When Writing Gets Hard, Sometimes We Just Need to Change Our Mindset

by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

As writers, we face many issues that trip us up and then we fail to sit and write. Reasons or excuses are as varied as the writer themselves. Here are a couple I’ve heard or might have said (ahem), I have writer’s block, I can’t write my computer is acting up, or why should I sit here and write nobody wants to read it anyway? 

But what if we change our writing mindset?

Instead of taking the proverbial woe is me attitude and thus sabotage our work, what if we look at ways to rise above those bumps in the road? Let’s explore a couple ways to do that. 

I have writer’s block.

Do you really? Or are you being ornery like a toddler throwing a terrible-two tantrum of I don’t wanna? Though I’m grateful I still have my mind to realize I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be doing, I’ve been enlightened that I need to change my mindset of I can’t, to I get to. To take the negative and make it positive. A change of scenery can get those creative juices flowing again. Grab a journal and pen and move to another spot or even go outside. A short walk is rejuvenating and then come back to your porch and madly write down everything that came to your mind while walking. Doing this starts a floodgate of thoughts for me and ideas now race through my once blocked mind. I’m grateful to have options to stretch my writing muscle by taking my brain to a creative space to refuel. When I can’t think of what to write, I’m thankful for ways to refresh my mind so I get to write.

I can’t write, my computer is acting up.

This happens for all of us from time to time, no matter the computer brand we have. But remember those old-fashioned paper things we called tablets? I’m not talking about the digital tablets we have now, although those would work, I’m talking about a good ol’ spiral notebook or a journal of choice. I still use both of them daily for other things, so why not use them to write some scenes for my book or a blog post. For me, my favorite tablet or journal to use is a LEUCHTTURM1917 journal and a fountain pen from my collection. A pink journal with a pink pen and pink ink – but of course! This changes our thought of I can’t write without my computer to I get to write and am blessed with other options. 

I don’t know all the writing rules.

Ah, but you know where to find them. The internet is at your fingertips. Bookstores and booksellers are loaded with choices of craft books on writing. Not sure which book to choose? Reach out to a writer friend or an author you admire and ask for their opinions on great writing instruction books to start with. I’m grateful I get to continue learning how to make my writing stronger and better. I can’t write without the rules, but I get to do the research and learn. 

Nobody wants to read what I’ve said.

I’ve found for every time I think this negative thought, someone (and usually more than one) will share a comment on a post I’ve written saying they were thankful for what I shared. More often than not, I’m blessed by those commenters when they share what the thoughts brought to mind for them and they teach me something. The bottom line is God is interested in what you—and I—have to say. God has gifted you and I as writers with the talent to use words to help others in one form or another. Let’s use the gift regularly. I can’t possibly know who or how many people might be impacted by the words I’ve shared, but I get to share words given to me by God when and wherever I can. 

I’m grateful God has gifted me with the calling of a writer and I hope you are as well. I may not have all the answers to the excuses we try to create into reasons to keep us from writing, but I know that I’ve been given the privilege to share what I do know to inspire, make people think, entertain them or at the very least give them a giggle. 

What about you? Have you created a block in your own writing by thinking I can’t do instead of I get to? For all of us today, think of one reason that is keeping you from writing and see if you have used the phrase I can’t. Now, put on your thinking cap, change your mindset and say yes, but I get to_____. You fill in that blank. 

Let’s talk about it in the comments, yes? See, here’s a get to in your writing mindset already. You get to share with all of us something you will change in your writing to keep going when you block your own productivity. Then we will get tolearn from you! 

TWEETABLE

When Writing Gets Hard, Sometimes We Just Need to Change Our Mindset, insight from @TickeledPinkTam on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Tammy Karasek uses humor and wit to bring joy and hope to every aspect in life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, drives her passion to encourage and inspire others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s gone from down and defeated to living a “Tickled Pink” life as she believes there’s always a giggle wanting to come out! 

She’s the Social Media Manager for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference, Founding President and current Vice-President of ACFW Upstate SC, Founding President of Word Weavers Upstate SC. She’s a writing team member for The Write Conversation Blog, Novel Academy, and MBT Monday Devotions and others. Her work was published in a Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. When not writing Women’s Fiction and Rom-Com, she’s The Launch Team Geek helping authors launch their books and a Virtual Assistant for authors.

Featured Image: Photo by Hello Lightbulb on Unsplash