This came home to me as  I read a recent magazine put out by Writer's Digest.  It's a yearbook on novel writing.  Yet, there are many things in there that apply to nonfiction as well.

As regards writer's block, the author of the article interviewed three writers and himself.  While this is a small number, what was meaningful was that each of the authors had a distinctively different way to deal with writer's block.  The only consistency was that all faced writer's block.  Therefore, even from the small sample we can conclude that writer's block will occur if you write.  Writer's block is probably the most frequent complaint of writers and wannabe writers.   It's not something to be afraid of or to dread.  Rather, it is something you can become better at dealing with the more you pay attention to yourself and what works for you.

There are no quick fixes, but there are solutions.  As many as there are people who write.

This is not to say that you cannot free write and get all your points covered.  However, if the points are essential to you, better to put them down so you can refer to them as you free write.  Your unconscious will then know to refer to them.

Points may refer to fiction as well as to nonfiction.  If you're writing a short story or a novel, as you move along, likely you will notice that there are points you don't want to forget to include.   Write them down somewhere visible.

Having them visually handy can move your writing process along so that you circumvent writer's block.

One further point, nor was this a point in my "points" list.   While "points" may pop up at any time in your free writing or focused writing, it is not necessary to have prepared points to come to a finished piece.  This may sound contradictory to the point of this post.  But the essential point of any of my posts is to keep writing.  That is absolutely the most important task of the writer or wannabe writer.

I think one of the reasons this is happening is because I don't care if it gets published.  Don't get me wrong.  I'd love to get it published.  But, I'm writing it because it's fun and it's filling an emotional need as well.

I know people who set out to get published and they do achieve it.  But, without the inherent desire to write, the achievement of publication is not meaningful.

Then there are people who set out to be published and don't get published.  Some stop writing because all they wanted was to be published.  Others love words and keep writing.

I have coached both kinds of writers.  By far the most enjoyable to coach are the ones who love to write.  Where writing is like breathing.  But, I have also seen people "grow" into their writing.  And so, I never discourage writers or wannabe writers who have other reasons to write.

You may not know what kind of writer you are.  Freewriting often gives the clue.  If you haven't done it, why not start now?

Not all writers have this luxury.  Nor do all writers want this luxury.  I have coached writers who make a living from their writing.  They are no different from those writers who have other ways to earn a living.  Everyone has times when they're simply stuck.  When they need something to unstick them.  That inspriation can come from any source as long a we're open to it.  That's what's important.

Today I developed a momentum for a new novel I'm working on.  Where did this momentum come from?  As far as I can see, it came from plugging away every day when I had little to no momentum.  Remember, I've often talked about "just writing."  "Keep your pen to paper.  Move your hand.  Sit at the computer and  hit the keys."  The activity will pay off.

Today has been a great writing day.  Inspiration and momentum were at work.  I welcome them.  I hope they're there tomorrow.  But, if not, I will keep plugging away anyway.

And you?  Are you keeping on keeping writing?

From freewriting there may be long passages worth keeping, or little nuggets, or even nothing at all.  It's the good and the bad of freewriting.  However, the process of being in flow is something that cannot be valued highly enough.  Nor am I pooh poohing the work of revision.  (In other posts I've talked about the importance of freewriting in the revision process.)

Flow is not something that we can will to happen.  It is something that happens when we are totally unaware of it.  When we're in flow, we're involved, immersed, engaged, engrossed.  We've lost track of time.

Flow is a goal for the very reason that cherished nuggets will emerge as a result of this experience.  This has been described and discussed in various books by Csikszentmihalyi (e.g., Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention, Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life (Masterminds Series), Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (P.S.)) who first talked about the concept in 1997.

Freewriting is a way to get into flow, but freewriting is not flow.  While freewriting is not flow, it is one of the most reliable ways for a writer to engage flow.

Some days I have to write for a long time before flow emerges.  Other days, it's there quickly.  So, it is necessary to be patient and dedicated to the freewriting process to be sure to reap the rewards that come from flow.

So, what does all this clutter cleaning have to do with my writing?  Well, I was doing my daily journal writing and the topic was about cleaning up clutter and about not knowing what to write about.  And then I heard my own inner critical voice chastizing me for not knowing what I wanted to write about.  And, hearing that voice told me that I needed to write about that critical voice.  How I hate the tone of that voice!

Now, as I write, I find the power of that voice diminishing.  I know it has a place in my writing life.  It alerts me to what I need to concentrate on.  How I wish it would be gentler.  But, critical voices cannot, by their nature, do that.

So,what I learn over and over is to focus on what the inner critical voice wants to tell me that's of value for me, and bypass the unpleasant… sometimes even horrific… style it uses to talk to me.

Today, it was clear to me that my inner critical voice wanted me to let my readers know that it does not mean to harm us writers, but rather to alert us to something we need to pay attention to.

What is your inner critical voice alerting you to today?  What is it that you can take from the inner critical voice without being defeated by its tone?

Anyone who is reading this likely has learned how to write.  But, they have not necessarily learned how to write with energy.  Rather, they will have learned to write technically… often from a formal outline.  It's how I learned to write… right up through my PhD Dissertation, at which point I had simply had enough.

Being fed up, I began, on my own, to simply write.  Whatever came to me… At that point, there was a lot of poetry, and lyrics for songs.

It's been over 25 years.  And when I look back at my writing in those years, I see that it was technically good.  But, writing has been more fun since I have felt myself a part of the process.

Too many people who write because they believe they have to do not enjoy the process.  It doesn't have to be that way.  With skills they've already learned, they can contact the writer within and bring energy and joy to their writing, even to their focused writing.

for more on the writing process, see OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK EASILY.

In a blog post by Creative Article Marketing recently, the suggestion was made to outline in a far less formal way than we all learned in school.   In using the "outline" suggested, there is plenty of room for freewriting.

The basic "soft outline" includes:

(1) identifying the topic

(2) jotting down some specific points to refer to

There are other points mentioned as well, which apply specifically to writing articles; however, the two above points are a way to move into the writing mode, regardless of the goal.  Being in the writing mode is what's important for whatever kind of writing, whether free or focused.

Very often when I'm writing my blogs, I'm inspired by something I've read.  In this case an "outline" or even a "soft outline" is not needed.

It's gratifying to see how once there's something in front of us, whether a soft outline,or just something like an article  (or it could be a conversation we recently heard, or something we just observed, or a news item we heard), to stimulate us, the writing can flow.

And, if nothing external gets the writer in us going, there's always simply freewriting.  Just putting pen to paper, or fingers to computer.

For more on overcoming writer's block see OVERCOME WRITER'S BLOCK EASILY.

Being impressed with yourself or wanting to press others will NOT get the writing job done.  Just get in there, roll up your sleeves, and be willing to have fun writing.

Who cares how you look?  When you were a kid playing with finger paints did you really care that your fingers were a mess?  When you played in the wet sand at the beach, did you really care that you got all sandy?  And, ultimately, when you got into the water to swim did you really care that you got wet?

Leave your ego behind when you pick up your pen or sit down at the computer.  You're here simply to be.  And being as a writer means to write unselfconsciously, letting go — as often as a need be — of that inner critical voice, so that you can have free passage for the words that so deeply reflect who you are and what you want to say.

Practice makes perfect.  Perfect means being a writer.  Being a writer means writing.

So do you get the theme?

Sit down, pen or computer in hand, frequently… and let the words rock and roll or sluggishly hit the page.

The goal of the notebook is to keep you, the writer or wannabe writer, in the writing game.  Even a baseball player who remains on the bench will practice in preparation for being on the field in a real game.  If you're not sure you have anything to write, you're building the data base and strengthening your muscles by keeping a writing notebook.

Clearly, a notebook is not sufficient for the writer who has to meet deadlines.  Especially for those writers, it's important to "stay fresh."  Keeping a notebook is a way to achieve this.

As part of keeping a notebook, feel free to put in pictures and other images that spark your writing spirit.  Even headlines, articles, symbols, can find their way into your notebook.

The key is to keep your mind active.

Some writers prefer to keep their journal (that's where you make sure to do your freewriting) separate from their notebook, even if their journal is in a notebook.  Each writer needs to find their style.  But, each writer needs to begin if they haven't already with at least one notebook.

So, why not go for it?

By the way, keeping a notebook makes it more difficult to discard writings you don't like.  And, this IS a good thing (see blog of 4/20).