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“What can I do about writer’s block?” I am asked regularly in workshops or in coaching.

“Pretty much what a plumber does when he feels a plumber’s block,” I’ll respond.

People twitter here and there, perhaps because they take my response for a joke and they’re anticipating a good punch line.

But, this is no joke. A good plumber, I tell these “blocked” writers, goes about his job whether he’s inspired to lay in the pipes of a new bathroom or not. He solders, joins and cuts pipe that afternoon whether he feels like it or not. It is the same with a writer who is serious about writing. Writers write because writing is what they have to do to get their work done.

Writing doesn’t entail only composing new text—the material whose creation we often attribute to “inspiration.” The task of writing also includes a whole array of support services: research, editing existing copy for content and technical problems, rereading copy to check the effectiveness of transitions, etc.

As long as a writer thinks writing is only putting new words to paper, s/he is bound to encounter numerous occasions for writer’s-block problems. When however a writer thinks of writing as the total production, then any number of tasks can produce the satisfaction of “writing.”

The first task I encourage all memoir writers to undertake is the Memory List. With a Memory List, no one ever need feel they don’t have anything to write about.

Some writers will persist, however, in identifying problems as writer’s block. Here are some suggestions for dealing with the “problem.”

Think of the writer’s block as a lack of discipline. This will help to place it in perspective. After all, it’s an excuse—sanctioned by a misplaced reliance on inspiration—for not getting work done. Writing is a job that has a number of requirements and stages, and each in turn must be approached with discipline—a respect for the inner exigencies of the tasks. To approach writing otherwise is to risk being overwhelmed with all there is to do. Lack of discipline is often a source of writer’s block. Lack of discipline is an enemy of lifewriting lying in wait for you.

Some writers successfully use the notion of writer’s block to convince friends and family that, while they’re real writers, they just happen not to be producing—but a person can do this only for a while. Remember: you can never successfully use writer’s block to get your stories written!

Just as any craft person develops a series of approaches that lead to greater production, a lifewriter can do the same. If you create a workmanlike approach, you will succeed.

Don’t let writer’s block stop you. It’ a hoax.

Fear of Insignificance

Is Your Memoir Silenced by the Fear of Insignificance?

From my own memoir-writing experience and from witnessing memoir writers I have coached, taught and edited, I have found it useful to work with a subcategory of fear as a writing block. This subcategory is, of course, fear of insignificance. Many of us have been silenced by the FEAR OF INSIGNIFICANCE. I have myself and I am fairly sure you have also been on occasion.

If you are writing only for family and friends, you need not fret about your story being insignificant. Your audience will appreciate your memoir. However, if you are writing for a larger audience, fear of insignificance can paralyze you.

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Don't let writer's blok stop you

Don’t Let Writer’s Block Stop You

Don’t let writer’s block stop you from producing a great memoir!

“What can I do about writer’s block?” I am asked regularly by stumped writers.

“Pretty much the same as plumber does with a plumber’s block,” I’ll respond.

People twitter at this reply. Perhaps it’s because they take my response for a joke and they’re anticipating a good punch line.

Do what you have to do if you don’t let writer’s block stop you.

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Revealing Ourselves in a Memoir

Revealing Ourselves in a Memoir — 3 Reasons We Don’t Do It.

Why are we afraid of revealing ourselves in a memoir? While writing our stories, all of us, at one time or another, come against the fear of revealing too much of ourselves. The fear is founded—it’s not always a friendly world out there. And…

As we reveal too much about ourselves, we may be revealing too much about someone else.

But, excessive revealing is generally not the problem most memoir writers face. Revealing too little is a much more frequent problem for writers I coach or edit.

Often revealing ourselves in a memoir too little can come about because:

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First paragraph

An Effective Strategy to Work Through Writer’s Block

Why let writer’s block stop you?

“What can I do about writer’s block?” I am asked regularly by stumped writers.

“Pretty much the same as a plumber does with a plumber’s block,” I’ll respond.

People twitter at this reply. Perhaps it’s because they take my response to their writer’s block question for a joke and they’re anticipating a good punch line.

But, this is no joke. [Free Membership required to read more. See below. ]

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conquer perfectionism

Conquer perfectionism when writing your memoir

Note from the Editor: The following post is taken from Writer’s Time: Management That Works. This program functions with an open enrollment. Registrations are being accepted now.

It may seem unusual in a program called Writer’s Time: Management that Works to include a module labeled Conquering Perfectionism, but it isn’t. If you want to write your memoir, you will need to conquer perfectionism.

Perfectionism is a big waste of time.

If you want to write your memoir, you will need to conquer perfectionism.

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are you procrastinating

Are you procrastinating? Time management tips for writers

Note from the Editor: The following post is taken from Writer’s Time: Management That Works. This program functions with an open enrollment and registrations are being accepted.

Are you procrastinating? Putting off today’s writing until tomorrow is not an effective process if your goal is to produce a memoir in the foreseeable future.

Why do people opt to procrastinate? I suppose we can’t really say they “opt” as in they make an active decision. As with other addictions, people generally “slip” into procrastination as their thoughtless reaction—“thoughtless” as in “no thought given to it.”x

Are you “lingering”? Or are you “procrastinating”? 

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