As a writer I am usually working on more than one project at a time. With three active projects on the go, I thought it would be fun to give you a sneek peek into how I get into the flow with each project – all of which require different parts of my brain. Here are the three projects.
- The 3rd book in the Get What You Want series
- A fiction novel
- And a memoir.
Ohhh and there’s a fourth project. I’m working with editor, Jennifer Upton, on building confidence to write a memoir. I find writing non-fiction, which are my current books, relatively easy to write because in a sense I’m teaching my readers what I would teach in my classrooms. But when it comes to non-fiction memoir writing, that is another kettle of fish. It requires a fiction structure, fiction storytelling with non-fiction content. I thought it would be relatively easy to just “tell my story” but I’ve found that it’s actually really difficult.
I was surprised at the many unexpected psychological blocks and inner conflicts that popped up. Yes, self-doubt and imposter syndrome were present, but when you try to tell a story from your memory, feelings of all kinds bubble up, and I found that they stifled my writing. I never got into the flow.
One way I have overcome this block is by free-writing. Every morning I get up, set a timer for 13 minutes and then just write. Some days it’ll be by hand, but most days it’s on my laptop, where I can literally just let the words flow and get whatever is blocking out of my head. Once I get back to that freeing feeling of writing, I know I’m in a good place to tackle the memoir stories again.
There are a number of techniques you can use to put yourself into that feeling of wanting to write. It’s a bit like pumping yourself up to go for a run or to do anything that’s a bit painful. Everyone’s motivation is different, so having a motivational prompt works wonders when you’re just not into the groove. A motivational prompt is a little physical “thing” that reminds you of what’s important and why you write. It could be a photograph, something from someone special, or a memorable trinket. Music is another good motivator, especially if you play a song from a specific time in your life to help you get back to that point. That’s helped me greatly to write stories for my memoir. Sometimes it’s may just take five minutes to do nothing but think or daydream to help spur on those writing feelings.
Simply taking actions, such as taking a walk or making a cup of tea, can also help you find space in your mind. Stretching or standing in a power pose can also help you find the confidence to get back into your writing groove. Whatever method you use, it’s the right one for you. Try different things on different days, as you never know when one will work wonders!
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