The Shrink is In

Dear Doctor Jeff:

What is “writer’s block” and do you know a way to get beyond it?
-Stuck in Silverlake

Dear Stuck:

Structures can be useful in overcoming writer’s block. Things like to writing for fifteen minutes with no corrections or evaluations. Beware of “analysis paralysis;” the over thinking which picks apart a sentence before we even get it down. A book, “Writing Down The Bones” can be useful, but the more you think about the writing block, the bigger the block can become. I am a big fan of “First we take the path, then the path takes us.” Start wherever you are and just write, write, write. This is, in fact, how I answered your question because as first I wasn’t sure I had anything to say and now I can’t shut up (well, not quite) but it did become a flow after I got myself out of the way.

Another structure that might prove useful is the one week challenge.
Have a clock in front of you.

Day 1 – Write for one minute without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 2 – Write for two minutes without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 3 – Write for four minutes without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 4 – Write for eight minutes without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 5 – Write for sixteen minutes without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 6 – Write for half hour without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

Day 7 – Write for one hour without taking hands off keys or pen off paper.

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