What I like best about writing is when I'm in 'The Zone' and the words just flow. But when that flow shuts off or gets blocked up, it can be hard to force yourself to keep going. I think you do need to. Usually, when the 'flow' stops, part of your subconscious is fighting against you. Steven Pressfield calls it 'The Resistance' and I think it's real. Writers tend towards self-sabotage.
But I'm not talking about anything that dramatic the biploar mood swings most writers seem to suffer from. I'm just talking about the slowdown in your productivity. I get this sensation after a couple hours (or three or four on Sundays) where I feel like I'm 'done'. I'm not. I just think I am.
I've been trying to find ways to sneak around that feeling since literally forcing myself to write is hard. (I keep doing non-writing things, like video games when I try to force myself) I've found something that seems to work for me and I want to share it and see if it works for anyone else.
Get up.
That's basically it. Get up, get out of your chair, go walk around. Cool down. I get very hot when I'm in 'The Zone' and end up drenched in sweat for some reason. A hot laptop doesn't help the ol' Throne of Writing(tm) either. So get up. Get out of your writing pod. Walk around the house, talk to someone, even if its just the cat. (all writers have cats, right?)
See, a strange thing happens to me when I get up and walk away from my computer. I start thinking about what I should have written or what should come next. It's like some strange, F-ed up girlfriend who only wants you around when you're walking away from her.
But I'm not talking about anything that dramatic the biploar mood swings most writers seem to suffer from. I'm just talking about the slowdown in your productivity. I get this sensation after a couple hours (or three or four on Sundays) where I feel like I'm 'done'. I'm not. I just think I am.
I've been trying to find ways to sneak around that feeling since literally forcing myself to write is hard. (I keep doing non-writing things, like video games when I try to force myself) I've found something that seems to work for me and I want to share it and see if it works for anyone else.
Get up.
That's basically it. Get up, get out of your chair, go walk around. Cool down. I get very hot when I'm in 'The Zone' and end up drenched in sweat for some reason. A hot laptop doesn't help the ol' Throne of Writing(tm) either. So get up. Get out of your writing pod. Walk around the house, talk to someone, even if its just the cat. (all writers have cats, right?)
See, a strange thing happens to me when I get up and walk away from my computer. I start thinking about what I should have written or what should come next. It's like some strange, F-ed up girlfriend who only wants you around when you're walking away from her.
Try it the next time you're blocked. Get up, walk around and see if something isn't dragging you back to you
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