As a writer, I’m consistently asked three questions consistently about my career. The first, what do I write? Paranormal romance. The second, how many books have I written? Six, the sixth book releasing on January 15, 2020. The third, do I ever suffer from writer’s block? No, because in my experience writer’s block is a scapegoat for laziness.
Writer’s Block n.
a psychological inhibition preventing a writer from proceeding with a piece
I admit I used to believe writer’s block was a valid reason for not being able to write. While working on my first two books, Coven and Midnight Scoundrel, I quickly caved to the excuse when the words wouldn’t come to me fast enough or not at all. By book number three, Wardens of Starlight, I had my ‘ah-ha’ moment.
Writer’s block wasn’t keeping me from finishing my book; I was.
I refused to buckle down and push past the slump that hit when I couldn’t write the right words. I refused to see my work for what it was, a zero draft.
To those of you who are unfamiliar with the term zero draft, allow me to explain.
A zero draft is your first attempt writing a topic of choice. The zero draft delineates all of the thoughts and points you intend to comprise your piece. It’s a rough draft—emphasis on rough.
There is an unspoken and widely accepted pressure we place on ourselves to ensure our first draft (be it an email, memo, research paper, or novel—take your pick) is as close to perfect as possible. We fail to realize how inhibiting this mindset is until we suddenly hit a roadblock in our workflow.
I don’t know what to write.
The words aren’t coming to me.
I’m not inspired.
By chasing perfection at the start, we unconsciously put ourselves in “editor mode” and inadvertently censor our thoughts and word choice. Consequently, we don’t allow ourselves the chance to flush out what we truly want to say. To charge past this restrictive mindset and conquer the notion of writer’s block, we must embrace the zero draft.
Write first, edit later.
The more you implement this method, the easier it will be to write in the long run. Seriously. Writing is a muscle. By forcing yourself to write through the rough patches and accepting your draft for what it is—a draft—each subsequent piece you write will come easier.
You will know what to write.
The words are there.
Inspiration is at your fingertips.
The “write first, edit later” mindset can be challenging to adjust to at first. Here are some tips to help you and spur your writing.
1. Brain Reset
When working long hours on a single project, our minds inevitably will require a break to stay nimble. In such instances, do your brain a favor and dump and reset. While not the most eloquent of titles, this method can be a real game-changer when applied. Keep the “dump” and “reset” to a fifteen/fifteen ratio.
Brain dump for fifteen minutes. Write it all out, no matter how ridiculous, error-riddled, or ramble-heavy it may become. Follow your conscious thought wherever it may go. Once your fifteen minutes is up, disconnect for fifteen minutes. Walk away from your notebook, computer screen, or whatever device you are working on and do something else. Here’s a mini-guide of good and bad ways to disconnect.
❌ Watch television or a video
❌ Scrolling social media
✅ Read an article or book
✅ People watch
✅ Engage in conversation at work
Once those fifteen minutes are up, come back and with fresh eyes and mind, work with what you last wrote.
2. Remove Distractions
- Do you write while listening to music? Turn it off.
- Do you work in an office? Close your door.
- Do you work in a cubicle? Listen to ambient noise through an application on your phone (there are dozens to choose from).
3. Ask for Help
There’s no shame in bouncing your ideas or thoughts off another person when you become finger-tied (the equivalent of tongue-tied). If you lack knowledge on a subject, talk about it with someone who does! Their words may jumpstart yours.
Bonus! Writing Prompts
To my fellow fiction writers, seek out writing prompts! Challenge yourself and your writing. Prompts can inspire future work, as well.
Writer’s block is, simply put, #FOWB—fear of writing badly. Forge past it and learn to accept your zero draft as a place of perfect imperfection where anything and everything goes. Remember, you can always fix a draft, but you can’t edit a blank page.
Rebecca
Psst! Do you want to know why being an avid reader is crucial to your writing prowess? Check out my blog post here!