happy writing.
Matty: Jerri mention’s Steven Pressfield’s concept of resistance, and we’re going to hear about that again in our next perspective. Jerry also points to self-doubt as the driver of writer’s block. I believe that that is true for so many creators, so I’d like to end with the perspective of Jeff Elkins. Jeff, who is a novelist, ghostwriter, and editor with more than 10 novels on the market, joined me in Episode 048 - Building Great Protagonist and Antagonist Voices. When he’s not working on his own books or the books of his clients, he leads the writing team for a company that simulates difficult conversations for professionals to practice. He also helps authors improve their dialogue in order to engage readers more fully through his excellent podcast The Dialogue Doctor.
Jeff Elkins
Hey, Matty. Writer's block. Oh, I'm Jeff Elkins the Dialogue Doctor from DialogueDoctor.com. Writer's block is something I struggle with a lot and it's a weird thing. I think when I see it in the movies, it's like somebody staring at a blank computer screen and they'll type a sentence and then erase a sentence, type a sentence and erase a sentence.
[00:00:22] That's not how it looks for me. Because writer's block keeps me from ever actually sitting down to write. So for me, what writer's block looks like is that I'm going to wander around my living roomdoing other things instead of writing. Or I'm going to sit down at the computer and I'm going to sigh and then open Facebook instead of writing. Or I'm going tofill my evening ... I'm going to think about writing all day, and then when I get to my writing time, instead of writing I'll fill my evening with other stuff. Yeah, I think that's what writer's block is for me.
[00:00:59] And for me, writer's block is 100% emotional. It's not about a lack of ideas. I've never struggled for a lack of ideas. It's not about an inability to write the scene because I know that if I just start writing, the scene will appear. It may be crap, but I'll get some words out. It's fear-based and it's emotion-based for me.
[00:01:29] Anda lot of times that emotion takes different forms. Sometimes what I'm afraid of is failure. AndI struggle with a ton of self-doubt. So I know, especially around the middle of a book, so I've written 12 books andI'll get to the middle, almost every time, and that little voice in the back of my head will be like, This is crap, nobody's going to read it. This is crap, nobody's going to read it. Just in the back of my mind, and that creates writer's block. Because I'll start believing that thought and I'll get discouraged. And writing is hard enough already, especially when you have a full-time jobor a family or other things that are calling your responsibilities, forcing yourself to sit and create is difficult.
[00:02:20] So for meit's that voice that creates writer's block. Or sometimes it's because the scene I'm writing, I'm really afraid of. In a book I'm working on right now, I was about to write a scene that involved some aspects of sexual assault, and it was emotional and painful and thinking about it made me sad. And so I just didn't want to do that. And so I felt blocked because I couldn't get the motivation to write. I couldn't rally to sit down and do it.
[00:02:54] And so for that instance, there's this little voice in my head that's, You're not good enough to do this or this isn't going to come out right. Or people aren't going to like it, or people are going to close the book. So rather than it being about the whole work and about self doubt of no one's going to read this and this is crap, it's more about me not being enough to actually pull the scene off in a way that's going to make it go.
[00:03:21] And all of that stuff, blocks me, in that it keeps me from sitting down to do the thing. Or as Steven Pressfield wrote in The War of Art, it increases resistance's hold on me. And so then I can't sit down to do it. I feel like I can't sit down and do it.
[00:03:44] So the way that I've worked out to do that, I've actually stolen some tools from a form of therapy called cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches that our thoughts and feelings and actions are all connected. So my inability to write, my writer's block, is connected to the thoughts that I'm having and the feelings those thoughts are creating. So for me, it's about catching that thought, that first thought, and challenging that thought or pushing against that thought with another thought. We're trying to counterbalance that thought
[00:04:16] So I'll get the thought of, Nobody's going to read this. This is crap. Nobody's going to read it. And I'll challenge that thought with, Well, you don't know that. Or I'll challenge that thought of, They're definitely not going to read it if you don't write it. Or I'll challenge that thought with the challenge of, Right now at this moment, the goal is not to publish. The goal is to finish. So I'll reframe the question for myself. What's the goal right now?
[00:04:51] All of that stuff helps me move past the emotions I'm having, the things that are keeping me from writing, into actually doing the work. Or if it's about the scene itself, that I'm not enough to accomplish that scene or the scene isn't going to come out how it's supposed to come out, or this is a difficult scene and I just don't want to deal with it right now, I'll take that thought and I'll just say in a very Elizabeth Gilbert, pushing towardsher understandings of creativity, Hey, this scene came to you and you writing it is a privilege. So even if you're not good enough, give it a shot. The scene came to you, so you need to at least try. Honor the scene, honor the muse, if you want to use Elizabeth Gilbert'slanguage and grab that scene and do your best with it. It's not going to be perfect. It's not going to be like it is in your head.
[00:05:49] Or sometimes I'll use the phrase, I don't know how to do that and it's not going to be good enough. And then the answer I'll use is, It's not going to be perfect, but it's just got to be the best it can be.
[00:06:04] And using those kinds of counter thinking help me battle the emotions I'm feeling and then help me make different choices with my actions. So instead of wandering around the living room, I'll say, Okay, now I'm going to sit down.
[00:06:16] A lot of times, a little help too, is countering those thoughts with a why. So I'll have the thought that creates writer's block that's, No one's going to buy this. This is going to suck. And then my why for writing this is to create a different future for my kids. And so I'll be like, But if I don't move forward,the financial future I want for my children isn't coming.
[00:06:39] So I can sit here in writer's block, but it's not going to accomplish the purpose for me writing. And again, that's like catching that thought and recognizing that I'm having that thought and that that thought is creating feelings in me that are bringing about that writer's block and then manipulating that thought, challenging that thought, pushing back against that thought with something that's going to motivate me and encourage me to sit down and write and create different actions, different behaviors.
[00:07:09] I don't know if to helpful anybody else, it might be a little toopsycho orientedpsycho oriented, psychosomatic. I don't know what word I'm looking for there. But the goal for me is to recognize the thought or the feeling that's creating that writer's block and then take that thought or feeling on so I can then choose not to be blocked and choose to move forward to do something else. I hope that helps. Hi, and thanks for the opportunity.
Matty: I love’s Jeff’s perspective am so appreciative of him being so open about his own writer’s block. I especially loved the idea of pushing against the negative thoughts that are keeping you from writing with positive thoughts—pushing against “no one is going to read this” with “for sure no one’s going to read it if I don’t write it”—and reframing the goal—“the goal right now is not to publish, it’s to finish.”
I also love how Jeff doesn’t ignore the practical implications of writer’s block. Just as Wade Walton talked about how “nothing focuses the mind and gets the words and visuals flowing like a good career threatening deadline,” Jeff is motivated to conquer writer’s block because of his goal of creating the future he wants for his children.
Matty: I’d like to close out the episode with a perspective from Julie Duffy. Julie joined me for Episode 017 – Story A Day, and she’s not only leads her community of writers at StoryADay, which you can find at storyaday.org, but is also a sought-after guest speaker on topics related to creativity, productivity and community, and I think you’ll see why.
Julie Duffy
Hi, it's Julie from StoryADay, and here's what I think about writer's block. Is it real? Depends how you define it. I get a little irritated with people who say things like, it's not real. Nobody gets plumber's block, nobody gets bricklayer's block. They just go out and do their job. Why don't you just go out and do your job? Just get over yourself. Now, as writers, sometimes we do need a little bit of tough love. Sometimes we do just need to stick our butts in the chair and do the work, you know, write a hundred words, write 50 words, write 750 words. See if you can get the flow going.
[00:00:37] But that whole nobody gets bricklayer's blocked irritates me because maybe if the bricklayer had to go out and find the clay and then build an oven and bake the bricks and then draw up the architectural plans and then build the house with no guarantee that anyone was ever going to pay them for that house, in fact, they may have to do all of that and build seven houses before anyone ever paid them for the seventh house, and they wouldn't even pay them nearly what the value of the seventh house is when you take into account the actual labor on that house, never mind the six that came before it, if that was what we were talking about, then I would say, sure, nobody gets bricklayer's block. Nobody gets writer's block. You should just go do your writing.
[00:01:21] What we do is so huge and so courageous and so vulnerable that of course sometimes we get overwhelmed with fear. What if it doesn't work? What if I'm no good? We get overwhelmed with, well, I've written a thing, but maybe it's not really good enough. Maybe I'm an imposter. We get overwhelmed with, well, I published one book, but you know what, if the second one, what if that was a flash in the pan? Well, I published eight books. What if those are flashes in the pan? Am I going to be able to do it again? Maybe it's easier just to go and teach for another semester or be an accountant for one more tax season.
[00:02:04] And then at the end of the day, you're tired and the fear and the uncertainty is going to make you resistant to going and finding the clay and building the oven and baking the bricks and drawing up the plans and building the house and doing any of that work. It can feel overwhelming. So, yeah. I think writer's block exists.
[00:02:31] I think it's not because we're special. It's because anybody faced with a challenge like the one we were attempting to take on needs to break it down into the constituent steps and they need to be realistic about what those steps contain. How much energy each of those steps takes, how much time each of those steps takes.
[00:02:54] If you don't have writers in your life, when you say to people, I'm writing, they think you're just sitting down at the desk and putting words on the page. And we know there's so much more to it than that. There's coming up with the story world. Creating compelling characters, shaping the story, whether it's a short story or a novel, there's an internal structure that we have to learn to dissect. And it's hidden from most people. Even people who read a lot, they don't see everything that goes into making a workable story that connects and resonates emotionally.
[00:03:32] Then you have to learn the business of publishing. Then revising, you have to teach yourself to let the first draft be whatever the first draft is, even when it's not good.
[00:03:42] There's a lot of mind set work to allow yourself to be vulnerable, both in doing work that might be imperfect and needs to be improved and in putting it out into the world. There's the whole public side of writing, if you ever want to get there.
[00:04:01] So writer's block is a whole universe of, this is a hard job, and nobody's probably paying you for it yet, so it's easy to walk away. Who do you think you are? It's all the voices in your head from your past questioning and doubting.
[00:04:20] But you know that writing makes you happy. Not all the time, not every minute of it, but creating is part of who you are. So facing the challenges of writing and breaking them all down into little steps and practicing so that you understand how long it step is going to take and how much energy it's going to take and being patient with yourself and getting support from other writers. These are things that will help you combat the symptoms that look like writer's block.
[00:04:57] In my experience, working with writers for a couple of decades, running the StoryADay May Challenge, this is the 12th year, I've worked with a lot of people who've gone from not writing to writing a lot, to having a great writing practice that they love. And some of them publish and some of them don't and some of them have good days and bad days and good seasons and bad seasons. And understanding that and being patient with yourself and not thinking there's anything wrong with you, because it's not always easy is I think the first step to conquering, not conquering, the first step to dealing with all of the symptoms of this thing we call writer's block and just having a sense of humor about it and remembering that what we're trying to do is really difficult. And if you could find other people who understand it, other writers who can sympathize and commiserate with you, but not too much, and then be able to, at some point, roll their eyes and say, come on, just start laying some bricks. That's I think the only way I've found to deal with this thing we call writer's block.
Matty: Julie beautifully summarized all the reasons why it’s so easy to experience writer’s block, and Jeff encapsulated what I think were the overarching themes of my guests’ perspectives: the importance of recognizing the thought or the feeling that's creating that writer's block and then taking action. That action may focus on getting unblocked so you can continue with the work at hand, like Robert Dugoni getting outside and getting those endorphins going, Wade Walton giving himself a gift that will motivate him, or Jerri Williams acknowledging the self-doubt but moving ahead nevertheless. Or that action might be choosing to move forward with another task, at least temporarily, as Emma G. Rose, Dale Roberts, and M.K. Williams do. And maybe that other task is paring down your website verbiage, as Pauline Wiles suggests.
My guests mentioned a couple of great resources for combating writer’s block: Steven Pressfield’s THE WAR OF ART and Elizabeth Gilbert’s BIG MAGIC, and I’ll include links to those in the show notes.
Finally, be kind to yourself. Extend the same generosity of spirit to yourself when you’re struggling to find words as you would to another struggling writer. Maybe that means giving yourself permission for recess, as Wade Walton suggests—go outside and play a while—or have some fun with Julie’s bricklayer metaphor and play with some clay.
Many thanks to all the guests who shared so generously of their own experience and hard-won knowledge: Robert Dugoni, Emma G. Rose, Pauline Wiles, Dale L. Roberts, M.K. Williams, Wade Walton, Jerri Williams, Jeff Elkins, and Julie Duffy.
I would love to hear your thoughts on writer’s block—what resonated with you in the advice my guests shared? What has and hasn’t worked for you? What other resources, like THE WAR OF ART and BIG MAGIC have helped you through a block? Please cruise on over to theindyauthor.com/Podcast and click on Episode 082 to leave a comment and let me know. And if you found my guests’ perspectives helpful, I hope you’ll bookmark this episode and return to it for inspiration.
Links
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