Title: Overcoming writer's block without willpower: in a modern world full of distractions, writer's block may just be at an all-time high. Here's a look at why our brains freeze, and what we can do about it
Author(s): Mike Bechtle
Source: Writer's Digest. 92.8 (November-December 2012): p24.
Document Type: Article
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 F+W Media, Inc.
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Full Text:

I've had writer's block since 1974.

Not all the time, of course, but its' been a regular visitor since I started writing professionally. I've spent hours with my fingers motionless on a keyboard, waiting for inspiration. When nothing happens, I escape into email, solitaire or the fridge, hoping the muse will be there when I return. I dust my office plants, make labels for file folders and read inspirational quotes about the writing life.

The muse doesn't come.

I've read dozens of articles about how to get the inspiration back. One popular author said she gets motivated when her checking account balance is low. Another said you can't wait for inspiration, any more than you'd call your boss and say, "I'm not coming in; I have worker's block."

That made it worse. I felt like Rex, the dinosaur in Toy Story who said, "Great. Now I have guilt!" Even with all that expert advice, I still couldn't get the words on the page. I'd try to muster up willpower, but it was always short-lived.

That led to the only logical conclusion: I was the problem. If I were a "real" writer, I would have the discipline to persevere, no matter what. Willpower would be my default setting. When I got stuck, I would just power through to literary success.

Sound familiar?

The Problem With Willpower
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Occasionally, we all have one of those great days when we're "in the zone." Words and ideas flow freely and we think, I did it! I'm inspired! But the next morning we have trouble walking upright or forming multisyllabic words. We thought the muse had moved in, but it turned out to be a one-night stand ending with a note that says, 'I'll call you sometime" Willpower always seems to be the obvious solution. Whenever were stuck, we try to use willpower to get the juices flowing again. We experiment with techniques that are supposed to make us more disciplined, and sometimes they work for a while. But soon, we're playing "Angry Birds" instead of creating chapters.

Here's the problem with willpower: It's limited.

In their book Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, researchers Chip Heath and Dan Heath share the results of their revealing study that found we have a finite amount of willpower available. Simply put, when we use it up by resisting a chocolate doughnut all morning, there's none left to stay disciplined in our writing an hour later. The "willpower tank" has to refill before we can use it again.

So if we use up our willpower for anything, it will be hard to be disciplined in everything else for a while.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Discipline vs. Distraction

We're living--and writing--in a different world than we were 10 years ago. We used to be interrupted once or twice an hour by the phone or a visitor. The mail came once a day. It didn't take up our willpower reserves just to stay focused on a task.

Today, daily life is more like standing in a hurricane. Cell phones make us accessible 24/7. Mail comes electronically and constantly, often several times a minute--and announces its arrival with a ping from our laptop, tablet or smartphone. We're surrounded by sound in our car, in our office, at the gas pump, and everywhere else through texting, tweeting and social media. What used to be a gentle breeze of information has turned into a Category 5 storm, and we're focused on survival instead of productivity.

Traditional approaches to writer's block call for more discipline. That might have worked when conditions were calm. But it's tough to maintain our creativity and focus when trees are blowing by the window.

The problem used to be discipline; now, it's distraction.

Technology makes our lives easier, but it also makes it easier to lose focus. Every time we try to concentrate, something buzzes or rings and snatches our attention. When doing something mundane such as standing in line, there used to be nothing to do but think--and we all know how much of the creative work of writing can be done at those times. But now, when we're waiting our turn to unload our groceries onto the belt, we grab our phone to see what's happening. We've trained our brains to spend every available moment reacting to what's coming at us instead of choosing what we think about. And the consequences for those of us who rely on our creative processes can be significant.

Reacting vs. Creating

Creating words takes concentration. If we've trained ourselves to react to everything that makes "noise" distraction becomes our default setting. When we're stuck trying to craft a sentence, our minds go to that default setting-the path of least resistance.

We've rewired our brains to stop choosing our thoughts. That's bad news for writers.

That rewiring process has been well-documented in brain research. Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of CrazyBusy, has treated attention deficit disorder for years. He suggests that many people in today's world have the symptoms of ADD: distractibility, impulsivity, restlessness, disorganization, trouble planning and procrastination. But his research has shown that many of those patients simply have "a severe case of modern life."

There are two parts of our brain: the creative part and the reactive part. The reactive part makes automatic decisions. It helps us go through our morning routine without a checklist, or run from an angry dog without deciding if it's the right thing to do. The creative part is where we plan, process information, weigh options and create solutions.

The problem comes when we get them mixed up. When we constantly react to incoming stimuli, we train our reactive brain to take over decision-making. The creative brain gives way to the reactive brain, and we get distracted.

When we're constantly distracted, it impacts our writing. That's why willpower doesn't work; it doesn't take the hurricane into account. It's like saying, "I just need to hang on."

Here's the good news: We can rewire our brain back to where it belongs. And by following some simple strategies that take the realities of modern life into account, we can do it without using up our willpower reserves in the process.

Rewiring Our Creative Brains

We have two options for getting back in control and conquering writer's block:

1. We can limit the distractions.

2. We can change the way we handle the distractions.

The hurricane is real. Until we accept that reality and find ways to handle it, we'll remain victims of circumstance. We can't just rely on willpower to overcome inertia in our writing; we have to be more proactive.

Productivity techniques are valuable tools for overcoming writer's block, but only when they are based on the reality of the distractions in our lives. We need practical solutions that help us rewire our brains in the process.

Brain-Friendly Ways to Limit Distractions

* DON'T START YOUR DAY BY CHECKING YOUR EMAIL OR PHONE. When you do, your agenda is set by the requests of others (reactive) instead of your own priorities (decisive). Instead, make your writing the first work you do each morning. Tony Schwartz, founder of The Energy Project and author of Be Excellent at Anything, says, "That's typically when you have the most energy and the fewest distractions. Build this practice into a ritual, and you'll take the choice out of it." That's doubly important because when something becomes a habit, it no longer dips into your willpower supply.

* LIMIT YOUR INFORMATION INPUT. In an attempt to stay "current" and, ironically, to seek out inspiration, writers often spend an above-average amount of time watching the news, reading the paper, browsing the Web and listening to talk radio. Those aren't bad in themselves. But the more you take in, the more mental clutter you have to sort through. Like sitting down to eat at a restaurant with a 20-page menu, you can get paralyzed with so many good choices. When it comes to your daily info intake, aim for quality instead of quantity.

* DON'T TAKE YOUR PHONE TO BED. Undistracted sleep at night is essential for staying focused during the day. It's also the best way to invite your creative process to continue as you rest. As you're drifting off, refrain from thinking about anything that keeps you wound up--text messages, even that hole in your plot. The brain processes information automatically at night.

* PLAN YOUR WEEK BEFORE IT BEGINS. Put appointments for writing on your calendar, and treat them as you would any other meeting. If someone says, "Want to go out for coffee tomorrow morning?" and it's a scheduled writing time, just say, "I'm sorry--I have a commitment. But I'm free for lunch; would that work?"

* CHECK EMAIL AND SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS ONLY AT SET TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. If you check messages as they arrive, you're losing momentum in your writing. "But what if it's an emergency, you say. I've noticed that most people don't email when they have a true crisis. They'll find a better way of reaching you.

* KEEP A NOTEBOOK WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES TO CAPTURE THOUGHTS AS THEY COME. You've heard this tip before--but there's science behind it. Our brains are made for processing, not for storing. Jotting down ideas when they come--whether they're story fodder or distracting worries--will get them out of your mind. Use tools for archiving your thoughts, and then access them when you're ready to process. When Albert Einstein was criticized for not knowing his phone number, he said, "Why should I memorize something if I can look it up?"
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Brain-Friendly Ways to Handle Distractions

* KEEP YOUR WRITING SESSIONS SHORT. "Human beings aren't designed to operate like computers, at high speed, continuously, for long periods of time" Schwartz says. "We're meant to pulse between spending and renewing energy and the evidence strongly suggests that we can't work for more than 90 minutes at a time fully focused." Schwartz's first three books took a year each to write, and he often worked 10 hours per day. His last two were written in six months each, and he worked no more than 4 1/2 hours a day

* STAY SEATED DURING THAT TIME. This might sound suspiciously like "discipline;' but it's the most valuable suggestion for overcoming writer's block. It's not about putting pressure on yourself to produce something. Instead, it's about recognizing that it takes a while for our minds to settle enough to create. If we jump up and do something else when we get stuck, we're getting in the way of our creative space. I've found that I have to commit to staying in my chair for at least 45 minutes, whether or not I write a word. It usually takes about 20 minutes for the sentences to flow. I'm OK if nothing comes, but I don't do anything else during that time. Checking Twitter, getting water, answering the phone-those come after my 45 minutes are up.

* REPLACE YOUR AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK WITH A 20-MINUTE NAP. Researchers have discovered that our brains need a short rest period in the middle of the day for maximum performance. It renews our energy more than caffeine, snacks or energy drinks.

* SET IMPERFECT EXPECTATIONS. Dr. Kathleen Nadeau, co-author of ADD-Friendly Ways to Organize Your Life, suggests that "while we don't require perfection of ourselves when we speak, many of us somehow apply a completely different, impossible standard to our writing." She notes that with writing, we unconsciously compare ourselves with great writers whenever we begin to put our thoughts on paper. Cardiologists need to be perfectionists; writers need to be themselves.

* FUEL YOUR CREATIVE BRAIN--LITERALLY. Make it a rule to start your day with a breakfast of protein, which sharpens focus, rather than simple carbohydrates, which lower it. (If you love pancakes, eat them for dinner.) Then, throughout the day, drink water. The brain operates on water, and becomes inefficient when it runs low. The optimal intake depends on your size, so instead of following the oft-suggested guidelines of six to eight glasses per day, divide your body weight in half, and drink that many ounces daily.

* WRITE WITH A SINGLE READER IN MIND, AND FOCUS ON TELLING YOUR STORY TO THAT PERSON ALONE. Nadeau says, "I often advise writers to imagine a particular audience of one, then write to that real or imagined individual. That gets us off the stage facing the imagined crowd of critics and allows us to focus on communicating in a real and personal way."

The Freedom to Create

We're going to have writer's block. But we don't have to be a victim of it. Martin Luther said, "You can't stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair."

If we take the initiative to minimize the incoming information and learn to respond in healthy ways, we won't see writer's block as a sign of failure. Instead, we'll recognize it as the natural byproduct of creative thinking.

Writer's block means we're encountering the challenges that come when we're producing something of value. It means we're doing something that matters.

And if we handle it correctly, it means we're free!

Mike Bechtle is the author of three books, including People Can't Drive You Crazy If You Don't Give Them the Keys. He is a consultant for FranklinCovey and blogs at mikebechtle.com.

Tools for Managing Distractions

While the Internet can itself be a distraction for writers, it's also home to some great resources for regulating your routine. Here are a few of the best:

Freedom (Mac or Windows) locks you offline for a set time period, during which the only bypass is to reboot-hassle enough that you'll be inclined to keep writing. $10 at macfreedom.com.

Anti-Social (Mac) can turn off social media sites for designated time periods. $15 or a free trial version at anti-social.cc.

LeechBlock (Mac or Windows) is a tool for the free downloadable Mozilla Firefox browser that lets you block designated sites for certain times. Free at addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/leechblock.

RescueTime (Mac or Windows) keeps track of how much time you spend working vs. browsing the Web, and gives you a daily readout. Frighteningly valuable. Free, or a pro version for $6/ month at rescuetime.com.

WriteRoorn (Mac) and Dark Room (Windows) set up your writing time so you can use your computer for only one thing: writing. Free at hogbay software.com/products/writeroom and download.cnet.com/DarkRoom/3000-2079_4-10562359.html.

FocusWriter (Mac and Windows) blocks everything on your screen except the words you type on a gray background. Includes daily writing goal and typewriter sounds for keystrokes. Free at gottcode.com/ focuswriter.

Concentrate (Mac) lets you designate activities (research, write, etc.) and customize what you want to happen when you begin each one (assign programs to launch or quit, open documents, block sites, play messages to motivate you, set iChat to "away," etc.). When you're ready to work, just press the "concentrate" button, and the actions take place automatically. $29 or a 60-hour free trial at getconcentrating.com.

Think (Mac) darkens your screen except for the current window. Free at freeverse.com/mac/ product/?id=7013.

focus booster (Mac and Windows) is a timer that lets you work for 25 minutes at a time with a five-minute break. Free at focusboosterapp.com.

Bechtle, Mike
Source Citation   (MLA 7th Edition)
Bechtle, Mike. "Overcoming writer's block without willpower: in a modern world full of distractions, writer's block may just be at an all-time high. Here's a look at why our brains freeze, and what we can do about it." Writer's Digest Nov.-Dec. 2012: 24+. Academic OneFile. Web. 23 Apr. 2015.
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