Let’s Get This Out Of The Way

If you’ve come to know me & my blog writing style, you know I hate fluff and nonsense. I do this obligatory first paragraph, then we jump right in. My (logical) guess is that you’ve opened this link because you need the information the post title suggests I have, and you don’t want to read five paragraphs of me philosophizing and waxing poetic about roads and journeys and blah, blah, blah. Let’s get to it.

Roadblock Number One

Time. Listen, we are busy as fuck, I know. Work, kids, spouses/partners, commitments & obligations, housework… the list is endless. And when we do find time? We’re exhausted. And yet, I still say, MAKE time. Not find time, make time. It’s there, tucked in between this and that. Even if it’s twenty minutes, it counts.

Roadblock Number Two

Energy. It goes hand in hand with time. One might think, “Why do I need energy to sit and type (or write)? ” The simple answer is, your brain needs to be firing on all cylinders to write anything of merit. If you’re feeling meh when it’s time to write, take a few minutes to do something physical/mildly exertive or stimulating. (I walk on the treadmill for ten minutes.) Eat brain food (oh, hell, have some chocolate!). Psych yourself up the hour before writing by listening to anything that motivates you- music, podcast, Tony Robbins, whatever does the job.

Roadblock Number Three

Procrastination. For as much as I deeply love writing, I am guilty of procrastinating… often. Maybe it’s because I know that once I sit down behind the computer, it’ll be hours before I get up again. Or maybe it’s just my ADD. Whatever the case, I stall and allow myself to get distracted by every little thing. So, my solution is TIMERS! Yep, I set the timer. 30 minutes to run around, or mindlessly scroll Facebook, or stare at the wall. It works about 90% of the time.

Roadblock Number Four

Inspiration. You know how it is. Sometimes (usually when driving, sleeping, or in the shower) inspiration hits and the ideas are like endless waterfalls that you can’t get onto paper or screen fast enough. And then there are the times when you can’t get past the word “The.” You can handle this effectively in two very different ways. 1) Walk away & relax, it’ll come back to you. Panicking will only chase the idea fairy further away. Give yourself a three-day vacay, and start fresh. 2) Do a brain dump. Stream of conscious writing can be quite illuminating. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes and write anything that pops into your head. This often “unclogs” the mind and shows you what’s blocking your progress.

Roadblock Number Five

Fear/Doubt. Sometimes We use one through four as excuses for this guy here. Fear and doubt kill more dreams and goals than anything else. They say that it isn’t that brave people don’t have fear, it’s that they operate in spite of fear. So, the only advice I have for you here is: be brave. Write, publish, and promote in spite of fear. You’re not alone in this.

The Final Roadblock is…

You. Sorry, but there’s no other way to say it. You’re roadblocking yourself. Also, I’m kind of an asshole, because this number six is really number one, two, three, four, and five. So much for hating fluff and nonsense, huh? All of that stuff up there is the winding way of saying you’re in your own way. Do this thing that you say you want to do. Write your book. Today. Now. Stop reading my blabbery and WRITE!

xo ~ Elsa

Looking For Advice on Your Path To Authorship?

Elsa Kurt is a multi-genre, traditionally & self-published author of over twenty-five books. She is also a speaker and creator of Path To Authorship, coaching for new and aspiring authors. Thanks to her fabulous ADHD, she also designs several apparel lines, took up roller skating, and is pressuring her long-suffering husband for a fourth dog. For more tips, insights, and observations on the author’s life, visit Elsa HERE. For all of Elsa’s links, visit HERE..