Hey folks, We’re kicking off the new Tumblemoose year with a guest post from Josh – The World’s Strongest Librarian. You remember him, don’t you?
When you get that initial urge to start writing—whether you’re going to write the Great American Novel or the Blog To End All Blogs—the excitement is almost uncontainable.
I’ve been there. It’s a great feeling.
Maybe you sit down and start blasting out a masterpiece out 90 words per minute. For a while things are just as great as you thought they would be. After all, the muse is calling you!
Then…you inevitably…hit…the wall…or maybe you are one of the lucky ones who never get there. If so, please don’t tell me. I don’t want to have to kill you so soon after meeting.
When the white-hot passion and excitement of the initial inspiration fades, it’s suddenly time to punch the clock. It’s easy to have grand, romantic notions about yourself when The Muse has you by the throat.
This is why most writing never goes anywhere: nobody likes to punch the clock. Romantic it ain’t.
Three ways you can go at this point
1. Grit your teeth and keep going
Books are made of pages. Pages are made of paragraphs. Paragraphs are made of sentences. Sentences are made of words. Words are made of letters. Letters come from your pen, pencil, or keyboard. Before you can use your pen, pencil, or keyboard, you have to sit down in a chair (unless you write standing).
One…letter…at…a…time…that’s how books, blogs, and ad copy gets written.
Sit down and write. That is the only way. And if you still feel the need to romanticize what you’re doing, just tell yourself that your suffering is “transcendent” and “resplendent.” Tell yourself that you’re a tortured artist.
Slowly, your dedication becomes a habit. Your habits serve your purpose. Then your purpose gets accomplished. That’s romantic enough for me.
2. Learn More About Writing – Do Some Research
This is an invaluable activity and an insidious trap. Few books at the library check out more often than books about how to write. I send them off with hopeful authors and know that while that book is being read, no writing is getting done.
If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s Holier Than Thou. Especially not Thou, dear reader. You do have to do research. You should learn about your craft. But be careful and be honest. It’s so easy to feel like reading about writing is writing.
Sorry, but no.
Remember: writing is letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, and pages.
Commit to a daily amount of writing work. I’ve learned more about writing by kicking out one page a day than by reading every writing book out there.
Nothing but writing is writing. That’s a fact, and sometimes it’s a sad one.
3. Give up or jump into a new project
Sometimes you have to start one project to become inspired. Then you find out, “Oh, I was really supposed to be writing about that!” In that instance, it’s okay to jump ship.
Otherwise, I believe that changing projects is a different way to give up. Punching the clock is how things get done. It’s not always exciting, but there is something wonderful about developing productive habits. The power to get things done and make things happen is a writer’s best friend.
If you want something bad enough, you will do it. It’s easy to say you want to write.
Do you really want to write? Do you really?
I hope so. Now let’s get after it!
Josh Hanagarne
Get Stronger, Get Smarter, Live Better…Every Day
About the Author: Josh Hanagarne writes World’s Strongest Librarian, a blog with advice about coping with Tourette’s Syndrome, book recommendations, buying pants when you’re 6’8”, old-time strongman training, kettlebells, and so much more. Please subscribe to Josh’s RSS Updates and Stronger, Smarter, Better Newsletter to stay in touch.
George, thanks for running the post. That picture made me smile. You know you’ve made it when you’re up on the Roosevelt Hotel:)
.-= Josh Hanagarne´s last blog ..Aliens And Avocados =-.
‘Tis a pleasure having you here, Mr. Josh. It’s a great post.
Have a fantastic day!
George
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Hi Josh and George,
Thanks for these tips! My favorite way to climb over the wall is to run away. I put down my tools and take an exercise break: running in the forest or doing an hour of Pilates.
If the wall is due to fatigue or lack of sleep, then it’s really simple: I nap. I guess how you get over the wall depends in part on what made the wall go up.
For me, hitting the wall usually means it’s time to stop writing……but not for good. Just for the moment.
Laurie
.-= The Adventurous Writer´s last blog ..Script Writing Tips for Screenplays and Screenwriters =-.
Laurie, I’m the same way. Nothing clears your head like a physical challenge that forces your mind away from writing. Solid advice. You must be a genius! Is it nice? It looks nice.
.-= Josh Hanagarne´s last blog ..Aliens And Avocados =-.
Great post, Josh! I love this: “One…letter…at…a…time…that’s how books, blogs, and ad copy gets written.”
That’s a drum I’m constantly beating. Like everything else in life, writing is more about perspiration than inspiration.
You seem to be turning up with guest posts everywhere these days, btw. Kudos to George for letting this one go up!
.-= Bob Younce at the Writing Journey´s last blog ..Business Tips for Writers =-.
You picked out the same line I was going to quote, Bob.
I used to jump back and forth between projects, a lot. Read as almost constantly, and I kept ending up just jogging in place with my nose pressed to the wall. It took a long time to learn to just plow on through. Sometimes what you write at those times is garbage, but it can be rewritten into something great once you’ve gotten over the wall.
Great post.
.-= A. B. England´s last blog ..Planning by Month =-.
A.B., I’ve sadly come to accept the oft-stated maxim that writiis rewriting. But you’re absolutely write. First you make the mess–then you can clean it up.
thanks for the kind words.
.-= Josh Hanagarne´s last blog ..Aliens And Avocados =-.
Bob, thanks! Keep banging that drum. It’s one of the few absolute truths I know.
.-= Josh Hanagarne´s last blog ..Aliens And Avocados =-.
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A must read for those who already feels lazy about their blogs. I had been a lazy blogger twice, but I still survived. There were times that I cannot think of anything to share or whatsoever. Then I learned that it is because I let the feeling of excitement pass away before hitting the keyboard. So now, whenever something happens, I will sit, and start typing one letter at a time
.-= madz´s last blog ..Final Destination =-.
Madz: I find that if I can just type one sentence, it usually prompts another. But that blinking cursor can get to be a very heavy burden some days. The only way to make it vanish it to write!
Hey Josh, you give good good stuff, and you’re funny to boot! Love it. Do you think, when we hit the wall, our Muse is amused? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
.-= Jeanne´s last blog ..“New Age” Spirituality? =-.
Don’t forget about the tried-and-true technique – simply tell yourself, I can DO this and I will DO this and nothing will STOP me FROM doing THIS!
It’s a mantra nowadays for me.
.-= Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..9/11/01 – Remembering 8 years ago =-.
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Hey george and josh!!
Interesting take…
I’ve tried the brute force bashing through the wall thing. Duddn’t work too well.
I find it’s far easier to change the way you’re feeling. You can write sometimes but not now, now there’s a “wall”… okay. What’s different? The difference is how you’re feeling. Maybe you haven’t written in a while and you feel you’re outta the zone or put unnecessary pressure on yourself or whatever…
So I find it helps to get up, jump around, do some exercise, eat something, do something that inspires you – beaches, mountains and adventures recommended – and change the way you feel.
The whole wall thing, to me, is really just a problem in the way you’re seeing things. A brick wall looks massive – like it’s your entire universe – if your eyes are pressed right up against it. Take a step back and realise that the wall is tiny.
You don’t have to walk through a wall if you can walk around it
Keep well lads
Alex – unleash reality
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I love this post, Josh! I don’t know a single writer who, at some point, hasn’t hit a wall or too. (Love!!! the title of the post! So creative!). You’ve shared some great insights here AND introduced me to a great writing blog. Thanks, Josh!!
.-= Positively Present´s last blog ..words to live by: just wanna be happy =-.
I’m also a huge fan of Josh’s writing. Thanks for an excellent posting. I think we learn more about writing when reading many different authors with different writing styles. I find that this is how I hone my craft…there’s always a writer, published or not, that blows your mind. And that helps me aspire to better writing.
.-= Beth L. Gainer´s last blog ..Putting the Bipedal to the Mettle =-.
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This is positively accurate and beautifully put. Excellent piece.
.-= Clarisa Brown´s last blog ..Balloon Boy and the Red Balloon =-.
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Hi George. Thanks for bringing Josh aboard to do some of the heavy lifting today.
This so-called writer’s “wall” or “block” is, like all other syndromes, a kind of nebulous guess (instead of a real scientific diagnosis) by those supposedly in the know. I agree with Josh on his three points.
But this wall thingy is just an excuse, a self-fulfilling prophesy that overworked/underpaid writers fall back on. Time and again.
I mean, what if other professions THAT ARE PUT UP ON PEDESTALS, would talk like us whiny writers:
“Dear, I’m not going into work today to do that eye surgery. I’ve hit the wall!”
“Coach, I feel kinda icky today so I won’t be able to quarterback in today’s Super Bowl!”
“Gunny, I think I just hit the wall. I’m sleepin’ in. You Marines cover for me!”
I think you get the picture.
Writers are such an angst-filled bunch! Throwing up walls where none need be.
Friends, I read a LOT of blogs and other electronic copy, and many folks who claim to be writers should not be writing!
If it’s not one thing, then it’s another.
A wise writing mentor advised that to be a successful wordsmith, one needs alligator skin. Not lambskin.
Many who write are terrified of the simple truth that writing is a BUSINESS. As such, a real writer needs to school him/herself in the delicate art of sales — the art of the “deal.” Otherwise, your copy will just sit there. Unread. Un-paid-for. Unprofessional.
All writers, especially bloggers, need to be paragons of the English language and all its subtleties.
How’s your spelling? How about that manuscript that just sits there, mocking you, rejected by publishing houses whose troopers slice your prose and dice your ad copy.
That’s where all these walls are coming from! Fear.
Writers are often much too insecure for their chosen craft. And much too dependent on the wiles of others to help them break out from oblivion.
True writers are those who tear down illusory barriers to the boundless flow of true creativity.
Josh.
George.
Tumblemoosers all!
Let’s all promise to rise up and kick the ass of this phantom, this overworked fallback position, this box that has held too many back from making it to the BIG TIME.
Josh, we need more like you! We need to raise up some World’s Strongest Writers instead of coddling 97-pound weakling writers whose first instinct may be to retreat or who wring their collective hands when things don’t go as they have so carefully outlined.
Writing success is not an entitlement. It takes hard work. Extreme self-discipline. Time management skill. And a boatload of brass cajones to lay bare on paper or the electronic page one’s inner soul to an often cynical world.
(I can see my kilted brother George making like a crazy man from the wings, something about bandwidth or whatever.)
It’s just that this wall thing is ….
Wayne C. Long
Writer/Editor/Digital Publisher
http://www.LongShortStories.com
Where the Short Story LIVES!