Reading time: About 4 minutes
No writing project ever goes perfectly. Today I describe what you can do when your writing hits an inevitable wall…
Would you like to write without the angst and distress often associated with getting started. This is a reminder about my one-hour class, The Right-Hook Power Hour, on Thursday. If you register by tomorrow, the cost is just $25 (it doubles to $50 the next day). And if you can’t attend live, know that all registrants will receive a recording. To register and secure your discount, just go here.
When I wrote my last book, Your Happy First Draft, I got stuck at roughly the 80 per cent point.
I’d finished all but two chapters, and my energy gave out.
- I loathed sitting at my desk each morning — I was like a 14-year-old facing math homework.
- I glared daggers at the blank screen and didn’t know what to write — not even “the quick brown fox,” which would have been progress at that point.
- I resented having started this massive project and desperately wanted to work on something else — anything else.
So, that’s what I did. I worked on something else. I bundled up the first nine chapters and sent them to my beta readers for feedback — like a writer sending out an SOS.
Then, when they responded, I switched from writing to editing, which took me several months and saved both my sanity and my keyboard from certain destruction.
By the time I was finished with that, I was ready to get back to writing again.
Some 40+ years as a writer had taught me how to pivot when things seemed especially grim. I knew I wasn’t procrastinating. I just needed a break — and the chance to do something completely different with my project.
If you’re unsure about how to pivot, here are five techniques to try:
1-Do a friction audit (Find out what’s making you miserable)
Are you repeating certain unhelpful patterns? Perhaps you’re lonely, bored or uncomfortable — the unholy trinity of writing doom. Once you’ve identified any problem areas, start asking yourself what you can do to fix them.
For example:
- If you find writing too lonely or too boring, can you play some music or sounds while you’re doing it? (As I write this column, I’m listening to coffee shop ambience from YouTube.) Generally, it’s wisest to stay away from music with lyrics, but there are lots of great instrumental choices out there and a plethora of nature sounds you can try as well. Silence while writing is often the kiss of death for creativity.
- If you find your chair is uncomfortable, could you try a different chair? Or perhaps consider standing up. I write at a treadmill desk, so I literally walk my way through writer’s block.
- If you find typing at a keyboard makes your wrist or fingers ache, consider switching to dictation. This is absolutely not cheating. It’s just a slightly different (often faster) way to accomplish the same goal.
2-Start small (…Ridiculously small)
The biggest problem for many writers is they give themselves goals that are way too overwhelming for their own good. I know, if you’re writing a book (typically 75,000 words) or a dissertation (usually somewhere between 50,000 and 200,000 words), it might seem patently ridiculous to start with just 15 minutes of writing per day. What can anyone accomplish in a short segment of time like that? Well, more than you think, smarty-pants.
And if you have any trouble or trauma with writing, I suggest starting with just five minutes. Barely enough time to turn on your computer and maybe type “Chapter 1” before running away.
Here’s why: If you give yourself a small goal, you’re likely to hit it out of the park. This will make you feel happy and encouraged, which will lead you to return to your desk the next day, feeling good about yourself instead of like a literary failure.
And if you have a large goal, like one hour, you’re far more likely to procrastinate and decide the hallway cupboard needs reorganizing.
But writing is almost never about what you accomplish in a single day. It’s what you achieve over a much longer stretch of time. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself showing up, day after day.
3-Reframe negative thoughts (Your inner critic is a liar)
We all have negative thoughts. It’s part of being human, and being a writer makes it about 380 per cent worse. You might say to yourself:
- I should have written way more today.
- I really need to do a lot more research.
- _____ (insert name of annoyingly successful colleague here) is a much better writer than I am.
- I’m going to fail at this project spectacularly and publicly.
When you hear yourself saying these things, learn to smile and say, instead:
I’m going to do the best I can, and if I’m struggling, I can ask for help.
Oh, and while you’re writing, remind yourself that you’re not chiselling words in granite. Of course, you’ll be able to edit them later.
4-Do something else that’s inspiring (Get out of your own head)
Writers tend to get stuck in their own heads a lot — an occupational hazard. If you’re feeling unaccomplished and bad about yourself, consider doing something to help someone else. (This is not procrastinating if you limit your time — and yes, you do need to limit it, or you may end up running an entire non-profit.)
Perhaps you can help teach reading at a school. Maybe you can lend a hand at a local theatre company. Possibly, you can find a charitable organization you’d like to assist.
Helping others and helping society will make you feel part of the larger picture, which will be good for you and will also help you feel better about writing — plus, it may give you great stories for your next book.
5-Go public with your writing goal (Social pressure for the win)
Telling other people about your writing plans can be incredibly helpful. None of us wants to be the type of person who doesn’t actually do what they say they’re going to do. And the force of stating your goal to friends, family or even the world can help strengthen your resolve.
This is one of the reasons for the success of my Get It Done program. It’s a writing accountability group in which writers report their daily achievements to me and have the ability to discuss them with each other.
Important footnote: Don’t ever discuss the actual content of the writing you’re doing — whether in terms of plot points or findings. If we talk too much about the writing we’re doing, we lose the willingness to do it. It’s like explaining a joke — somehow it kills the magic.
The truth about being stuck (Spoiler: it’s normal)
Remember: being stuck doesn’t mean you’re broken — it means you’re human.
And humans, unlike computers, sometimes need to reboot in creative ways. Your manuscript will wait for you (it’s not going anywhere), but your sanity is worth preserving. So be kind to yourself, try these techniques and trust that the words will come back when you’re ready for them.
If you liked this post, you’ll also like How to return to writing after a slip.
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Need some help developing a better, more sustainable writing or editing routine? Learn about my three-month accountability program called Get It Done. There is turn-over each month, and priority will go to those who have applied first. You can go directly to the application form and you’ll hear back from me within 24 hours.
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My video podcast last week addressed whether writing should generate emotion. You can watch the video or read the transcript, and you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel.
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What do you do when your writing hits a wall? We can all learn from each other, so please, share your thoughts with my readers and me in the comments section, below. And congratulations to Marina Parisinou, the winner of this month’s book prize, for a comment on my Sept. 23 post about how to read more. (Please send me your email address, Marina.) If you comment on today’s post (or any others) by Oct. 31/25, I’ll put you in a draw for a digital copy of my first book, 8 1/2 Steps to Writing Faster, Better. To enter, please scroll down to the comments, directly underneath the related posts links, below. You don’t have to join Disqus to post! Read my tutorial to learn how to post as a guest. (It’s easy!)
