I Don't Get Writer's Block...

I get writer's paralysis. 

(via)

I'm neurotic already, but pursuing writing as a career has cranked that up to eleven.

(via)

And sometimes I feel like if I don't write I'll crawl out of my skin, but if I DO write I will suck as hard as anyone has ever sucked at sucking. So why bother? Misery either way.

A couple of days ago I was checking Go Into The Story (which is invaluable for anyone looking to become a screenwriter.) There's a feature called On Writing, and the quote posted that day helped me out big time. So here it is, for anyone who's ever felt like the writing task ahead of them is too big. Too complicated. Too. Damn. Hard.

“One thing that helps is to give myself permission to write badly. I tell myself that I’m going to do my five or 10 pages no matter what, and that I can always tear them up the following morning if I want. I’ll have lost nothing—writing and tearing up five pages would leave me no further behind than if I took the day off.”

– Lawrence Block

(via Go Into The Story)

Give yourself permission to suck. I am.

The Only Time *Success* Comes Before *Work* Is In The Dictionary

Someone a lot smarter than me said that, so I'm in no way taking credit.


It's just something I like to remind myself of when I'm feeling frustrated, or tired, or burned out, or blocked.


Sure, people get lucky, get nepo-tized,* or simply stumble into their big break. The majority don't. The majority sacrifice their social lives, their time with family, and their doctor-recommended eight hours of sleep to work their little booties off on a project that may never see the light of day.


So when the rewrites feel like they'll never end, when I'm quite sure that I just can't make that note work in the context of the story, when I'm positive that I'll just die if I don't get out of that chair and outside for some fresh air, I remind myself that the only way out is through.**


Shut up and get it done.


       


*a variation on nepotism, not actually a word
** also something that someone a lot smarter than me came up with