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Around the Writer's Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer's Resistance
Discover the tricks that your brain uses to keep you from writing—and how to beat them.
Do you:
Want to write, but find it impossible to get started? Keep your schedules so full that you don’t have any time to write? Wait until the last minute to write, even though you know you could do a better job if you gave yourself more time? Suddenly remember ten other things that you need to do whenever you sit down to write? Sabotage your own best efforts with lost files, missed deadlines, or excessive self-criticism?
The good news is that you’re not lazy, undisciplined, or lacking in willpower, talent or ambition. You just need to learn what’s going on inside your brain, and harness the power of brain science to beat resistance and develop a productive writing habit.
In Around the Writer’s Block, Rosanne Bane-- a creativity coach and writing teacher for more than 20 years-- uses the most recent breakthroughs in brain science to help us understand, in simple, clear language, where writing resistance comes from: a fight-or-flight response hard-wired into our brain, which can make us desperate to flee the sources of our anxieties by any means possible.
Bane’s three-part plan, which has improved the productivity of thousands of writers, helps you develop new reliable writing habits, rewire the brain’s responses to the anxiety of writing, and turn writing from a source of stress and anxiety into one of joy and personal growth.
Do you:
Want to write, but find it impossible to get started? Keep your schedules so full that you don’t have any time to write? Wait until the last minute to write, even though you know you could do a better job if you gave yourself more time? Suddenly remember ten other things that you need to do whenever you sit down to write? Sabotage your own best efforts with lost files, missed deadlines, or excessive self-criticism?
The good news is that you’re not lazy, undisciplined, or lacking in willpower, talent or ambition. You just need to learn what’s going on inside your brain, and harness the power of brain science to beat resistance and develop a productive writing habit.
In Around the Writer’s Block, Rosanne Bane-- a creativity coach and writing teacher for more than 20 years-- uses the most recent breakthroughs in brain science to help us understand, in simple, clear language, where writing resistance comes from: a fight-or-flight response hard-wired into our brain, which can make us desperate to flee the sources of our anxieties by any means possible.
Bane’s three-part plan, which has improved the productivity of thousands of writers, helps you develop new reliable writing habits, rewire the brain’s responses to the anxiety of writing, and turn writing from a source of stress and anxiety into one of joy and personal growth.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2012
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917 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 13, 2013
For months - nay, years - even with academic and professional commitments to writing, I wrote only a fraction of what I intended to. The best-laid plans were cast aside in the face of my incomprehensible resistance. It was hard to determine whether I was just lazy, or had genuine "writer's block," but what did it really matter? I wasn't writing, and I wasn't happy about it.
"Around the Writer's Block" makes sense of your resistance, whatever form it takes. In fact, even if you do happen to be a prolific writer, I think this book will be useful for identifying what might be keeping you from writing even more, being satisfied with your work, and getting it out into the world. Bane introduces a series of habits: first, process, which is any kind of creative outlet from freewriting to improvised dance to knitting. While you may be tempted to skip this step, give it a try. It engages your brain to create without expectation, an incredibly freeing sensation that takes creativity from its scary position on a pedestal to an accessible level you can dive into at any time. The second habit is product time: commit to writing for just fifteen minutes a day, however many days a week you need to. Eventually, you'll build up to a "target time," leaving a hole after your scheduled fifteen minutes just in case you feel like continuing. But your actual commitment stays small and un-scary. All along, Bane explains how your brain works and how the fight-or-flight response can kick in when you tell yourself to write. Committing to a small chunk of time is one of the best ways to get around this. Personally, I've found this one tidbit incredibly helpful. Rather than leaving all my writing to do on one day (and spending less than an hour anyway), I spread it out all week, get excited, and build momentum.
The other thing about product time is that it encompasses all aspects of the writing process, which can include rest, procrastination, all kinds of research, brainstorming, and other activities in addition to actually writing. So while it may seem that you're writing less, you're actually building a more solid foundation and building in rest periods that keep you from getting burned out. Product Time is the book's key, but it's meant to work in tandem with everything else. Self-care is the third habit, and it includes sleep, exercise, focus, meditation, and play. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if the book had been extended to give each of these its own chapter, but three habits seem less daunting than eight, so I can understand. This is where you might want to draw on additional research (Bane lists all of her sources) and branch out to do additional reading on your own. For instance, I'm working through The Power of Rest to address the sleep portion of self-care, and that book also gets into exercise, play, and other aspects of self-care. Still, Bane provides enough to get you started, and these habits take time to implement. While I didn't find the forms provided in the book particularly useful, you can take that idea and find your own way of making and tracking your commitments to each habit. I use a habit-tracking site called HealthMonth, and some paper tracking as well.
Once the habits are established, you move on to the third section of the book, which begins with establishing writing rituals. I haven't begun experimenting with this yet, but there are some potentially powerful tools here. There's also a chapter on rewards, but Bane does caution you here to maintain autonomy: rewarding yourself is probably much better than someone else rewarding you. Another useful book for habit-changing and rewards is The Four-Day Win, which has a health/diet focus. That might help you come up with rewards that work for you, which Bane doesn't spend much time on. Then there's more about resistance; Bane delves further into the forms that resistance can take, why it's so hard to beat, and presents more techniques for getting past it. Once you have the habits in place, these chapters are what you come back to for motivation and help when you still find yourself getting stuck. By adding all of these layers, Bane has pretty much set up a foolproof arsenal for dealing with everything that could pop up. There's even an appendix about building a writer's group specifically focused on beating resistance, if you find you need extra support.
Nothing has changed my life the way this book has (and still is). I wish I'd had it years ago, but hey, I'm still young, and so are you. You could be writing for the rest of your life. So pick up this book, and get to it.
"Around the Writer's Block" makes sense of your resistance, whatever form it takes. In fact, even if you do happen to be a prolific writer, I think this book will be useful for identifying what might be keeping you from writing even more, being satisfied with your work, and getting it out into the world. Bane introduces a series of habits: first, process, which is any kind of creative outlet from freewriting to improvised dance to knitting. While you may be tempted to skip this step, give it a try. It engages your brain to create without expectation, an incredibly freeing sensation that takes creativity from its scary position on a pedestal to an accessible level you can dive into at any time. The second habit is product time: commit to writing for just fifteen minutes a day, however many days a week you need to. Eventually, you'll build up to a "target time," leaving a hole after your scheduled fifteen minutes just in case you feel like continuing. But your actual commitment stays small and un-scary. All along, Bane explains how your brain works and how the fight-or-flight response can kick in when you tell yourself to write. Committing to a small chunk of time is one of the best ways to get around this. Personally, I've found this one tidbit incredibly helpful. Rather than leaving all my writing to do on one day (and spending less than an hour anyway), I spread it out all week, get excited, and build momentum.
The other thing about product time is that it encompasses all aspects of the writing process, which can include rest, procrastination, all kinds of research, brainstorming, and other activities in addition to actually writing. So while it may seem that you're writing less, you're actually building a more solid foundation and building in rest periods that keep you from getting burned out. Product Time is the book's key, but it's meant to work in tandem with everything else. Self-care is the third habit, and it includes sleep, exercise, focus, meditation, and play. Honestly, I wouldn't have minded if the book had been extended to give each of these its own chapter, but three habits seem less daunting than eight, so I can understand. This is where you might want to draw on additional research (Bane lists all of her sources) and branch out to do additional reading on your own. For instance, I'm working through The Power of Rest to address the sleep portion of self-care, and that book also gets into exercise, play, and other aspects of self-care. Still, Bane provides enough to get you started, and these habits take time to implement. While I didn't find the forms provided in the book particularly useful, you can take that idea and find your own way of making and tracking your commitments to each habit. I use a habit-tracking site called HealthMonth, and some paper tracking as well.
Once the habits are established, you move on to the third section of the book, which begins with establishing writing rituals. I haven't begun experimenting with this yet, but there are some potentially powerful tools here. There's also a chapter on rewards, but Bane does caution you here to maintain autonomy: rewarding yourself is probably much better than someone else rewarding you. Another useful book for habit-changing and rewards is The Four-Day Win, which has a health/diet focus. That might help you come up with rewards that work for you, which Bane doesn't spend much time on. Then there's more about resistance; Bane delves further into the forms that resistance can take, why it's so hard to beat, and presents more techniques for getting past it. Once you have the habits in place, these chapters are what you come back to for motivation and help when you still find yourself getting stuck. By adding all of these layers, Bane has pretty much set up a foolproof arsenal for dealing with everything that could pop up. There's even an appendix about building a writer's group specifically focused on beating resistance, if you find you need extra support.
Nothing has changed my life the way this book has (and still is). I wish I'd had it years ago, but hey, I'm still young, and so are you. You could be writing for the rest of your life. So pick up this book, and get to it.
Read
December 11, 2014Picked this up in a B&N in Seattle, read in one go during transatlantic flight.
March 25, 2014
Initial reaction: I'm actually surprised at how good this was as an expansion on what to do when writers get "writer's block" or otherwise stuck in a variety of different modes. Some of these things I already put into practice, but I never had a name for them until now. Bane explains everything in an easy to understand and logical format. I really enjoyed reading this.
Full review:
I wasn't expecting to pick this book up at all - it was a random buy that I got with an Amazon Gift Card and I decided to go book splurging (I've had a few book splurges lately, and they've been fun - and thankfully within budget). I will confess that I never have problems with writer's block specifically. You will never see me sit in front of a computer or with a pad of paper not knowing what to write. Never, I always have something to work on, whether I'm freewriting or working on a WIP that's developed into a larger project. While that might be fortunate to some, I have almost the opposite problem: too many ideas. And I find myself getting "blocked" in a sense that way, because these ideas spark my imagination and I don't always know which project to do. I'll pick one of my ideas, write on it a while, get another idea and say "Ooh, shiny" - and write on that, saying that I'll come back to the former project later.
And the process continues. There are some projects I end up finishing, others...not so much. This book actually addresses that problem and then some, and gives a systematic reason for it with not only brain science expansions, but also presents constructive solutions through habitual commitments and processes. I have to say that I was really impressed by the way Rosanne Bane organized all of this. It addresses writer's block, perfectionism, excessive critique, distractions among a number of different problems a writer may have that prevent them from writing. I loved the way she deconstructs some of this through process and stages, and makes it easy to understand and follow through specific issues.
The stages of habit for writing that she names: process (writing without boundaries/expectations, creative play), product time (writing with specific goals/aims in mind and projects that further along the actual work), and self-care (sleep, exercise, meditation, etc.) are all important to refilling the creative well and keeping a commitment to the work a writer creates. I think this is not only a process that works for writers, but anyone who works in a creative venture in their day to day lives. This can be really be applied within any profession, and the application for extensions is really nice to see in this.
There are stories of different writerly methods and success stories of those who took on this process, and that was helpful to read about. I guess if there were a bit of a downside to this book, there wasn't as much opportunity for exercising these pieces of information, so the interaction between the reader and the text was few, but it was still a very helpful read. I enjoyed it very much, and it not only gave an interesting look at process and problems from a writerly perspective, but also gave a nice look into the science behind such problems and developing habit. It struck a cool balance, and I definitely see myself coming back to this for inspiration in a different way.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
Full review:
I wasn't expecting to pick this book up at all - it was a random buy that I got with an Amazon Gift Card and I decided to go book splurging (I've had a few book splurges lately, and they've been fun - and thankfully within budget). I will confess that I never have problems with writer's block specifically. You will never see me sit in front of a computer or with a pad of paper not knowing what to write. Never, I always have something to work on, whether I'm freewriting or working on a WIP that's developed into a larger project. While that might be fortunate to some, I have almost the opposite problem: too many ideas. And I find myself getting "blocked" in a sense that way, because these ideas spark my imagination and I don't always know which project to do. I'll pick one of my ideas, write on it a while, get another idea and say "Ooh, shiny" - and write on that, saying that I'll come back to the former project later.
And the process continues. There are some projects I end up finishing, others...not so much. This book actually addresses that problem and then some, and gives a systematic reason for it with not only brain science expansions, but also presents constructive solutions through habitual commitments and processes. I have to say that I was really impressed by the way Rosanne Bane organized all of this. It addresses writer's block, perfectionism, excessive critique, distractions among a number of different problems a writer may have that prevent them from writing. I loved the way she deconstructs some of this through process and stages, and makes it easy to understand and follow through specific issues.
The stages of habit for writing that she names: process (writing without boundaries/expectations, creative play), product time (writing with specific goals/aims in mind and projects that further along the actual work), and self-care (sleep, exercise, meditation, etc.) are all important to refilling the creative well and keeping a commitment to the work a writer creates. I think this is not only a process that works for writers, but anyone who works in a creative venture in their day to day lives. This can be really be applied within any profession, and the application for extensions is really nice to see in this.
There are stories of different writerly methods and success stories of those who took on this process, and that was helpful to read about. I guess if there were a bit of a downside to this book, there wasn't as much opportunity for exercising these pieces of information, so the interaction between the reader and the text was few, but it was still a very helpful read. I enjoyed it very much, and it not only gave an interesting look at process and problems from a writerly perspective, but also gave a nice look into the science behind such problems and developing habit. It struck a cool balance, and I definitely see myself coming back to this for inspiration in a different way.
Overall score: 4/5 stars.
August 5, 2013
Every so often, you come across a book on writing that simply blows your mind with the concepts that it brings to your writer's toolbox. This is one of those books. After learning about Bane's book in the 'Poets and Writers' magazine, I decided to check it out due to its unique look at creative blocks and brain science. What I ended up learning from this book was not only mind blowing in regards to my work, but also to my every day life.
Bane does a good job keeping this book from getting dull, her writing full of small exercises as well as pieces of information to contemplate. She doesn't take herself too seriously, often adding bits and pieces of humor into the book that help to keep it light hearted. Which is good, because the topic matter can get a bit heavy at times with the amount of science that is thrown at the reader involving the mysterious science of the brain. Bane does an amazing job keeping the information as close to lay man's terms as possible, and explains the more complex ideas with a flare that any writer can appreciate.
There is a lot to take in, from how the brain can rewire itself, how memory works, how creativity happens, how stress and fear can block our daily writing, and much, much more. The most important part however, is of course how to deal with Writer's Block. Bane presents a number of techniques that rely on how the brain works to overcome our own self destructive tendencies. She explains the hows and whys of how it happens in the first place, and then goes on to provide the means to banish these issues. Everything from beginning a habit to Pavlov's Dogs are raised in this book, and pretty much all of the techniques provided make sense and are easy to implement on a day to day basis.
One thing Bane does do a lot throughout this book is repeat herself. Themes and ideas are seen time and time again, chapter after chapter. Sometimes, it's with good reason. However, after you've read a couple of the examples for the third or fourth time, you get a little sick of reading them. However, as was pointed out in another book on writing, repetition builds memory, and as much as I really didn't like it, it DID make it stick within my neural pathways, and I am less likely to forget those lessons.
So even if you aren't suffering writer's block, I would still recommend this book for the interesting information about how the brain works and how things you may not realize are altering your behavior from moment to moment. It's an interesting concept to learn that my procrastination in regards to writing can actually stem from my father's heavy handed red pen when he read my childhood stories, or the sometimes harsh critiques I took in college. It's a scary thought, but now at least I can see why that would be the case, and I can work on building new neural pathways to keep me writing every single day.
A pleasant read, good writer's voice, understandable facts, interesting information, excellent exercises, this book is put together really well and a must for any creative person.
Bane does a good job keeping this book from getting dull, her writing full of small exercises as well as pieces of information to contemplate. She doesn't take herself too seriously, often adding bits and pieces of humor into the book that help to keep it light hearted. Which is good, because the topic matter can get a bit heavy at times with the amount of science that is thrown at the reader involving the mysterious science of the brain. Bane does an amazing job keeping the information as close to lay man's terms as possible, and explains the more complex ideas with a flare that any writer can appreciate.
There is a lot to take in, from how the brain can rewire itself, how memory works, how creativity happens, how stress and fear can block our daily writing, and much, much more. The most important part however, is of course how to deal with Writer's Block. Bane presents a number of techniques that rely on how the brain works to overcome our own self destructive tendencies. She explains the hows and whys of how it happens in the first place, and then goes on to provide the means to banish these issues. Everything from beginning a habit to Pavlov's Dogs are raised in this book, and pretty much all of the techniques provided make sense and are easy to implement on a day to day basis.
One thing Bane does do a lot throughout this book is repeat herself. Themes and ideas are seen time and time again, chapter after chapter. Sometimes, it's with good reason. However, after you've read a couple of the examples for the third or fourth time, you get a little sick of reading them. However, as was pointed out in another book on writing, repetition builds memory, and as much as I really didn't like it, it DID make it stick within my neural pathways, and I am less likely to forget those lessons.
So even if you aren't suffering writer's block, I would still recommend this book for the interesting information about how the brain works and how things you may not realize are altering your behavior from moment to moment. It's an interesting concept to learn that my procrastination in regards to writing can actually stem from my father's heavy handed red pen when he read my childhood stories, or the sometimes harsh critiques I took in college. It's a scary thought, but now at least I can see why that would be the case, and I can work on building new neural pathways to keep me writing every single day.
A pleasant read, good writer's voice, understandable facts, interesting information, excellent exercises, this book is put together really well and a must for any creative person.
January 10, 2018
Writing is head work--we writers have a tendency to dissociate from the world around us and live in our heads.
But in order to write well, we also must live. We need to be acquainted with an integrating power that gives the questing mind a rest while opening the limbic mind-body to beauty, delight, wonder of actual experience. Otherwise, what will we have to say that is worth writing about?
This living, explains Rosanne Bane in Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance, is Process Time in the equation that adds up to completing a writing project.
Process Time + Product Time = Finished Manuscript.
Process Time feeds the well—it’s anything we do that satisfies our need for creativity, for play.
Product Time draws from the well to get words onto the page—it’s the planning, research, writing, and marketing part of being a professional writer.
There’s much more to Bane’s book than that, of course, and if you’re a writer struggling with writer’s resistance—which the book's cover describes as “writer’s block, procrastination, paralysis, perfectionism, postponing, distractions, self-sabotage, excessive criticism, overscheduling, and endlessly delaying your writing”—I recommend you read it. Her strategies work.
For many years I've been both writing and living. I've enjoyed many days, perhaps even an accumulation of years worth of both Process and Product time. Until reading Banes's book, however, I hadn’t known how to fit Process Time together in the same day as Product Time. I didn’t even fit them together in the same year. Looking back, I discover what I was—a binger, an all-or-nothing kind of girl who just didn’t know when enough of a good thing was enough.
I'm doing much better now, actually. I'm living out my days in a rhythm that is propelling me toward completion of poems, essays, and hopefully soon, an entire manuscript. And it feels good.
Thank you, Roseanne Bane. You're a wonderful, encouraging guide to getting out of the rut and into the groove!
But in order to write well, we also must live. We need to be acquainted with an integrating power that gives the questing mind a rest while opening the limbic mind-body to beauty, delight, wonder of actual experience. Otherwise, what will we have to say that is worth writing about?
This living, explains Rosanne Bane in Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance, is Process Time in the equation that adds up to completing a writing project.
Process Time + Product Time = Finished Manuscript.
Process Time feeds the well—it’s anything we do that satisfies our need for creativity, for play.
Product Time draws from the well to get words onto the page—it’s the planning, research, writing, and marketing part of being a professional writer.
There’s much more to Bane’s book than that, of course, and if you’re a writer struggling with writer’s resistance—which the book's cover describes as “writer’s block, procrastination, paralysis, perfectionism, postponing, distractions, self-sabotage, excessive criticism, overscheduling, and endlessly delaying your writing”—I recommend you read it. Her strategies work.
For many years I've been both writing and living. I've enjoyed many days, perhaps even an accumulation of years worth of both Process and Product time. Until reading Banes's book, however, I hadn’t known how to fit Process Time together in the same day as Product Time. I didn’t even fit them together in the same year. Looking back, I discover what I was—a binger, an all-or-nothing kind of girl who just didn’t know when enough of a good thing was enough.
I'm doing much better now, actually. I'm living out my days in a rhythm that is propelling me toward completion of poems, essays, and hopefully soon, an entire manuscript. And it feels good.
Thank you, Roseanne Bane. You're a wonderful, encouraging guide to getting out of the rut and into the groove!
August 8, 2018
The highest praise I can give is this: I'm ordering two more copies--one to give to a friend, and the other to loan. My original copy is precious to me.
Writers, this book gave me new tools, sharpened old ones, and helped me break bad habits that sapped my creativity. My "Saboteur" was and is distraction. Well, no more. I'm D.O.N.E. Writerly resistance is a lifetime struggle, but so be it. It's just part of life.
Getting back to Chapter 5 of the current project!
Writers, this book gave me new tools, sharpened old ones, and helped me break bad habits that sapped my creativity. My "Saboteur" was and is distraction. Well, no more. I'm D.O.N.E. Writerly resistance is a lifetime struggle, but so be it. It's just part of life.
Getting back to Chapter 5 of the current project!
June 28, 2018
Despite the title this isn't a book just about writer's block, but is about the total writing process, ways to nurture that process, and reasons we so easily get derailed. I thought three parts of this book were particularly helpful for anyone who wants to increase their creativity and commitment to expressing it, in writing or any other area of life. First was the idea of "Process, Product Time, and Self Care". Basically this is recognizing that creativity needs input of ideas plus time and freedom, and sometimes we may be feeding our creativity when it looks like we're not doing anything. She actually suggests scheduling a little time almost every day for all three of those points. I guess I always thought you couldn't schedule creativity but of course you can schedule a little time to feed it.
Second she gives 6 phases of a creative project. I don't think those phases are cut in stone, and sometimes I wander in and out of them, still it was helpful to see them written out, along with suggestions of activities for writers to do at each stage. And a few pointers to avoid. In the first stage she recommends asking lots of open-ended questions, but not trying to answer them. I think delaying the answering is a key for me, as I tend to be a problem solver in life and want to find answers right now. But answering a question too quickly can reduce the creativity and keep me from asking more questions. So I'm consciously trying to be aware of not seeking answers in the early phase of a project.
Third, she combines all of this with some useful knowledge of how the likes to work and lots of suggestions on ways to keep you procrastination, negativity, etc. from kicking in and derailing you. I didn't read anything here that I didn't already know, but it was useful to see the ideas specifically applied to writing.
All in all I found this a useful book, though the best information was in the first few chapters. I'd recommend it to someone who wants to be more committed to any creative activity but is finding it harder than they expected to just show up and accomplish anything.
Second she gives 6 phases of a creative project. I don't think those phases are cut in stone, and sometimes I wander in and out of them, still it was helpful to see them written out, along with suggestions of activities for writers to do at each stage. And a few pointers to avoid. In the first stage she recommends asking lots of open-ended questions, but not trying to answer them. I think delaying the answering is a key for me, as I tend to be a problem solver in life and want to find answers right now. But answering a question too quickly can reduce the creativity and keep me from asking more questions. So I'm consciously trying to be aware of not seeking answers in the early phase of a project.
Third, she combines all of this with some useful knowledge of how the likes to work and lots of suggestions on ways to keep you procrastination, negativity, etc. from kicking in and derailing you. I didn't read anything here that I didn't already know, but it was useful to see the ideas specifically applied to writing.
All in all I found this a useful book, though the best information was in the first few chapters. I'd recommend it to someone who wants to be more committed to any creative activity but is finding it harder than they expected to just show up and accomplish anything.
October 21, 2012
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
I would not say this solely a book for writers. The principles and activities presented will indeed fend off writer's block, but they would also provide an incredible foundation for any activity which suffers similar fate. One could utilize the techniques listed to practice a number of various skills and use the information in every day life to become more productive.
The problem solving starts with a plan to 'show up' for writing for 15 minutes a day. It's a time that is small enough to not overwhelm yet substantial enough to feel like progress. You can of course, write for longer should you please. While many pieces of advice are commonplace advice, there are a vast amount of clever ideas that had never crossed my mind. An example of this is the practice of stopping in the middle of a sentence or idea that so the next day you'll know exactly where to start.
Of interest to note, there are some basic neuroscience principles that Bane uses to back up her learning techniques. Facets of the brain are explained at lay-man level approaches to clarify what happens when habits form, how rewards are processed, and the way our brain sabotages yourself from achieving what you really want. The integration of this provides a much enjoyed subtle scientific spin on the reading.
I would not say this solely a book for writers. The principles and activities presented will indeed fend off writer's block, but they would also provide an incredible foundation for any activity which suffers similar fate. One could utilize the techniques listed to practice a number of various skills and use the information in every day life to become more productive.
The problem solving starts with a plan to 'show up' for writing for 15 minutes a day. It's a time that is small enough to not overwhelm yet substantial enough to feel like progress. You can of course, write for longer should you please. While many pieces of advice are commonplace advice, there are a vast amount of clever ideas that had never crossed my mind. An example of this is the practice of stopping in the middle of a sentence or idea that so the next day you'll know exactly where to start.
Of interest to note, there are some basic neuroscience principles that Bane uses to back up her learning techniques. Facets of the brain are explained at lay-man level approaches to clarify what happens when habits form, how rewards are processed, and the way our brain sabotages yourself from achieving what you really want. The integration of this provides a much enjoyed subtle scientific spin on the reading.
March 1, 2013
I struggle with chemo brain, mom brain, and apparently writer's brain, too. This book was so interesting in terms of detailing some basics for how neuroscience impacts creativity and the innate tendency to not produce. According to the author, it's a war between the limbic system and the cortex: fight-or-flight vs. higher thinking functions. And let's face it, the prospect of writing can scare the bejeezus out of us--the idea of putting ourselves out there for the world to see, our faults, weaknesses and vulnerabilities. And our egos don't like this idea one bit. So it's like "Aw hell nah, the writing is not happening today." The good news is that with proper training, you can quell the limbic system and put the cortex back in the driver's seat. Unfortunately, there's no magic formula for this, and the very thing that we need to do to produce is the very thing that we can't: write. The author offers three tools to ensure success at breaking past the wall: process time (i.e., morning pages, à la Julia Cameron), product time (15 minutes of writing a day, at the very least), and self-care (meditation, anyone?). The author provides some good resources, such as logs, to help you become accountable to yourself. At the very least, you can read this book when you're procrastinating and waiting for that magic moment of motivation to appear.
December 8, 2022
I've read a lot of how-to-write books over the years, but not all of them tackle the blocks your own brain sets up for you. AWB does that. Rosanne Bane brings in cognitive therapy techniques to help you sidestep that little voice in the back of your brain that keeps the block in place. She also gives reason and her okay to little writing quirks, such as particular clothes, places, etc, and explains why the quirks are not only okay, but also helpful to your writing.
And like another reviewer said, this book can help you create other habits that you want, like exercising or other creative blocks you might be dealing with.
My last note, I always like someone who tells me it's okay to play. Not only does she do that, but she recommends it!
And like another reviewer said, this book can help you create other habits that you want, like exercising or other creative blocks you might be dealing with.
My last note, I always like someone who tells me it's okay to play. Not only does she do that, but she recommends it!
May 20, 2014
I won this book on Goodreads giveaway!!
I am so glad I won this book because it is so helpful in teaching you how to get past the everyday things that keep you from writing. It also teaches you how to focus and explains things in a basic format that is easy enough for even a beginner writer to understand. I have been wanting to write a book for a long time now. I have great ideas and have started the book several times then stopped. This book taught me how to stay on track with my writing so hopefully I can give away ARC's of my book in the near future.
I am so glad I won this book because it is so helpful in teaching you how to get past the everyday things that keep you from writing. It also teaches you how to focus and explains things in a basic format that is easy enough for even a beginner writer to understand. I have been wanting to write a book for a long time now. I have great ideas and have started the book several times then stopped. This book taught me how to stay on track with my writing so hopefully I can give away ARC's of my book in the near future.
September 7, 2024
LOVED THIS!!! I’m now inspired to get some writing done and not let Donald, my Saboteur, ruin everything, as he wants to do.
All writers, I think, will get something out of this book. Even those who aren’t writers will learn useful knowledge.
I like how she teaches “tough stuff” (how the brain works), but in ways that anyone can understand.
It’s late, I don’t really have grand words for this other than, “Read it, you’ll be glad you did.”
All writers, I think, will get something out of this book. Even those who aren’t writers will learn useful knowledge.
I like how she teaches “tough stuff” (how the brain works), but in ways that anyone can understand.
It’s late, I don’t really have grand words for this other than, “Read it, you’ll be glad you did.”
April 22, 2014
This book was worth the hype and lives up to the title.
It showed me how I could easily rewire my brain to help prevent the freezing feeling when you don't know what to write next, procrastination, and writer's block.
I learned that writer's block is actually a part of the writer's cycle.
I love how this book can apply to ANY form of writing, instead of just fiction.
It showed me how I could easily rewire my brain to help prevent the freezing feeling when you don't know what to write next, procrastination, and writer's block.
I learned that writer's block is actually a part of the writer's cycle.
I love how this book can apply to ANY form of writing, instead of just fiction.
November 25, 2019
When it comes to self-help literature, I try my best to only read books by academics. This book fortifies my decision. Somebody with a Ph.D. would never have written a pseudo-science book like this. For you who are also struggling with writer's block, I deeply recommend Joli Jensen's "Write No Matter What!" instead of this book.
September 10, 2015
This may be the only self-help book for writers that might actually help writers. There are no gimmicks here; rather, it teaches writers how to develop a working relationship with their craft and how to subvert those demons that talk us out of writing.
November 9, 2014
This book was really informative. I enjoyed the neurological perception of it, being in the clinical field. So I actually understood the depths Bane went with the limbic and cortex as applied to the writing element. Great for aspiring writer.
December 1, 2014
Very helpful to a procrastinating writer.
Read
May 7, 2013Read over and over and over. So much good stuff in here. Full disclosure: I am working with Rosanne on publicity and event coordination. Very gladly, very excitedly.
November 12, 2013
An interesting book about writer's block, the science of writer's block and what you can do to combat it.
February 3, 2019
An author I respect recommended this book. She uses the ideas herself and they are working for her. This book made it clear what's been going on in my brain for years now. It showed me what I can do to overcome my writing resistance, how to live with more integrity, and how to live more creatively. Now, it's a matter of putting what I've learned into practice. This book has helped me feel like it's possible.
At the same time, I give this book four stars instead of five because it was really hard for me to read. My resistance is so incredibly strong that just looking at the screaming bold words on the cover made me cringe and want to hide.
A few personal things from off the top of my head that I want to remember:
*I need to commit to small amounts of daily product time. (Process time is easy for me.)
*Self care is an important part of the equation.
*When my mind goes blank I'm probably in fight or flight mode. I need to relax, respect, and let my cortex's clear thinking come back.
*I have a powerful "saboteur" who has had many years of practice. I now recognize the enemy for what it is and I have an idea of what to do about it.
*I need to create new neural pathways through positive habits. It will get easier as the habits form.
*There is value in keeping track. As much as I detest doing it, it's effective for accountability. It's helpful to see progress and effort. Seeing that progress is a small reward.
I should reread parts of this book, write a few notes, and put them where I can see them.
At the same time, I give this book four stars instead of five because it was really hard for me to read. My resistance is so incredibly strong that just looking at the screaming bold words on the cover made me cringe and want to hide.
A few personal things from off the top of my head that I want to remember:
*I need to commit to small amounts of daily product time. (Process time is easy for me.)
*Self care is an important part of the equation.
*When my mind goes blank I'm probably in fight or flight mode. I need to relax, respect, and let my cortex's clear thinking come back.
*I have a powerful "saboteur" who has had many years of practice. I now recognize the enemy for what it is and I have an idea of what to do about it.
*I need to create new neural pathways through positive habits. It will get easier as the habits form.
*There is value in keeping track. As much as I detest doing it, it's effective for accountability. It's helpful to see progress and effort. Seeing that progress is a small reward.
I should reread parts of this book, write a few notes, and put them where I can see them.
April 24, 2020
This is a fantastic book that I cannot recommend highly enough. I flipped through a few pages of my friend's copy, ended up buying my own, and one as a gift for someone. It's that good.
(I swear I wrote a review on it before. But, seeing as how I just thumbed through it again, I'll write it now. I read this book in Aug 2013, Feb 2014, Jan 2015, April 2016, April 2019, and April 2020.) I didn't know the author before I read this for the first time. After these many years, we do follow one another on social media.
If you've ever felt unable to write, despite knowing how to do it well, this is the book to help. It's interesting because it doesn't suggest that "writer's block is all in your head," but rather it proves that it is in the mind, and shows what part of the brain, and then tells you how to fix it. I love reading books on the writing craft, and I adore books that use science. I am exactly the target audience for this. I'd absolutely read more reference books from this author.
"The brain changes in response to what we pay attention to." That's a life-changing quote from the book, once you understand it. The section about the Saboteur really spoke to me.
This book is inspirational, meaningful, fun, entertaining, informative, has a strong author’s voice, and is clearly written by an authority on the subject. I learned a better way of thinking from this book. The title absolutely makes sense. This is beneficial to the writing community.
(I swear I wrote a review on it before. But, seeing as how I just thumbed through it again, I'll write it now. I read this book in Aug 2013, Feb 2014, Jan 2015, April 2016, April 2019, and April 2020.) I didn't know the author before I read this for the first time. After these many years, we do follow one another on social media.
If you've ever felt unable to write, despite knowing how to do it well, this is the book to help. It's interesting because it doesn't suggest that "writer's block is all in your head," but rather it proves that it is in the mind, and shows what part of the brain, and then tells you how to fix it. I love reading books on the writing craft, and I adore books that use science. I am exactly the target audience for this. I'd absolutely read more reference books from this author.
"The brain changes in response to what we pay attention to." That's a life-changing quote from the book, once you understand it. The section about the Saboteur really spoke to me.
This book is inspirational, meaningful, fun, entertaining, informative, has a strong author’s voice, and is clearly written by an authority on the subject. I learned a better way of thinking from this book. The title absolutely makes sense. This is beneficial to the writing community.
February 20, 2018
A sugestão de separar momentos específicos durante o dia para atividades de Processo, em vez de Produto, é brilhante e só isso já vale a leitura do livro.
As atividades de Processo envolvem algo que te colocam no fluxo criativo, mas não contêm nenhuma expectativa de resultado. Não importa se vai sair algo dali que você um dia vai publicar, terminar, ou mesmo fazer sentido. O objetivo é fazer por fazer. Divertir-se sem apego ao produto final. O foco está todo, como diz o nome, no processo. Pode ser criar um outline de alguma história nova, escrever algo que você sabe que não levar a lugar nenhum, testar resoluções diferentes para histórias antigas, fanfics, estruturar um filme ou livro que você gosta cena por cena... enfim, as possibilidades são infinitas. Esse conceito de atividade de Processo é o antídoto perfeito pra procrastinação.
O livro tem várias outros conselhos práticos e baseia todos os conceitos em torno de estudos científicos. A autora lista diversos motivos para o bloqueio, que vão muito além da falta de ideias, e também mostra que as soluções podem não ser tão simples quanto "sentar e escrever."
Recomendo.
As atividades de Processo envolvem algo que te colocam no fluxo criativo, mas não contêm nenhuma expectativa de resultado. Não importa se vai sair algo dali que você um dia vai publicar, terminar, ou mesmo fazer sentido. O objetivo é fazer por fazer. Divertir-se sem apego ao produto final. O foco está todo, como diz o nome, no processo. Pode ser criar um outline de alguma história nova, escrever algo que você sabe que não levar a lugar nenhum, testar resoluções diferentes para histórias antigas, fanfics, estruturar um filme ou livro que você gosta cena por cena... enfim, as possibilidades são infinitas. Esse conceito de atividade de Processo é o antídoto perfeito pra procrastinação.
O livro tem várias outros conselhos práticos e baseia todos os conceitos em torno de estudos científicos. A autora lista diversos motivos para o bloqueio, que vão muito além da falta de ideias, e também mostra que as soluções podem não ser tão simples quanto "sentar e escrever."
Recomendo.
Read
March 13, 2023the ole “two Cherokee wolves” story gets some airtime near the end, and like most writing books, Gladwell’s bunk 10000 hours = mastery claim runs throughout, but I found the first half of this extremely helpful.
September 5, 2017
Great book. IT helped me identify and relearn a few things. Great for dealing with other aspects in life not just writing.
Read
September 26, 2018Some helpful tips here, and I like the whole approach to creating "new pathways" in our brain.
December 31, 2017
Thorough, practical, scientific, clear, supportive, EXCELLENT.
I need to re-read it and collate all my notes and highlights to settle the information in my brain, but this is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone who suffers with writing resistance / block / overwhelm.
I need to re-read it and collate all my notes and highlights to settle the information in my brain, but this is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone who suffers with writing resistance / block / overwhelm.
September 24, 2014
I've been struggling for months with my writing and motivation and this book not only helped me to understand why, but it gave me concrete ways that I could begin to rebuild my writing practice. Not only will this book help me with my writing, but I can see applying these techniques to many other areas of my life. This book is a resource I will return to again and again.
February 6, 2018
This does a pretty good job at explaining the neurological and psychological causes of the things that interfere with the writing process (from writer's block to distractions to procrastination to lack of time). While focused on creative writing, this can apply to any creative endeavor.
There are just a few editing errors.
There are just a few editing errors.
January 2, 2014
Finally a book that gives hope. For years I thought I was just being lazy and feeling bad. This book gives clear evidence that even the best laid plans need information. Highly recommended!
March 7, 2014
Very interesting read that delves in psychology of writing and not writing. And yes, found some new ideas to try. Definitely worth reading.
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