You Don't Have Writer's Block. You Have the Opposite Problem.

There are probably more than one million and one articles on how to overcome Writer's Block. 

Typically, the essays or listicles are a variation of "How can I overcome Writer's block? Oh, I know, write about Writer's Block." 

Writing about Writer's block does not count for writing. 

You have to write. Actually write!

Most people have lived incredible lives, and their heads are full of stories ready to be told, but having too many stories can cause paralysis.

I think most creative people struggle with the opposite of Writer's block.

The opposite of Writer's block is too many stories to work on and too many ideas to develop, and each of those has too many intricacies and too many details, not knowing where to start or fearing that an essay would be too long, we don't even get going on it.

There are several variations to this phenomenon, some of which people call analysis paralysis or choice overload. Because this applies specifically to stories, I like to call it 'story paralysis.'

Some names involving drinking from a fire hydrant would've been good, too. But it would not have been representative of what happens if you are drinking from a fire hydrant. At least some droplets of water are bound to penetrate your body. Meanwhile, story paralysis could prevent you from writing even one word.

I suffer from this every time I sit down to write. That's why I always go back to structure.

The structure keeps me honest and focused.

I jot down some guiding posts: my attention-getter and three points. If I have an attention-getter, I know I have a callback because I typically like to use it to make the story feel rounded. 

And then, I start writing flows. I will talk about flows at some other point, basically it is writing without stopping for short periods of time.

Several things happen when you do this. You realize that you are still not talking about everything you want to talk about. And that is a struggle you will have to work through and might never fully resolve. 

However, it is important to recognize the constraints of a short story.

You might not be able to tell it all, but right now, right at this moment, you are able to write this one story, and if you are so lucky to be alive tomorrow, then you will be able to work on that one, too.

Once you have set a few boundaries for yourself, you have to honor them and write freely. Then come back with your editor hat on and polish it. 

This acknowledgment of story paralysis and this artificial constraint created to help you get moving is a change of mindset that requires a lot of humility; the humility to admit that even though there is an entire mountain you want to build out of your writing, you can only pick up a couple of pebbles in your pocket and take them back to your yay-high pile. 

If you've always wanted to carve out time early in the morning for a writing routine, join me next week for my webinar, "Wake Up & Write."

I'll be going live on Zoom on Thursday, May 8th, at 9 AM Pacific Time. I'll cover the habits you need to create a morning routine. I will include all the tricks and hacks I've discovered to consistently wake up at 5 in the morning over the last fifteen years. If you have any questions, reply to this email.