Let’s say you’re halfway through a draft. It was going fine an hour ago. But then just two minutes ago, that irksome voice shows up again and tells you nobody will care. (I know that voice all too well!)
A young man at a Boston gaming convention once asked about that exact moment, out loud, in front of a packed house. The answer he got changed my friend Robert’s perspective on writing, and gave him a way to quiet that voice.
Robert’s fix digs out the real problem. And the solution starts smaller than you’d expect.
I encourage you to try it on your next project. See how far you get. It might just bring you the momentum you need.
To your best writing life,
Mindy McHorse
Executive Editor, Barefoot Writer Magazine
Boost Your Productivity with 3 Tips from an Unexpected Source
By Robert Rice
Every spring, a wave of gaming enthusiasts flock to the Boston Convention Center for PAX East, which is a glorious celebration of “full-frontal nerdity” — video games, comic books, board games, and those who love them.
I was fortunate to attend a while back. And while I expected to have an awesome time, I never expected it to have quite the impact it had on my writing career.
You see, the duo in charge held a special live presentation one day to a packed house. It was mostly witty banter and Q&A with the audience.
Then, one young man asked an unexpected question:
“How do you guys do it? Whenever I sit down to start a project, I always get about halfway through before I start to doubt myself. I become convinced there is no point continuing, because I’m not good enough and no one will care, anyway.”
After a long, profound silence, one of the creators, Jerry, chimed in with an answer that changed everything about how I approach my writing ...
“This is something every creative person deals with in his or her life. Every project is like racing against the clock of self-doubt that tells you ‘you aren’t good enough.’
“However, there is a way around it.
“You have to start with small projects. Things you can finish before that negative voice sets in. Each time you finish one, you’re able to work a little bit longer, on something a little bit harder, before that voice sets in again.”
This really struck a chord with me, because I know many who have struggled with not getting things done due to self-doubt (myself included!). We writers often attribute this to being lazy or unable to manage our time, but the problem runs much deeper...
How to Combat the Dreaded “P’s”
That “negative voice” Jerry referred to is a form of “perfectionism.” It’s the idea that the work you create must be perfect before anyone can see it.
But perfection is impossible. So, you ultimately either stop working on that project altogether, or keep revising it over and over, never actually finishing it.
That leads to the other deadly “P” — procrastination. When you believe that nothing you create is good enough, you put off creating anything.
It truly is a vicious spiral. And the only result is not achieving your dream of the writer’s life.
The good news is, there are ways to work around it. By making small adjustments to your daily habits, you can conquer the evil “P’s” and start on the path to accomplishing all of your writing goals:
Start With Small Projects — Tackle small projects you can finish quickly. Blog posts or short-form copy like squeeze pages of email promos.
If you absolutely must work on a larger project, break it down into smaller pieces. Create a checklist and mark it off for each section you complete.
Those small victories will add up, and you’ll start feeling pretty great about your writing.
Schedule Reasonable Writing Time — Everyone has a different threshold for how long they can write in one sitting. If you sit down to write for three hours when you can only work for one, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
Test different times to figure out what is reasonable for you. Don’t worry about starting small — as you continue to write, you’ll eventually be able to build up your endurance.Turn Off Your Inner Critic — While writing, completely ignore any errors you make. No revisions allowed.
Easier said than done, I know...
However, one of the biggest effects of perfectionism is constantly self-editing while creating. If you let yourself go and embrace the fact that your first draft is only a draft, you can enjoy the process of writing and see what comes out.
Later, in the time you’ve set aside for revisions, you can go back and see how you can improve it. And as you complete more projects, your writing will get better and better, reducing the time needed for revisions.
You Will Emerge Victorious
If you are having difficulties starting and finishing projects because you doubt yourself in any way, these exercises will help you.
You’ll not only become a better writer, but you’ll start to develop the skills to work faster. That means you can accomplish more in less time — a true sign of the writer’s life!