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Hellooo, everybody! Thoday I'm talking about the single biggest pain in the
ass when it comes to writing, and that is writer's block. For those who have been living under a rock,
writer's block is kinda like constipation of the brain. You just can't think of what
to write next. Or maybe you can, you just don't really know how to write it. Now,
a lot of people recommend different ways for combating writer's block, like going for a run,
or deep breathing. But most of these things are stupid and produce no results whatsoever.
So rather than spout off a bunch of gimmicks, I'm gonna hit you with the hard truth about writer's
block. Because brutal honesty is kind of my thing. Here are my five steps for combating writer's
block for people who are actually serious about getting back to work. Number One (1): Understand
that it's normal. A lot of writers tell me about their writer's block, and they're always convinced
that it's somehow exclusive to them. “You don't don't understand, Jenna. I have a really weird,
obscure version of writer's block. Like, it's super rare.” What the fuck are you talking
about? It's a completely normal part of the writing process. Your block is not special.
And the culprit behind writer's block is usually pretty mundane. Sometimes it stems from laziness,
other times it's anxiety. But most of the time, it's just insecurity. You don't trust yourself,
and you're scared to produce crap. So instead of convincing yourself that your writer's block
is somehow unique or extreme, just acknowledge the fact that this happens to everyone, because
blowing it out of proportion will only fuel your insecurity. “I wanted to write today. It's just,
I have a severe strain of chronic writer's block. It spread from my outline, all the way
to my inciting incident. Doctors aren't sure if there’s a cure.” Hate to break it to you,
but no one feels bad for you. You're being a wuss. Number Two (2): Take ownership. Sometimes writers
blame their writer's block on their muse or their characters. Which makes total sense,
because whenever I have an issue, I always blame it on shit that doesn't exist today. “Did I sleep
through my alarm again? You know who's at fault here? Unicorns.” Your writer's block is not on
your make believe characters, it's on you. Remember, nothing is actually blocking you,
assuming you have access to a computer or paper, you are perfectly able to write. This nonsense
is 100% in your head. So stop pinning your block on forces beyond your control. When you do this,
you're giving yourself permission to admit defeat. “Well, my muse has forsaken me. Guess I'll just go
work in a cubicle and hate my life. What can you do?” Instead take ownership of the problem and
reclaim control. Your brain is being an asshole, and you gotta correct that shit real quick. Number
Three (3): Your rituals are bullshit. Sometimes you'll hear writers talk about rituals they have
to perform before they get to writing. And if they skip this act, instant writer's block. “I
didn't put exactly three teaspoons of sugar in my coffee this morning. So, I can't write today. My
mojo is outta whack.” Other times writers will recommend specific tips or tricks in order to
overcome writer's block. “Got writer's block? Have you tried drinking water with lemon? Or watching a
rerun of your favorite TV show? Or humming a song while taking a shit?” Real talk, 90% of the time
these gimmicks are bullshit. Even worse, they're usually just excuses to procrastinate. “I can't
write today. I haven't sacrificed a male virgin to the writing gods, or drank his blood while bathing
in the light of the full moon.” I've seen writers suggest taking a nap, talking on the phone,
or fuck it taking the whole day off. Have you ever finished a book? Do you get paid to write? Yeah,
I didn't think so. Instead of relying on cheap gimmicks to get you inspired, acknowledge them for
what they are: excuses. You're dragging your feet. It's time to cut the crap and get it to work.
Number Four (4): Consistency is your friend. If you're hoping your writer's block will magically
fix itself and inspiration will just suddenly come to you, you're probably an idiot. In fact,
waiting to be inspired to write is a surefire way to get nothing accomplished at all. A lot
of successful authors agree, if you wanna make writing a career, you don't wait for inspiration,
you write consistently. Make writing a habit, make it a part of your normal routine. And not
only will this help you be more productive, it'll also significantly decrease your odds of writer's
block. If you train your mind to focus on your story every single day, it won't matter if you're
unmotivated or insecure, writing is now a pivotal part of your routine it needs to get done. It
takes a lot of repetition to turn an activity into a habit. But once this happens, you will
feel compelled to write on a near daily basis. And writer's block will become a very rare occurrence.
So if you haven't reached the point where missing a day or two of writing feels very unnatural,
you're not being consistent enough. Train your brain to do the work, and watch your writer's
block fade away. And Number Five (5) Just write. I know you've already tried all the bullshit tricks,
but the truth is, the only guaranteed way to overcome writer's block is to write. “But Jennaaa,
I don't know if my ideas are any good.” So right ‘em and find out. “But Jennaaa, I don't know where
to start.” Puttin’ your fingers on the keyboard and pressing the button sounds like a reasonable
place to me. “But Jennaaa—” Hey you, how about a little less this, and a little more than this. At
the end of the day, you will never get out of your writing slump unless you write something. A Lot of
writer's block stems from the need to be perfect, to write flawless prose on your very first
try. But that's literally never going to happen. Your first draft is probably going to suck. You
need to be okay with writing shit, because at least shit is something. You can work with shit.
You can edit it again and again, until that turd is beautiful. And really, what’s the worst that
can happen? Say everything you wrote is garbage, completely unusable. What's the big deal? You do
know there's a delete button on your keyboard, right? Poof! All the suckage disappears. It's
magic! And I know writing while you're blocked can feel exhausting. The first few paragraphs, or even
the first few pages can be unbearable. But believe it or not, writing a book is hard sometimes. Who
would have thought? Bottom line: stop getting in your own way, and start writing. Doesn't matter
if it's difficult, doesn't matter if it's bad, because a crappy first draft is a whole lot easier
to work with than a blank page. So there you have it. Those are my five steps for handling writer's
block. Your characters aren't to blame, you are in control, and that means you have the power to fix
this. All you have to do is roll up your sleeves, clench your butt cheeks, and get to work. Most of
the time making that attempt is all it takes to work your way out of the slump. With that said,
don't forget to subscribe to my channel. I post new videos on Wednesdays. Eve: The Awakening is
still available in ebook and paperback on Amazon right now. You can also order a signed copy,
all the links are listed below. And if you have any questions or if there's something you'd
like me to talk about in my next video, be sure to tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye!