When You Need Help Writing, Do This

It will happen. At some point in your writing journey, you will get stuck. Call it writer's block, the Resistance, or laziness. Whatever the name, the point is this: It can keep you from doing the one thing you need to do. So when you need help writing, h

It will happen. At some point in your writing journey, you will get stuck. Call it writer's block, the Resistance, or laziness. Whatever the name, the point is this: It can keep you from doing the one thing you need to do. Which is what, exactly?

Photo credit: Xlibber (Creative Commons)

Ah yes. Writing. So what do you do when this enemy presents itself? How do you vanquish this dragon? Where does your help come from?

When you need help writing, here's what you do: Write anyway.

Write something. Anything. Don't edit or worry about it making sense. Just write.

Write for fun or out of discipline. Just do it.

Write something crazy or whimsical. It doesn't matter. Just put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard).

When it hurts, write.

When you're scared, write.

When the voices of self-sabotage and insecurity assail you... WRITE.

Be brave (even as you shake in your boots).

Face your fears — when you are sure they will consume you.

Just. Keep. Writing.

Because the world needs your words. More than you may realize or know.

This is the trick to a lifetime of writing: Don't think, just write.

Write as if your life depended on it. (It deoes.)

Write not for the sake of writing, but for having written.

Yes, this is hard. Yes, what you write may suck. But do it anyway.

It's not about love or passion. Not today. Right now, it's about showing up. Just to prove to yourself that you can.

Do it for five minutes or five hours. Don't think too hard or too much. You just need to teach your fingers to obey. Tell your mind to shut up and go.

This is about muscle memory, about developing a trainer's mindset. You can be brilliant another day. This is the day where you just go to work.

Okay, then. It's your turn. Time to start.

Ready? 

Let's go.

WRITE.

What do you do when you need help writing? Share in the comments.

*Photo credit: Xlibber (Creative Commons)