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Why writer's block doesn't exist
A simple mindset shift that will change your year
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Writer’s block.
It’s one of the most common problems people face when they’re building a writing habit (and even seasoned writers still face it).
They know they should write, but they just don’t “feel it.”
They words aren’t coming.
The motivation isn’t present.
The idea isn’t coming to fruition.
On and on and on.
Here’s a harsh truth:
“Writer’s block” is simply an excuse for not doing the work.
You may push back against that, and that’s fine.
But I want to share a quick story.
I was a journalism major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
One of my favorite journalism professors was a guy named Chris Roush.
Chris is a great business journalist and professor (he’s now the Dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University).
On one of the first days of class, he stood in front of the room — in front of all of us young, cocky, aspiring writers — and set us straight.
“There’s no such thing as writer’s block,” he said. “There’s no truck driver’s block. There’s no dentist’s block. There’s no teacher’s block.
“There’s no writer’s block. Writers write.”
Period.
See, Chris was a professional.
We were amateurs learning how to be professionals.
And Chris knew that if we were ever going to become a worthy professional, the first thing we needed was a professional mindset.
Not better grammar.
Not reporting skills.
Not storytelling skills.
Not ideation frameworks.
Not a critical editor’s eye.
Mindset.
Writers write.
No excuses.
Here we are on the first Monday of 2023.
There’s a reason I’m sharing this story today.
And the reason is this:
As we begin the New Year, all of you want to become better writers, build audiences, build businesses, support your communities, lead your teams or any number of other things writing can help with.
You’re probably feeling excited and motivated about the year ahead, which is great.
But I assure you, at some point — probably before the end of January — the process of creating every day will get difficult.
You will feel “writer’s block.”
And that’s when you need tools to go back to.
That is when mindset counts.
You can achieve your goals this year.
But it will take ditching the mindset of an amateur and building the mindset of a professional.
You can do it, and I’m here to help.
Action item
I have two simple action items for you to start the year:
Never again believe you have “writer’s block”
When you do feel “writer’s block,” here’s what I want you to do:
Set a timer for 10 minutes.
Start writing. ANYTHING.
Write “I’m not sure what to write, but I’m going to write anyway” if you can’t think of anything else.
Write in bullet points. That’s a little trick for your brain since it seems like outlining, not “writing.”
When those 10 minutes are up, you can stop if you’d like.
I promise you more times than not, though, this will get you out of the funk and get momentum going.
Save this tool somewhere on your phone where you can reference it.
Anytime you feel “writer’s block” this year, pull it out and get going.
Work with Teddy
When you're ready, there are a couple ways I can support you:
Single-session 1:1 coaching: I offer a few single-session coaching slots for those who want help with writing, audience building or social media strategy. BOOK HERE.
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Thanks for reading.