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- When enthusiastic feedback activates writer’s block
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Tag Archives: writing productivity
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
Nature Abhors a Vacuum…Is This Why Writing Blocks Suck?
If we are to believe Greek scientist Parmenides who posited the theory horror vacui (nature abhors a vacuum) in 485 BC, then, ergo, nature must also dislike a writing block, which is a word vacuum. This is good news. It’s … Continue reading
Another blocked writer is cured by a blond actress in ‘The Best Man’
It’s the same old story: a boy writer gets big advance for his promising first novel, develops writers block, becomes a klutz, and subsequently can’t pee in public restrooms. Then klutz boy meets pretty girl and falls in love, but … Continue reading
What ‘freewriting’ can do for you
In a recent class I taught, “Overcoming Writing Blocks,” several of the students found the freewriting exercises to be helpful. This term, ‘freewriting’, was popularized by Peter Elbow (see video above) in his book Writing Without Teachers. Here is his description of … Continue reading
Will Rogers vs Heraclitus……(part deux)
(continued from previous post; 8/3o) ~Challenging life experiences: Difficult memories, poor training and traumas. Through the impact of past experiences you may have incorporated unhelpful beliefs about yourself as a writer, or been conditioned to fear or avoid writing. These issues … Continue reading
Not so elementary, Watson: Sleuthing the origins of writing problems
Regarding writing productivity problems, I believe it was Sherlock Holmes who said,”It’s not so elementary, my dear Watson.” If he did not say these precise words, he should have. As with any unsolved mystery, sometimes we need to study the … Continue reading
Jason Schwartzman succumbs to Second Novel Syndrome in “Bored to Death.”
In the HBO series Bored to Death, we have another blocked writer protagonist getting into trouble, week after week. Jason Schwartzman, like David Duchovney in Californication, plays a blocked writer who overdoes it on the drugs and alcohol, has been dumped by the girl he … Continue reading
Isaac Asimov wrote 500+ books. Did he do it just to make me feel bad?
Isaac Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, with a book count of over 500 as well as countless articles, letters, and short stories. Why did he have to do this? Did he think the rest of … Continue reading
Buddhist mindfulness meditation might help your writing productivity, but it’s easy to procrastinate about meditating too
Numerous western writers have been inspired in their work by Buddhism. The list includes authors Gary Snyder, Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginzburg, Natalie Goldberg, Robert Pirzig, Alan Watts, Peter Mathiessen…and many more. Whatever connection these authors found between Buddhism and their … Continue reading
