Welcome aboard the Write 50 blog. Since this is not the S.S. Procrastinate, please, raise your right hand and repeat after me…
“I promise to not set out on a 3-hour tour – or any tour for that matter– that will wreck my writing session.”
With that, I encourage you to skim this page for a gem to throw at a block this week. Or pop over here to request a topic.
Massive Action Versus Baby Steps: Choosing Your Writing Team
What if writing were a competitive sport?
What if…
Two teams dominate. A third threatens both with an upset.
All three are drafting players. Which would you join?
In this daydream, we get to tune into the latest broadcast coverage and analysis for guidance.
Ban These 5 Words from Your Writing Life?
Today, I’m going to share 5 toxic words we should ban.
Really?
Not exactly. For three reasons…
As a freedom of speech fan-girl, I will never suggest we ban words – remove from our own vocabulary, maybe. But not ban.
I recommend questioning any advice that includes the word “should” in it. (I explain why in a bit.)
7 Writer’s Block Ditching Tools You Can Steal
Grab your favorite writing tool.
What if I stole it? Could you still write? Or would you postpone your session until you pried it from my thieving hands?
If you stole one of mine, my word factory would shut down until I got it back.
Really?
Quite possibly.
Since my favorite writing tools help me ditch writer’s block each day, it’s possible my creative self couldn’t function without them.
Here’s a rundown of the seven tools I use daily.
A Sneaky Way to Outwit The Perfectionist in Your Head
Does the perfectionist in your head fight your attempts to write without editing? Mine, too!
Rather than fighting her I outwit her. Wanna see how you can outwit yours as well?
Sweet.
A Call to Stop Fielding The Wrong Writer’s Block Question
Saying, “Writer’s block doesn’t exist because, you just need to plant your butt in the chair and write” is like saying, “Weight-loss issues don’t exist because, people just need to stop over eating and get their butts into the gym.”
If weight-loss were that simple, the diet section on Amazon would shrink by 90% (according to the abacus in my head). Same with writer’s block.
If you don’t think writer’s block exists, awesome. Color me jealous.
5 Ways to Pull Your Creative Self out of A Funk
What do you do when your kid self – a.k.a. creative self – gets up on the wrong side of the bed?
Skip your writing session and promise to double your efforts tomorrow?
So tempting.
With deadlines, goals to hit, and grown-up life vying for our attention, we don’t have time to wait for our kid selves to come out of their funk.
What’s the solution?
How Your Inner Rebel Can Save Your Writing Day
Calling all inner James Deans!
Pssst. If you’re itching to play hooky from writer’s block…he’s in you somewhere. And I penned this post for you. Why?
Because in this post, I tell the tale of how a topsy-turvy writing day – filled with rebellion – saved a blog post and can help you, too.
5 Classic Kid Books & Their Block Ditching Tips
What’s your favorite book from childhood?
I bet it holds magical memories for you. And you know what? It holds tips for ditching writer’s block, too.
Wanna see how?
Why Listicles Suck & How to Make Them Delicious
If I offered you a sampler of 5 frozen treats, would you sample all of them? Or skip papaya if that’s not your thing? Or pass unless it’s dipped in chocolate or wrapped in bacon?
You got it, kid.
Would your approach change if I presented a sampler of 10 or 15 flavors? How about the ultimate sampler of 100? Would you try them all?
Probably not, right? Unless we’re facing a double-dog dare challenge.
8 MORE Unqualified Professionals Who Can Save Your Writing Projects
Did you find some unqualified professionals living in your head who could save your writing day? If you’re thinking, “what do you mean by pros in my head?” Pop over to part 1 to catch up.
If you’re struggling with this activity, why not let your inner child (creative self) take over? To help, I’ve lined up 8 more candidates who’ve botched life projects but can shine in the writing world.
8 Unqualified Professionals Who Can Save Your Writing Projects
Have you ever self medicated an injury? Or programmed your own couch-side fitness routine? Or repaired an appliance? Only to wish you had recruited a pro?
Me too!
From electricians to doctors, we’ve all called on the services of at least one unqualified pro from our head.
What if we reassigned these pros to roles in our writing life?
Showdown: You Versus Your Writing Project…The Key to Winning
Raise your hand if life has gotten in the way of hitting the targets you set for writing your book, screenplay, album or blog.
Got it. After all, flat tires, sick kids and bossy bosses aren’t going to take care of themselves, right?
Now, raise your hand if you like prizes.
Me too! Scoring a free latte, concert tickets and from what I hear, a lottery jackpot, rocks!
Guess what?
5 Crazy Ways to Ditch Writer’s Block…That Work
What do an elliptical, a mess and BB-8 have in common?
Color me crazy, but they’ve helped me – by accident at first – hit deadlines, unleash creativity and focus. In other words, ditch writer’s block.
If you grapple with this, check out the following 5 blocks and crazy ways to ditch them. To help you sort through them, I have a game for you.
How Obama’s Chief Speechwriter Can Calm Our Crazy
Did you catch President Obama’s final State of the Union address?
I did not.
I played hooky to chat with the commander in chief of the Post family…my mom – whose encouraging words helped me resolve a conflict in my head…peacefully.
Am I excused?
Regardless, I grabbed the Cliff Notes the next day from the TODAY show and remembered…
5 Mantras & A Formula for Ditching Writer’s Block
What do Derek Hough, Steven Pressfield and Eminem have in common?
They inspired three of the five 2015 mantras I’m keeping on hand this year.
Mantras, not affirmations. I’m not a fan of traditional affirmations. Why?
How A Spoonful of Poppins Takes Writer’s Block Away (Part 2)
In part 1, we grabbed a trick from Mary Poppins’s carpet bag to help us ditch our writer’s block. Ready to give another one a go?
Here are 5 more to choose from…
How A Spoonful of Poppins Takes Writer’s Block Away (Part 1)
What if you could snap your fingers and have the perfect words march onto your blank page?
Or…
Jump into a chalk drawing to discover where to take your story next? Or dance across rooftops to breathe life into your prose?
Sounds practically perfect, right?
With Mary Poppins by your side, all this is possible. Except…
Wanted: For Crimes against Writers (Part 2)
How did your stakeout go? If you’re wondering, “What stakeout?” Head over to part I to catch up.
Now that we’ve observed when and how our gremlins come at us, we’re ready to arm ourselves with the tools to lock them up.
Perfect timing, too. Looks like the Captain’s about to hand us our next assignment.
Wanted: For Crimes against Writers (Part 1)
Has this guy hit your writing sessions?
If your chest or stomach tightens as you sit down to write. Or an inner-voice says things like, “My writing sucks. No one wants to read this.” Or you promise yourself you’ll write when____. Then yes, he’s targeted your head, possibly killing your session.
Who is this villain?