I write a lot of different things in a day.
On any given day, I might write
- Emails
- Feedback for student papers
- Social media posts
- To-do lists
- Reminders
- A blog post
- Product copy
- A section of book that I’m working on
- Notes for class
And the list goes on.
Some of these are because I am a writer, and some are just the writing that everyone does in a day.
As a writer, the lines between work and non-work can get a little blurry.
Is this post for fun? Work? What about these notes I’m jotting down? Are they for a future book project or just random ruminations that will go nowhere? Wait a second, this to-do list is half work and half “stop the mail” and “clean the toilet.”
There are some times though when the writing is clearly work. When you have to produce because someone is waiting for it and they will pay you if only you will send them some words on a page, it’s easy to choke and realize that just like Lorelei Gilmore of the famed Gilmore Girls, the only thing in your head is “hockey puck, rattlesnake, monkey, monkey, underpants.”
When Hockey Puck Monkey Brain happens, how do you overcome it?
How do you get it together and make real sentences come out? And not just ones people can understand, but ones that are relevant to the project people are going to pay you for?
I’m sure there are a lot of ways, but for me, there are a few tried and true.
- I reread the information that I have about the project. In detail. Multiple times. This helps to focus me and remind me of the desired outcome.
- I also get out an old school piece of paper…like the kind made from wood pulp or bamboo. There is just something for me about the scratchiness of a pencil on paper that jogs the mind.
- I give myself permission to not get it right the first time, and I dive headlong into brainstorming.
- I also reflect back on other times when I was in this situation, and I remind myself that the project always gets done.
I’ve felt this way before, and I was successful, so I can stop freaking out and let the pressure off a little.
It’s amazing what that can do for the creative process.
Of course there are always all the other things that your mom would tell you like
- Don’t wait until the last minute
- Get enough sleep
- Eat a vegetable
- Walk outside
But really…who does those things?
I know that this is not just for writers, and anyone can have days where focus, motivation, and creativity are running low.
How do you overcome HPM brain? Share your tips below so that we can all get more done and quit earlier on Fridays.
