6 ms·

How to beat writers' block

109 points by mayhabib 11y ago

malloreon 11y ago
The author of this article is the very same Maria Konnikova who does the weekly "Is That Bullshit?" segment on Slate's excellent daily podcast, "The Gist with Mike Pesca." Pesca manages to write ~15 minutes of extremely witty news-related material every day, and I am constantly amazed at it.
visakanv 11y ago
I've thought very long and hard (and written loads) about writer's block, and have made a lot of personal progress in dealing with it. [I'm currently 550,000+ words into a "write a million words" project.] I'd be happy to chat about it with anybody who struggles with it. I like to think of writing (or any creative work, really) as a large-scale process with many intermediate steps, like say, producing diamonds. You have to start by locating the raw materials, drilling them out, getting a sense of what they are, isolating them, cut them up, polish them, set them, present them, sell them. Block can happen at any point along the process. It could be that you don't have enough raw material. It could be that you're not sure how to cut the particular stone that you have. It could be that you've got the wrong tools for the job, or that the job itself is not worth doing. The challenge is to zoom out from the present moment and to see the bigger picture, and often to move upstream in the process. Sometimes you need to abandon the process altogether, and maybe return to it later. The creative person's anxiety and paranoia can seem like a petty thing compared to say, somebody who has to deal with "real" problems. (I'm reminded of Anthony Bourdain saying "Cooking professionally is hard work. Writing is a privilege and a luxury. Anybody who whines about writers block should be forced to clean squid all day") It's a fair point. That said, I think it's useful to try and understand what exactly the block is. It's fear, anxiety, attachment to outcome, a sense of incompetence and worthlessness. Elizabeth Gilbert also has a great TED talk on dealing with that, about separating your self-esteem from your work: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?langua...
- mayhabib 11y ago
  i love the gem analogy. it is friggin hard. i find it productive to think about resistance as an enemy. the visualization that maria writes about doesn't work as well for me. i like thinking about hard thinking work in physical labor terms. whether it's a ppt or a new mock up or a piece of writing. this super short read by stephen pressfield is totally underrated and a great contribution to the topic: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NK0MJBK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NK0MJBK/ref=dp-kindle-re...
  - visakanv 11y ago
    Yes, big fan of Pressfield's work too! Wish I encountered him soner. I think one of his best points is that you can practically "navigate BY resistance" – acknowledging, addressing and leaning into it.
    - mayhabib 11y ago
      yes! re your point re what if the "job itself not worth doing" -- when blocked that can be a tempting cop out. for pressfield's framework for this is simple and brilliant: when you try to look beyond the resistance, is there love there?
      - visakanv 11y ago
        > when blocked that can be a tempting cop out. Oh yeah, good point. As Pressfield would put it, the important thing is to go Pro. And a Pro would finish the job that he started, even if it might not be "worth doing". Unless you're literally risking your life or something improbable like that, it's worth finishing what you start.
- mgalka 11y ago
  I have problems with writer's block, but my problem seems quite different from what's described here. Usually, I'm fine with the creative aspects -- I know what ideas I want to communicate. What troubles me is finding the words to say it. And the more time I spend thinking about it, the more difficult it becomes. Sometimes, I can spend an hour working at a paragraph, and still can't get comfortable with the wording. Does anyone else have this problem?
twelvechairs 11y ago
Im quite partial to Randy Newman's solution (loosely quoted) 'I just lower my standards and plow on through'
- visakanv 11y ago
  Works really well. The key is to be committed to seeing the process and not obsess pathologically about the outcome.
wcaleb 11y ago
Recently I learned a good trick for turning of your internal editor while writing, which is one of the things discussed in the essay. Try turning the screen of your laptop off so that you can't see what you are typing, and just type away for a set period of time. This helps you "allow for error" and not worry over every word or phrase you are putting down. I can usually get hundreds of words out of this trick in just 20 minutes or so, after which you can turn the screen back on and have something to edit, revise, and polish.
Dowwie 11y ago
TL;DR excerpts: - allowing for error—and realizing how nonlinear a process creativity can be—was an essential step for overcoming blocks in writing - It’s useful to escape from external and internal judgment—by writing, for instance, in a dream diary, which you know will never be read—even if it’s only for a brief period... [your dream] serves as a reminder that, no matter how blocked you may be, you still have the capacity to imagine something new—no matter how small and silly it may seem - Such escapes allow writers to find comfort in the face of uncertainty; they give writers’ minds the freedom to imagine, even if the things they imagine seem ludicrous, unimportant, and unrelated to any writing project. - Creative people do a lot of trial and error and rarely know where they are going exactly until they get there
dhimes 11y ago
Something that works for me is to switch media. Start talking into a microphone. It's fast and easy to work things out a few different ways, and hearing it can help you find flaws that you might miss otherwise.
JoeAltmaier 11y ago
Emotional problems are best dealt with, in my experience, not by more emotional exercises (imagery, counseling) but by new experiences, expecially physical ones. Go on a week-long bicycle trip. Rock climb. Start running. Play basketball. Anything to get you out of your mind and back into your body.
ezequiel-garzon 11y ago
Why was the apostrophe in the title moved? The title uses "writer's block", not "writers' block". Edit: Removed a suspicious apostrophe =).
kough 11y ago
No mention of Eno's Oblique Strategies [0]? I've found them very useful for prompting me to think in different ways, which often leads to something to write about. I set up a little shell script, `strat`, which prints out a randomly selected strategy. I've also started adding my own strategies and tips and reminders to correct routine personal issues (e.g., shut the fuck up and listen). I used to have them printed out every time my shell started up but that led to me ignoring them; now I have to seek them out and often enjoy the result. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies
- kidmenot 11y ago
  Thank you for pointing this out, never heard of them before.
daveguy 11y ago
One thing that has helped me in the past is writing shitty first drafts: https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%20Drafts.pdf https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%... Editors block is much less prevalent.
weeksie 11y ago
Writers' block is a myth. Writing is work. Put your ass in a seat and get the job done. Creativity is a vocation, not a bolt from heaven. You want to beat a slump? Produce more work until it gets better. That's all. Want to get fit? Eat right and exercise.
- rdudek 11y ago
  I can't upvote this comment enough! We're human beings. Some of us are better at managing work than others. Those who manage work well will become more successful than those who can't. And those that can't are generally looking out for excuses so make it all seem better. I've fallen this path before and I'm pretty sure I'll fall for it in the future as well. Our brains don't like waiting. Our brains like to reap the rewards now. Some of the best work I've done was when I basically turned off anything that would drag me away from doing something (ie. phones and emails are the biggest culprits). I even rented out a private small office that I could go in for a few hours and work on my projects.
- furyofantares 11y ago
  What informs this opinion?
  - weeksie 11y ago
    Anecdata. A lifetime of "writing" followed by several years of actually writing.
- cJ0th 11y ago
  > Produce more work until it gets better. That's all. Yes, but get some valuable feedback (whatever that means in your concrete situation) on your way. Otherwise you could end up writing rubbish for the rest of your life.
BrainstormPro 11y ago
http://www.brainstormpro.com http://www.brainstormpro.com is also another good resource when you need fresh words.

109 points by mayhabib 11y ago

The author of this article is the very same Maria Konnikova who does the weekly "Is That Bullshit?" segment on Slate's excellent daily podcast, "The Gist with Mike Pesca." Pesca manages to write ~15 minutes of extremely witty news-related material every day, and I am constantly amazed at it.

visakanv 11y ago

I've thought very long and hard (and written loads) about writer's block, and have made a lot of personal progress in dealing with it. [I'm currently 550,000+ words into a "write a million words" project.] I'd be happy to chat about it with anybody who struggles with it. I like to think of writing (or any creative work, really) as a large-scale process with many intermediate steps, like say, producing diamonds. You have to start by locating the raw materials, drilling them out, getting a sense of what they are, isolating them, cut them up, polish them, set them, present them, sell them. Block can happen at any point along the process. It could be that you don't have enough raw material. It could be that you're not sure how to cut the particular stone that you have. It could be that you've got the wrong tools for the job, or that the job itself is not worth doing. The challenge is to zoom out from the present moment and to see the bigger picture, and often to move upstream in the process. Sometimes you need to abandon the process altogether, and maybe return to it later. The creative person's anxiety and paranoia can seem like a petty thing compared to say, somebody who has to deal with "real" problems. (I'm reminded of Anthony Bourdain saying "Cooking professionally is hard work. Writing is a privilege and a luxury. Anybody who whines about writers block should be forced to clean squid all day") It's a fair point. That said, I think it's useful to try and understand what exactly the block is. It's fear, anxiety, attachment to outcome, a sense of incompetence and worthlessness. Elizabeth Gilbert also has a great TED talk on dealing with that, about separating your self-esteem from your work: https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?language=en https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?langua...

mayhabib 11y ago
i love the gem analogy. it is friggin hard. i find it productive to think about resistance as an enemy. the visualization that maria writes about doesn't work as well for me. i like thinking about hard thinking work in physical labor terms. whether it's a ppt or a new mock up or a piece of writing. this super short read by stephen pressfield is totally underrated and a great contribution to the topic: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NK0MJBK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NK0MJBK/ref=dp-kindle-re...
- visakanv 11y ago
  Yes, big fan of Pressfield's work too! Wish I encountered him soner. I think one of his best points is that you can practically "navigate BY resistance" – acknowledging, addressing and leaning into it.
  - mayhabib 11y ago
    yes! re your point re what if the "job itself not worth doing" -- when blocked that can be a tempting cop out. for pressfield's framework for this is simple and brilliant: when you try to look beyond the resistance, is there love there?
    - visakanv 11y ago
      > when blocked that can be a tempting cop out. Oh yeah, good point. As Pressfield would put it, the important thing is to go Pro. And a Pro would finish the job that he started, even if it might not be "worth doing". Unless you're literally risking your life or something improbable like that, it's worth finishing what you start.
mgalka 11y ago
I have problems with writer's block, but my problem seems quite different from what's described here. Usually, I'm fine with the creative aspects -- I know what ideas I want to communicate. What troubles me is finding the words to say it. And the more time I spend thinking about it, the more difficult it becomes. Sometimes, I can spend an hour working at a paragraph, and still can't get comfortable with the wording. Does anyone else have this problem?

twelvechairs 11y ago

Im quite partial to Randy Newman's solution (loosely quoted) 'I just lower my standards and plow on through'

visakanv 11y ago
Works really well. The key is to be committed to seeing the process and not obsess pathologically about the outcome.

wcaleb 11y ago

Recently I learned a good trick for turning of your internal editor while writing, which is one of the things discussed in the essay. Try turning the screen of your laptop off so that you can't see what you are typing, and just type away for a set period of time. This helps you "allow for error" and not worry over every word or phrase you are putting down. I can usually get hundreds of words out of this trick in just 20 minutes or so, after which you can turn the screen back on and have something to edit, revise, and polish.

Dowwie 11y ago

TL;DR excerpts: - allowing for error—and realizing how nonlinear a process creativity can be—was an essential step for overcoming blocks in writing - It’s useful to escape from external and internal judgment—by writing, for instance, in a dream diary, which you know will never be read—even if it’s only for a brief period... [your dream] serves as a reminder that, no matter how blocked you may be, you still have the capacity to imagine something new—no matter how small and silly it may seem - Such escapes allow writers to find comfort in the face of uncertainty; they give writers’ minds the freedom to imagine, even if the things they imagine seem ludicrous, unimportant, and unrelated to any writing project. - Creative people do a lot of trial and error and rarely know where they are going exactly until they get there

dhimes 11y ago

Something that works for me is to switch media. Start talking into a microphone. It's fast and easy to work things out a few different ways, and hearing it can help you find flaws that you might miss otherwise.

JoeAltmaier 11y ago

Emotional problems are best dealt with, in my experience, not by more emotional exercises (imagery, counseling) but by new experiences, expecially physical ones. Go on a week-long bicycle trip. Rock climb. Start running. Play basketball. Anything to get you out of your mind and back into your body.

ezequiel-garzon 11y ago

Why was the apostrophe in the title moved? The title uses "writer's block", not "writers' block". Edit: Removed a suspicious apostrophe =).

kough 11y ago

No mention of Eno's Oblique Strategies [0]? I've found them very useful for prompting me to think in different ways, which often leads to something to write about. I set up a little shell script, `strat`, which prints out a randomly selected strategy. I've also started adding my own strategies and tips and reminders to correct routine personal issues (e.g., shut the fuck up and listen). I used to have them printed out every time my shell started up but that led to me ignoring them; now I have to seek them out and often enjoy the result. [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies

kidmenot 11y ago
Thank you for pointing this out, never heard of them before.

daveguy 11y ago

One thing that has helped me in the past is writing shitty first drafts: https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%20Drafts.pdf https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%... Editors block is much less prevalent.

weeksie 11y ago

Writers' block is a myth. Writing is work. Put your ass in a seat and get the job done. Creativity is a vocation, not a bolt from heaven. You want to beat a slump? Produce more work until it gets better. That's all. Want to get fit? Eat right and exercise.

rdudek 11y ago
I can't upvote this comment enough! We're human beings. Some of us are better at managing work than others. Those who manage work well will become more successful than those who can't. And those that can't are generally looking out for excuses so make it all seem better. I've fallen this path before and I'm pretty sure I'll fall for it in the future as well. Our brains don't like waiting. Our brains like to reap the rewards now. Some of the best work I've done was when I basically turned off anything that would drag me away from doing something (ie. phones and emails are the biggest culprits). I even rented out a private small office that I could go in for a few hours and work on my projects.
furyofantares 11y ago
What informs this opinion?
- weeksie 11y ago
  Anecdata. A lifetime of "writing" followed by several years of actually writing.
cJ0th 11y ago
> Produce more work until it gets better. That's all. Yes, but get some valuable feedback (whatever that means in your concrete situation) on your way. Otherwise you could end up writing rubbish for the rest of your life.

BrainstormPro 11y ago

http://www.brainstormpro.com http://www.brainstormpro.com is also another good resource when you need fresh words.