Wake Up Calls For Writers
One of the biggest wake up calls I ever had was realising I was a workaholic. We live in a hustle culture and we glorify the grind. I was used to people telling me how impressed they were by my output.
It’s true I was prolific, but I was also completely and utterly burned out. Ironically, I was working so hard I couldn’t do my best work! That realisation changed everything for me.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your writing goals too, you’re not alone. Many writers struggle, feeling creatively ‘frozen’. They may be trying to tackle everything at once, or feeling guilty for not doing enough (even when they are).
I realised the key to overcoming this isn’t working harder, it’s working smarter. We need to simplify our processes, focus on what matters, and set boundaries to protect our creative energy.
But how do we do this? Check out these top 3 wake up calls for writers … ready? Let’s go!
1) Write one word at a time
Focus on the sentence you’re writing now, NOT the whole draft. I discovered that breaking my work into bitesize chunks was FAR more effective than poring over outlines and word counts all day.
I also did a lot of research into productivity. I found there were loads of different ways to get stuff done WITHOUT frying my brain. There’s so many different approaches out there, there’s bound to be one that suits you too.
Ultimately, it’s all about breaking a novel or screenplay into small, manageable tasks. Completing small steps via a TO DO list (or similar) keeps us rocking along. It also reduces overwhelm. What’s not to like??
MORE: 10 Ways To Write 1000 Words By 9AM
2) Not every idea needs to be written
So many of my Bang2writers tell me they get distracted by new, shiny ideas. I get it. I am too. As soon as I start a new draft my brain goes ‘SQUIRREL!’ for a new idea.
But here’s the thing. Some ideas won’t serve you, especially if you want to be a pro writer. Lots of ideas are a ‘hard sell’. This means investing a lot of your time in them may not advance your career in the way you hope.
I’m not saying you should NEVER write ‘hard sell’ ideas. That would be ridiculous. After all, there have been LOTS of ‘hard sell’ ideas that go on to become critically acclaimed.
However, you do need to decide on whether that significant time investment is ‘worth it’. The same goes for any other kind of idea too. Be honest with yourself … will it REALLY take you where you want to go? If not, what will?
Evaluate whether each idea or project is truly worth your time. Don’t try to write every single story. Focus on what matters most to your creative goals!
3) Learn to say ‘no’ (even to good opportunities)
Look, relationships are important. It’s a great idea for screenwriters, filmmakers and authors to create allies and help one another out. It’s not only good karma, it’s likely to take you where to go too.
BUT you also can’t write everything or help every writing friend. Protect your creative time by setting boundaries. Don’t forget that it’s better to finish one project well than juggle too many badly.
MORE: Sign up for the free online B2W course
Last Points
Writing success isn’t about doing more things, but doing the RIGHT things. These are …
- Break big goals into small steps
- Letting go of ideas that don’t serve you or your creative goals, and
- Guarding your creative time
Once you stop trying to do everything, you’ll finally have the space to create something truly great.
Good Luck!
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