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Free Writing to Unclog the Orifice
I love that word: Free. It may just be my favorite word in the English language – and FREE writing is one of my favorite activities as a writer.
Free writing is simple in theory. All you do is sit down and write, letting your mind take you wherever it wants to go. Yet, it can sometimes be hard to surrender. Often we have a finite quantity of time and infinite number of things to do. We bring our agenda to the notepad or computer when we want to write and often this pressure to be productive may choke out thoughtful creativity. Or, there is something on our mind that is pestering us like a gnat, flying around, distracting our focus from the writing at hand. The goal of free writing is to get all these worries, to-do-lists, and distractions out on the page – first – before even stressing over what comes next.
Creative writing frequently faces challenges of left-brain logic. Free writing lets you process all these practical concerns on the page so that you can break through into a fun space of ideas that flow through the once clogged orifice.
Then, with all this jumble out of the way, free writing allows the right side of your brain to dance – and you may actually be surprised what comes out of you.
When I have a scene I want to craft, either from real life or fiction, I simply sit down and write without filtering myself. This is my brand of free writing. I don’t judge my word choice or sentence structure in this stage. I don’t edit. It is simply a free flowing process. My favorite place to free write is in a program called Write or Die. I set the time and the word count and get started. I write till I am done and aim to get every detail out of me, forgoing every perfectionistic tendency. Free writing has helped me be a free spirit. Plus, its fun.
Have you ever tried free writing?
Did you ever write anything during free writing that surprised you?
If you have never tried free writing, don’t psych yourself out. Give it a go!
Positive Affirmations to Combat Writer’s Block
As I was telling my husband about the 3-Day Novel Contest when he turned to me and said, “This weekend is going to take a lot of discipline for you.”
My next thoughts were telling: Oh crap! What have I got myself into?
Immediately, the negative self-talk began – but I caught myself mid thought. Why am I telling myself that this challenge is going to be too hard and that I don’t think I can do it? Why am I already scheming an exit strategy to get out of it?
What I really need to be doing is encouraging myself, saying good and uplifting messages to my inner artist. Being a creative individual is trying enough, why not be my own best supporter instead?
My husband and I brainstormed phrases of encouragement that I can use when writer’s block catches me in a downward cycle of negativity. I love these phrases and wish they were all 100% true of myself – but sometimes we need to speak our hopes into being, like a self-fulfilling prophesy or a pep talk to a sports team. There is power in positive-self talk. If you don’t believe me, try these phrases out for a week and see if your circumstances or at least your mental state does not receive a pick-me-up.
Positive Affirmations for Writers:
- “I am a brilliant creative mind and I will accomplish whatever I set out to do.”
- “I don’t need to feel lonely; my family and friends support me in my pursuits and will be there for me when I need them.”
- “Only those who try have the chance of success.”
- “My ideas are creative.”
- “My characters are dynamic.”
- “My plot has depth.”
- “I am in control.”
- “I am the bully of my own writer’s block.”
- “I have the power to write writer’s block out of my story and my head.”
- “This time to write is a gift I give myself.”
- “I will not sabotage or be afraid of my own success.”
- “I believe in myself and my work.”
- “I will get through this tough stretch. This too shall pass.”
- “What I write will make a difference.”
- “My audience is out there. I am writing for them.”
- “Anything is possible for me.”
Specific encouragements for the 3-Day Novel Contest:
- “I think of myself as an Olympic athlete. This contest is my race. It’s only three days. The end is in sight.”
- “This is going to be fun.”
- “If the challenge was easy it wouldn’t be worthwhile.”
- “No matter the outcome, I will be proud of myself.”
- “The journey of this experience will be a catalyst for even greater creativity.”
- “I can sleep tomorrow.”
Repeating these positive phrases to yourself will shift you from negativity to a more positive outlook. Who doesn’t want that transition when stuck in a rut? I will be practicing speaking these sayings to myself as I embark on the 3-Day challenge and also as I continue my work as a writer. Try it for yourself and let me know if it makes a difference for you.
Put Writer’s Block in its Place
Here are a few little tricks can you do to overcome writer’s block. First of all, don’t freak out. Try these techniques instead. With the 3-Day Novel Contest only days away, these are the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” I will be utilizing when caught in a block.
Do’s
- Run the stairs of your home or apartment.
- Eat a healthy snack or meal. Nothing too heavy. Fruit and veggies are great for snacks.
- Look out the window and let your mind wander. Watch cars go by, day dream about the shape of clouds. Breath deeply and allow yourself to simply be for a moment.
- Draw a picture or doodle.
- Shift mental gears by doing something (besides typing) with your hands. For me, this would be work on my wood sculpture for 10 minutes. For others, this could be laundry, taking out the garbage, vacuuming a room, peeling potatoes for dinner.
- Do a word search.
- Lay on the floor and stair up at the ceiling while calming yourself.
- Go outside and take a few deep breaths of fresh air.
- Take a short nap.
- Go for a brisk walk or run – a sprint even.
- Take a cold shower (not just reserved for hormone filled teenage boys!).
- Change your clothes; get out of your pyjamas and into clothes that gear you up for work.
- Drink a whole glass of water.
- Stretch out your muscles (yes, I would suggest getting out of your desk chair to do this).
- Set the mood of your writing area: lighting, music, a photo on your desk of your favourite vacation spot (your happy place), and a scented candle.
- Get away from your computer. Leave your office. Change scenery for a brief period of time.
Don’t
- Answer the phone if you are in the middle of a thought. Better yet, turn the ringer off. That’s what answering machines are for.
- Update social media.
- Check and respond to e-mail.
- Watch TV (It could turn into a longer break than you had anticipated).
- Eat junk food. Avoid artificial sugars and salts.
- Give in to negative self-talk.
I will very likely refer back to this list myself in the heat of the moment as I participate in the 3-Day Novel Contest while battling the block. If I come up with any more ideas I will be sure to post again.
Do you know any good techniques you’d like to add?
When trying to overcome writer’s block, the most important point of both the “Do’s” and “Don’ts” is to not give in to negative self talk. It truly is in the fragile ground of our mind where the batter over blockages is either won or lost. Maybe you do not even recognize your negative thoughts. They are subtle for sure.
Be attentive and listen to the messages you tell yourself. If you are genuinely a self-nurturing and self-encouraging person – good for you! If not and you start to realize the words you use that defeat your own mojo, come back to Artist Reborn tomorrow. I will be posting an uplifting list of positive affirmations for writers.
Don’t Stare Directly at Writer’s Block
With the 3-Day Novel Contest less than a week away writer’s block is already trying to psych me out. The contest is a 3 day challenge to write a novel at sonic speed. It takes place the September long weekend and provides the ultimate writing sprint. This is my first year participating so I don’t fully know what to expect.
Apart from the actual writing itself, my sneaky writer’s block already whispers in my ear:
- Your newborn will cluster feed and cry all weekend, you won’t be able to get anything done.
- Your two year old will miss you; she’ll bang on the office door and scream the undeniable call, “Mommmmmy!”
- You’ll grow lonely while all your family and friends are hanging out enjoying the last of the summer sun and eating tasty BBQ.
Then my writer’s block moves on to pre-emptive strikes against my writing process:
- There is not enough time – you are too much of a perfectionist.
- You don’t have enough experience. Who are you? You think you can write a novel?
- The plot you are imagining has holes.
- Your characters are flat.
- Your fingers can’t type fast enough!
- The jokes you write are only funny in your own head.
- If you chicken out, no one will know.
That’s the catch, though, I will know. I will know if I don’t give it my all or fail to finish the race. This scenario would mean defeat at the hands of my nemesis. I am aware of what I must do: Wage war on the writer’s block that attempts to floor me before the 3 days have even begun.
My technique leading up to the weekend: Don’t look writer’s block directly in the eye. If I distract myself from the practicalities and instead focus on preparations, day dream about my characters and lose myself in imaginings of plot and structure – then somehow I can actually avoid thinking about the writing itself, the part that really gets my nerves quivering.
I am sharing my fears and telling everyone I know that I am in the contest because I need the accountability. If I write about writer’s block here on my blog, somehow its evil whispers wither in power. I am choosing not to chicken out before or mid-race –but it helps to know that everyone else expects me to push through as well.
Please ask me, come next Tuesday, “How did it go?”
Over the next three days I will be posting ways to combat writer’s block. Check back for helpful ideas.
