If you’re like me, there comes that moment when you loathe what you’ve written.
You read what poured out on the page in a meteor shower of inspiration. And then everything that felt glittering and brilliant just yesterday now feels trite. Flat. Messy. Implausible.
We read our favorite books and think, Jeez, I’ll never write like that. My work’s no good. I’m no good.
This is our inner spoiler talking. And it’s inherent in any act of creation.
In today’s episode of Writer Unleashed, I’m going to give you 5 strategies to put your spoiler in its place and get out of the funk.
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Big Takeaways
The 3 Creative Roles We Move Through [01:54]
We all have our dreamer, our realist, and our spoiler, the editor. Our dreamer paves the way for our biggest breakthroughs. This when we’re on fire. Unstoppable.
Then our realist steps in and says, let’s change this. Let’s tighten that scene, cut this one, make the dialogue crisper, make this character more complex and interesting. In this stage of our process, the writing still feels good. We’re excited about what we’re creating and revise with energy.
But then our editor steps in. Yep, our spoiler. This is where we’re hypercritical of everything on the page. It’s where we start hating everything we write. It’s also where we start editing everything back into the silence it came from.
And here’s something that might surprise you. The more writing skill we acquire, the louder our spoiler.
So what can we do so that our spoiler doesn’t run the show?
Take A Break From the Work at Hand [4:46]
Step away from your computer. Change channels completely. Go for a walk, turn up your Spotify playlist. Go salsa dancing. Just change your physiology. Walking, by the way, is one of the best ways to beat writer’s block. It clears your mind and recharges your creative fuel. So, whenever you loathe what you’ve written, go for a walk. Trust me, it works.
But whether you take 20 minutes, a few days, or a few weeks, trust that when you come back to your story, you’ll be in a better state to love what you wrote, while having enough objectivity to see what needs work. And you’ll be in a better state of mind to revise.
Read [6:52]
Often when we hit a block in our work, it’s because we’re missing some essential technique or element of craft. Reading something that inspires you, whether it’s from an author you admire, or a book on craft can often be the jump start we need. It can also present you with a solution to a thorny struggle you’re wrestling with in your own story.
Free-write [08:35]
Give up this idea that your writing must be perfect. Let it be bad, let it be gibberish…just let it rip.
Write where the energy is. You’re blocked? Great. Write about that. Explore that. Then extract the gems. There will always be gems if you stay with your free write long enough.
Carry a Notebook [10:08]
Any notebook will do. Slip it in your back pocket. Or your purse. You’re not just a writer when you’re at your desk writing. Part of being a writer is thinking like a writer. It’s paying attention and observing the world around you. A notebook allows you to capture and collect all that strikes you as interesting about the world around you.
Get Feedback From A Trusted Reader or Mentor [11:47]
I’m stressing trusted here. Because you should only believe feedback when it comes from someone who’s truly rooting for you.
Your trusted reader will shine a light on where your story is beautiful, moving, and powerful and remind you of your superpowers. And yes, we all have em.
Your superpowers are so innate, you probably aren’t aware of them. Having a trusted reader reminds you of who you are is one of the best ways I know of to feel good about your writing again.
Quote
“The greater the artist, the greater the doubt. Perfect confidence is granted to the less talented as a consolation prize.” ~ Robert Hughes
Over to you…
What are some ways you get out of a writing funk?