From WannaBe Writer to Pro Writer with One Mental Trick
The Problem
As with all complex projects, a writing project, considered in its entirety, can be painfully overwhelming. Typing out words on a blank page is often the most dreaded activity of all. So of course, you procrastinate. Procrastination is your common sense solution to avoid the unknown dangers you imagine are lurking in all that foggy, dark landscape. After all, you are trekking into unknown terrain, grappling with foggy notions, sneaking past word tangles, foraging your way into possible dead ends. That’s the land you dread, and you are well-practiced in the fine art of putting off such journeys. So you go into action mode, something like the following:
“Hmm, what should I do next? Well, obviously, it’s time to grab a couple crackers and cheese slices, assemble them into little cheese snacks, and turn on that YouTube video I started watching early this morning. Just while I eat the snacks of course. Hopefully, inspiration will arrive shortly, and then I shall return with an outpouring of fresh ideas.”
How does this keep happening? It turns out that with all complex projects, there is a murky mental workshop full of tasks to be accomplished: Having to come up with fresh ideas, organizing those ideas into a cohesive reading experience, and putting a polished finish onto the whole presentation. The doubts accumulate, the dread grows, and you yearn to shut it all down…for a bit anyway.
If you are a writer and would like to know the absolutely most important strategy for coming up with lots and lots of publish-ready documents, I have ONE simple phrase for you. This one phrase, if taken to heart and acted upon, will not only increase quality output, it will transform your attitude from “writing is painful” to “let’s get to it!”. Here it is:
“One job at a time, Bub.”
I’m referring to the various tasks that go into the creation of a quality piece of writing. A broad breakdown would be Research, Outline, First Draft, Edit, Publish. Of course, that is a simplified list. For example, mine breaks down more discretely: Brainstorm (write write write), Research, Brainstorm again (write write write), Outline, First Draft (write write write), Edit, Second Draft maybe, Edit, Publish, Marketing/Networking. Right now, I’m Brainstorming as I type this very sentence (we’ll see if it makes it into the Final Draft).
Let’s Establish This Idea Now
Part One: Consider your writing process. If you are not yet aware of logical partitions for your process, now is a good time to break it down. Revise as needed. This is a path to transformation, but you must engage fully to discover the blessings. Start with the basic breakdown offered above: Research, Outline, First Draft, Edit, Publish. Personalize it so it works for you.
Part two of the mental trick is you making a decision. Decisions are truly the most magical of all tools for productivity. When you make a decision, two crucial things happen in that instant.
- The ONE THING you will focus on is determined.
- The myriad related tasks cluttering your play space are gathered and stuffed back into their respective boxes. When you get really good at it, you will shut those boxes up completely and nail them shut. And then you will get to work on the ONE THING. How “overwhelming” is it to work on only one thing? It is not overwhelming.
This is so powerful. Even transformative. But why? As it turns out, the Procrastinator Within is only trying to help. Multi-tasking is stressful. We have all experienced painful outcomes when we took on far more than we could handle. For example, if you were assigned to write a 2000 word article on “relationship challenges during a pandemic”, due in 3 days, you would certainly feel overwhelmed. While pondering the totality of the task, your mind would visualize a glob of amorphous elements:
- Researching articles
- Recalling personal relationship experiences
- A conversation on the topic from the other day
- The need to outline (or not)
- Adding imagery and metaphor, and so on
And then what of the actual skillful writing and rewriting work you’re going to have to do? The doubts rise up. Then the dread. But that mass of activities is not what real work activity looks like. It is actually impossible to work on all that right now. No wonder you feel overwhelmed. Of course, real work activity is what you want to focus on if you are to be a Pro Writer.
So Get Real
Stop imagining the entirety of the project, because it is impossible to work on the entirety of the project here and now in the real world. That big picture thinking will only engage your kindly bodyguard: The Procrastinator. Don’t do it. Break the project down fast. What’s it going to be today?
- Research/Gaining insights
- Brainstorming (themes, format, related ideas)
- Organize (outline)
- Write write write (first draft)
- Organize again
- Write write write (2nd draft)
- Edit and refine
- Delivering the goods and marketing
Or whatever your list contains. Decide which job you are to perform right now, and call in the specialist for that job. And only that specialist.
You see, you are actually several specialty workers piled into one mind. All are managed under the watchful eye of The Ego (The Controller you imagine to be YOU). The Ego is dedicated to safeguarding your identity; in this case, your identity as THE SIGNIFICANT WRITER. This is all fine as long as you are employing, and only employing, the most qualified specialty worker for the given task you are currently focused on. As I write this sentence, I am currently brainstorming. In other words, I am free-writing related ideas without engaging a critic. The specialty worker on this task is damned good at free-writing, and is entirely unconcerned with others’ criticisms. That is the ideal attitude for free-writing tasks. I call the Free Writer specialist ‘the Fool’, because the Fool is traditionally unhindered by internal and external judgements.
“The truth is you are many skillful tradespeople in one human form. All are managed under the watchful eye of The Ego (The Controller you think of as you), and it is time to put that Master Controller at ease. Get him (or her) out of the picture by delegating those tasks to your inner experts, and quit multi-tasking once and for all.”
So, decide which task to focus on, and only engage the specialist within who is best suited for the task. Do not allow any other workers into the workspace. And do not change the task into a different task. Do one task. Any deviation will negate the amazing benefits of the Mental Trick. Play it out, and you will see why this is so:
The Brainstorming Worker is going at it, happily freewriting, and within minutes, he hits a state of flow. But then, suddenly, the Editor shows up. He wants to clean up some grammar problems, and he questions whether the current idea being expressed is even relevant. Oh-oh, we have a conflict of interests. The Brainstorming dude is unhappy with his or her flow getting dammed up by the Editor. He or she becomes quite shy in the presence of the Editor who is frowning and splattering judgments all over the screen. Perhaps a cool idea was emerging, but now, it may be lost for good. To make matters worse, the Ego shows up to save the day, because it appears as if your overall sense of self-worth is going down the toilet.
The Ego will seek to protect your self-image at all costs, even if that means avoiding any further writing tasks. Now, procrastination becomes the order of the day. Or maybe you actually get back to your desk, and a good ol’ case of writer’s block spoils what’s left of your work time. What a mess, and it could have all been avoided by sticking to one task, and employing only the one specialist suited to that task. Remember, then:
Decide on and Declare the One and Only Task to Focus On
Choose among your staff the best qualified Specialty Worker, and keep the rest out of the workshop.
The Ego, the character who initiates procrastination, is no longer needed (don’t worry, he isn’t gone for good). Your identity, THE SIGNIFICANT WRITER, is no longer threatened. There is only one task, say Brainstorming, and there is absolutely nothing else going on here. There is no longer a dark, foggy jungle ahead, with thick brush, rivers, hippos, headhunters…there is simply one task at this time, and you have just the expert to handle that job. So work it, writers!
Let me know if you experience the benefits as I have.
Peter Joshua
fellowhumansnetwork@gmail.com
