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Tag Archives: procrastination
Flowing with “Unflow” in the writing process
In describing their productivity, writers often discuss the presence or lack of a ‘flow’ of words. There is a body of psychological theory and research, initially developed by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, that addresses the concept of flow in a general way, and … Continue reading
“You’ve had the power all along to return to Kansas…and write your novel.”
In the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz, when Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, informs Dorothy of her power, she isn’t referring to Dorothy’s writing block, but she could have been. Like a struggling writer who’s lost touch with … Continue reading
A blocked Paul Dano writes his girlfriend into existence in “Ruby Sparks.”
Armed with only a recurring dream about a marvelous girl and Eliot Gould for a shrink, Paul Dano manages to bust through a tenacious ‘second novel syndrome’ writer’s block in the movie Ruby Sparks. Unfortunately, he relapses, but fortunately, he starts … Continue reading
Good book for procrastinators: The Willpower Instinct, by Kelly McGonigal
For those of you who are postponing your writing, you may want to have a look at this book, The Willpower Instinct. The challenge is that somehow you have to muster up the willpower it takes to buy and read … Continue reading
Registration is now open for my fall class at Stanford; space is limited
Click this link to go to register for my upcoming class“Overcoming Writing Blocks and Procrastination” (EGL 96, Mondays, 6:30 – 8:45 pm) offered through Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program, Mondays, 6:30 – 8:45 pm 5 weeks, September 24 – October 22 1 unit(s), $260 … Continue reading
FDR, writing avoidance and the lizard brain
Sometimes when I contemplate facing a writing task I feel an agonizing resistance in my guts, without really understanding why. The most striking experience of this sort occurs when I am doing taxes or writing checks to pay bills. My … Continue reading
How success can mess with your writing routine
Success is challenging to some writers, and can actually lead to writing blocks of various sorts. You’d think that experiencing public acclaim, publication, best seller sales numbers or winning awards would feed a writer’s confidence and spur him or her … Continue reading
Watching New HD Flat Screen vs Writing Something
I just purchased a new gi-normous TV. I really had to get a new one, evidently, because we rearranged the furniture. What else could anyone do? Unfortunately, the quality is significantly better than the old TV. There is now a … Continue reading
The Wheel of Suffering: The Procrastination/Binge Writing Cycle: Summary of Blog Posts
In response to several inquiries, I am listing below the links to previous blog posts that explore the “Wheel of Suffering” for procrastinating writers. The basic concept of the wheel is that we perpetuate non-productive behaviors in a recurring, repetitive … Continue reading
