Maybe you’re stuck at the moment. I hope not, but the truth is, we all get stuck from time to time.
And that’s okay. The important thing is to recognize when you’re stuck in a rut and pull yourself back out as soon as possible. But perhaps you’re like me and could use a little help getting unstuck…
Being stuck is…
When you’re waiting on the muse so you can write, but you want to write and instead you tell yourself it is perfectly okay to wait…
No. No it’s not okay. The muse is way too fickle. Don’t wait. Write. Write with abandon. Unless your fingers are broken, get to typing. It doesn’t have to make sense. And if your fingers are broken use a voice recorder.
When you blame someone else for your inability to do something, anything…
Do it. Don’t wait on permission. If you’re not writing because you don’t have an agent or can’t find a publisher, write anyway, and if necessary you can publish it yourself.
When you blame someone else for your current attitude…
We are not puppets, so let’s not act like we are. Thankfully, I learned (the hard way) that the only way to change it is to own it.
When you give up on what you were working on, or worse, what you always dreamed of working on, because it might not work. It’s too risky, and it will be far too painful if it fails…
Risk is always part of the equation and failure is rarely ever the end. Failure is just a case of figuring out what doesn’t work until you figure out what does work. Go figure it out.
Failure is just a case of figuring out what doesn’t work until you figure out what does work. (Click to Tweet)
When you’re afraid of being afraid and so you stall and give up…
Being afraid means you care. And caring about what you’re working on is what makes art, art. The key is to create anyway, to embrace your fears and even, as they say, dance with them. Dance your heart out.
When doubt stops you from creating work that you believe in…
Fear is not your enemy, paralysis is. And paralysis is caused by doubt. (Click to Tweet)
Doubt is always present and it’s important to acknowledge it. You cannot be complacent with doubt. It will own you if you let it, but the good news is that doubt can be overcome by realizing that it is an entity in of itself with the sole purpose of stopping you by making you believe you’re not good enough.
“You ARE good enough.”
Put those words on sticky notes and post ‘em everywhere.
You’re a better writer (and person) than you think you are. All you have to do is realize it.
Sometimes you simply need a break, and that’s okay too.
Now go, create something remarkable. Because you can. You truly are a writer.
About that muse… according to Stephen King there is one, but…
There is a muse, but he’s not going to come fluttering down into your writing room and scatter creative fairy-dust all over your typewriter… ― Stephen King
We’ve got to do the work. Write.
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Help another writer: Think of a time when you were stuck and share how you got unstuck in the comments.
