You're Not Alone
Thanks to two-time WriteOut!er Gholdy Muhammed for reminding us that "the two most powerful words in the world are 'me too.'" Here's what we've learned so far about the conditions, habits, and strategies that affect your writing.
To Do My Best Writing, I Need...
A Physical Environment That Has…
· Warm/Cold/Natural lighting · A view/No visual distractions · Color · Noise · Heat |
Being Around...
· No people · Lots of people · People who don’t talk a lot · People who talk, but not to me · People at the same stage in school |
I Tend to...
· Discount writing subtasks (reading, notetaking, thinking, etc.) as not “real” work
· Assume I’m the only one who struggles with writing
· Prioritize other people’s needs over my own
· Have unreasonable expectations for myself
· Criticize myself in ways I would never criticize others
· Work until I burn-out or revolt against all responsibility and obligation
· Use [email, FB, twitter, phone calls, etc.] to [procrastinate like this, or like this, avoid hard problems, etc.]
· Avoid or stop work when I’m afraid of it
·Assume that I’m stupid if I can’t clearly articulate my argument.
· Assume I’m the only one who struggles with writing
· Prioritize other people’s needs over my own
· Have unreasonable expectations for myself
· Criticize myself in ways I would never criticize others
· Work until I burn-out or revolt against all responsibility and obligation
· Use [email, FB, twitter, phone calls, etc.] to [procrastinate like this, or like this, avoid hard problems, etc.]
· Avoid or stop work when I’m afraid of it
·Assume that I’m stupid if I can’t clearly articulate my argument.
Instead I could...
· Ask others for help
· Join communities of support (even if they make me nervous)
· Reward myself for working or achieving my goals
· Allow myself to take a break
· Write when I have the most energy
· Accept how long some tasks take
· Devote sufficient time to planning
· Account for the non-work parts of my life when planning for work
· Join communities of support (even if they make me nervous)
· Reward myself for working or achieving my goals
· Allow myself to take a break
· Write when I have the most energy
· Accept how long some tasks take
· Devote sufficient time to planning
· Account for the non-work parts of my life when planning for work