Comments on: Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/ Online marketing that works Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:42:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Trading Turkey for Writers Block « Unrequited Words; Lost Trepidation http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-1057008 Trading Turkey for Writers Block « Unrequited Words; Lost Trepidation Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:56:23 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-1057008 [...] “Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon,” by Melissa [...] [...] “Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon,” by Melissa [...]

]]> By: Writer’s block: Tips to break through | matt tillotson http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-1041497 Writer’s block: Tips to break through | matt tillotson Fri, 30 Sep 2011 13:27:54 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-1041497 [...] up: Copyblogger, with a sunny take on writer’s block: Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon. Author Melissa Karnaze says that writer’s block is caused by fear, and the fear can be [...] [...] up: Copyblogger, with a sunny take on writer’s block: Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon. Author Melissa Karnaze says that writer’s block is caused by fear, and the fear can be [...]

]]> By: 2 Ways that Writer’s Block Is Your Problem | The Content Buffet - By John White http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-1004346 2 Ways that Writer’s Block Is Your Problem | The Content Buffet - By John White Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:49:50 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-1004346 [...] here’s writer Melissa Karnaze posting on writer’s block as your secret weapon, with a six-step guide to unblocking yourself. Use it in good [...] [...] here’s writer Melissa Karnaze posting on writer’s block as your secret weapon, with a six-step guide to unblocking yourself. Use it in good [...]

]]> By: The Triond Experiment http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-989263 The Triond Experiment Sat, 25 Dec 2010 16:51:56 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-989263 Its a good thing I found this article. Its helping me in some ways. Thanks! Its a good thing I found this article. Its helping me in some ways. Thanks!

]]> By: Jake http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-943028 Jake Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:21:28 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-943028 Yes, I've yet to meet the surgeon who has "surgeon's block" or the plumber who has "plumber's block". Writing is a job. Do your job! Yes, I’ve yet to meet the surgeon who has “surgeon’s block” or the plumber who has “plumber’s block”. Writing is a job. Do your job!

]]> By: David http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-910951 David Sun, 16 May 2010 01:45:14 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-910951 To be honest, I think John was asking for it when he took such a seemingly arrogant standpoint, saying that ‘struggling’ over a work was something bad and a sign that you were a failure as a writer. Seeming to suggest that you either write or whine about not writing and there is nothing else in the equation. I don’t have much sympathy for posers any more than I have for arrogant pros who want to tell us what we should be – but I do know that there's enough brilliant works out there that were etched from hours of agonizing and soul-searching. In my own case (admittedly, I am a fiction writer rather than a copyrighter, so probably have a very different perspective – this is just my take on the subject), the stories that have proved the hardest to write – that have sometimes gone for weeks while I thrash them out without writing a word – have almost uniformly received the best reactions and reviews and I believe that is because they took ME to places that I found challenging, and the reader can maybe pick up on that, giving the story more substance than just a stroll down a familiar path. In fact – when a story comes really easily or only took a few days to write, I start to get suspicious and start to question how good it really is and how I should be making it better. The trick, as far as I am concerned, is knowing when to push yourself to get words on paper and when to step back and just think and let things settle in the head. And sometimes I have got it wrong. I have sometimes forced myself to write and wrecked the story in the process, taking it down blind alleys that need a vast amount of work to remove. Writing before thinking. Then again, stories have occasionally got bogged down and basically come to a complete stop. Thinking too much without actually getting anywhere. But that's just a part of it all and all just have to be addressed. This is why I see writing as an organic process, rather than a 9-5 job type process. Surely any really good work involves some sort of dialogue with yourself as it is produced and, if that is hard then maybe it means that the resulting work will have an even better edge to it when it finally comes together. Either that or it fails – but my own view is that it only fails if you give up. And yeah, sometimes you do because you decide it just isn’t worth it and you have more exciting ideas or copncepts to devote your time to. So yes – I agree completely about writers block being an invaluable tool and your article is really fascinating. All this makes it not whining about being hard but celebrating it, as you say, which I took to be your central message! I love the challenge of it – love knowing that this strange journey that a story has taken me on must have a destination somewhere - and by destination, I don’t mean the end of the story of course! :-). And if it is currently unknown or frightening, that only makes it more interesting. To be honest, I think John was asking for it when he took such a seemingly arrogant standpoint, saying that ‘struggling’ over a work was something bad and a sign that you were a failure as a writer. Seeming to suggest that you either write or whine about not writing and there is nothing else in the equation. I don’t have much sympathy for posers any more than I have for arrogant pros who want to tell us what we should be – but I do know that there’s enough brilliant works out there that were etched from hours of agonizing and soul-searching. In my own case (admittedly, I am a fiction writer rather than a copyrighter, so probably have a very different perspective – this is just my take on the subject), the stories that have proved the hardest to write – that have sometimes gone for weeks while I thrash them out without writing a word – have almost uniformly received the best reactions and reviews and I believe that is because they took ME to places that I found challenging, and the reader can maybe pick up on that, giving the story more substance than just a stroll down a familiar path. In fact – when a story comes really easily or only took a few days to write, I start to get suspicious and start to question how good it really is and how I should be making it better.

The trick, as far as I am concerned, is knowing when to push yourself to get words on paper and when to step back and just think and let things settle in the head. And sometimes I have got it wrong. I have sometimes forced myself to write and wrecked the story in the process, taking it down blind alleys that need a vast amount of work to remove. Writing before thinking. Then again, stories have occasionally got bogged down and basically come to a complete stop. Thinking too much without actually getting anywhere. But that’s just a part of it all and all just have to be addressed. This is why I see writing as an organic process, rather than a 9-5 job type process.

Surely any really good work involves some sort of dialogue with yourself as it is produced and, if that is hard then maybe it means that the resulting work will have an even better edge to it when it finally comes together. Either that or it fails – but my own view is that it only fails if you give up. And yeah, sometimes you do because you decide it just isn’t worth it and you have more exciting ideas or copncepts to devote your time to. So yes – I agree completely about writers block being an invaluable tool and your article is really fascinating. All this makes it not whining about being hard but celebrating it, as you say, which I took to be your central message! I love the challenge of it – love knowing that this strange journey that a story has taken me on must have a destination somewhere – and by destination, I don’t mean the end of the story of course! :-) . And if it is currently unknown or frightening, that only makes it more interesting.

]]> By: nlp courses http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-800144 nlp courses Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:16:36 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-800144 Just found your post while looking to get past my writers' block... I'll let you know if it works :) Just found your post while looking to get past my writers’ block… I’ll let you know if it works :)

]]> By: Friday Favorites « Closing Time http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-769842 Friday Favorites « Closing Time Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:33:43 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-769842 [...] Who’s the Teacher Here from Heart of the Matter Online Preventing Swine Flu from Pensieve Why Writer’s Block Is Your Secret Weapon from Copyblogger By Faith from A Life in Need of [...] [...] Who’s the Teacher Here from Heart of the Matter Online Preventing Swine Flu from Pensieve Why Writer’s Block Is Your Secret Weapon from Copyblogger By Faith from A Life in Need of [...]

]]> By: Tips and Tricks Tuesday: Writer’s Block « Barding Well http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-760831 Tips and Tricks Tuesday: Writer’s Block « Barding Well Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:48:22 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-760831 [...] Melissa Karnaze, also of Copyblogger actually believes a block can be a “secret weapon.” In her post she gives some great steps to reach clarity, find what it is you want to say, and most importantly, remember why you wanted to write that piece in the first place. [...] [...] Melissa Karnaze, also of Copyblogger actually believes a block can be a “secret weapon.” In her post she gives some great steps to reach clarity, find what it is you want to say, and most importantly, remember why you wanted to write that piece in the first place. [...]

]]> By: » NaNoWriMo: Nation Novel Writers Month : Girls In Tech : http://www.copyblogger.com/use-writers-block/#comment-760757 » NaNoWriMo: Nation Novel Writers Month : Girls In Tech : Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:31:42 +0000 http://www.copyblogger.com/?p=5298#comment-760757 [...] about writers block? I recently read a few great tips from CopyBlogger in “Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon.” As simple as it sounds they recommend you just take a blank sheet of paper and answer [...] [...] about writers block? I recently read a few great tips from CopyBlogger in “Why Writer’s Block is Your Secret Weapon.” As simple as it sounds they recommend you just take a blank sheet of paper and answer [...]

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