Thankfully, writer's block actually has nothing to do with the impossible to control muse. In this episode of my podcast for authors, Happy Write Now, we discuss how your self-care can impact your writing productivity.
Below you will find the transcript and show notes for Episode 3 of the HWN podcast. Share your thoughts on the episode in the comment form below. I'm excited to jump on this journey with you! What are your favorite mindset and writing podcasts? Let me know.
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Before I get into podcast #3 - I have a quote for you today. “Be courageous and try to write in a way that scares you a little.” - Holly Gerth.
Intro: Welcome to the Happy Write Now podcast. I am your host Rebecca Kelsey Sampson, an authorpreneur, fantasy and personal development author, and marketer. When I joined the writing community I saw how difficult it was for writers to say out loud that they were an author. I witnessed first hand the limiting beliefs we were fueling into each other. Through Happy Write Now my mission is to help authors fight those beliefs, claim their personal power, and take charge of their journey - publishing deal or not. If gaining mindset advice for your author life sounds good for you, pull up a chair at the table.
Welcome to episode three of HWN, AKA Happy Write Now. If we haven’t met before, my name is Rebecca. Are we friends yet on social media? Give me a follow @RebeccaKSampson.
In today’s episode we are discussing the illusive topic of writer's block. I’m probably going to take this episode in a direction you aren’t expecting, just a heads up.
If you are stuck in a writing slump or in writer's block, I’m here to tell you that it’s not about being inspired - it's about understanding yourself, your needs, and your habits. This is a journey that I am currently exploring as I get back into writing my fiction book.
Let’s start with one of the most common reasons for writer's block - you are burned out and need to re-evaluate your self care.
It’s very possible that you are not sleeping well. You may have stopped exercising and are eating bad food, so you are just tired. You could be a new mom or dad and need some time to address these new shifts in your life before you go back to writing. You are likely dehydrated because your liquid of choice is coffee. Put it down for a second and chug some water, okay? It’ll make you feel great I promise.
Take a few days to yourself to address those needs and to start building in those habits again. You’ll feel refreshed and ready to write again.
The second reason you may not be writing is because you don’t understand your habits and what makes you feel productive and inspired. This is something I am also getting to know about myself.
I’m an ambivert, about 70% of the time I am this very excitable extraverted person that needs human interaction and wants to run her own business. The other 30% of the time I feel the need to be alone to recharge. When I feel that more introverted version of myself, I’m typically not on social media and I want my surroundings to be really quiet. When I’m introverted, I’m usually writing. When I try to write when I’m feeling extroverted, I get easily distracted and get only half of what I need to do done. When I’m writing and I’m all alone, it’s a lot easier for me to bust out higher word counts.
Since I discovered this about myself, I’ve been able to readjust my expectations and base my goals for the day on how I’m feeling. Then when I slip into the more rare introverted Rebecca, I also know immediately that I need to take advantage of it and take out my computer to write.
Thinking about the times where you have been the most productive, what did all of those days have in common? And on the days that you had the hardest time, what was the common denominator? Knowing how you work best will help you set yourself up for success.
If you aren’t sure where to start, I recommend taking the Myer’s Briggs personality test. The sections on strengths and weaknesses for your personality really helped me gain some perspective on how I could be more productive and build in accountability into my goals so that I could help myself.
Another way you may be forcing yourself is by doing what you THINK you have to do as a writer rather than doing what is best for you as a writer. For example, some people need to outline every single scene in their book in detail before they start. Other people need only a general outline of each act. Keep trying different methods until something clicks with you. Don’t force yourself into doing something a certain way because that’s how your favorite author does it.
Understanding your physical and emotional needs and then understanding how you feel the most productive and inspired through analyzing your own habits - creates a world where it is impossible for you to get writers block.
I’m not saying I have it all down yet, but I am saying that focusing on it from these lenses has significantly improved my productivity and my overall writing happiness as well.
Outro: Thank you so much for listening today. To get the most out of HWN, join the newsletter. It comes with author freebies and a Members Only page. Subscribe now at https://www.RebeccaKSampson.com/Join
It will be linked in the show notes.
If what you heard today resonated with you, please share this episode on social media. Take a screenshot right now and tag me on Instagram and Twitter. My username is @RebeccaKSampson. As you know, reviews help authors and that is no different here. Leave a review on your favorite podcast app to help spread the word. I’ll talk to you soon!
Intro and outro music by: Ikson - Stardust