Episode XII

Think of a clever subtitle for me, will ya?

Author

John Lim
April 12, 2024

Did everything go a bit wonky after the eclipse?

Ok back to work … ah shoot

It’s been one of those weird (not quirky) weeks. Monday was cool, but after that things got a bit wonky. From the lady who admonished me for sneezing in Panera several yards away because she hates to hear that sound while eating (“Oh, I’m sorry, next time I’ll be sure to get a pre-approved list of activities from you when you grace us with your presence in this public place” 🙄) to trying to leave some items at a charity drop off that looked like a war zone sat on it (I promptly left and donated elsewhere). And don’t get me started on the number of times I had to hear Total Eclipse Of The Heart on IG stories and … eh, nevermind. I already played my free-rant card for the year during daylight savings time.

This week, I continue our look at writing a book and the non-solar eclipse obstacles that may keep you from actually doing just that; collectively referred to as “writer’s block.” I’d say more but I think I just hit that 🧱 myself.

-John

Moving Forward

Episode 465: Breaking through writer’s block

Funny but I think I may be having writer’s block right now. For realz or maybe … it’s just an off day. It’s hard to tell because I’m writing this after a long afternoon of meetings with a few mishaps; not to mention being yelled at by the nice lady at Panera who just wanted to eat her oatmeal in peace (see above). So what is writer’s block? I could be clever and simply put a 😩 and call it a day but as I just got a few new subscribers (thank you!), I figure I should put some words down since this is a newsletter after all. Writer’s block (the serious kind) isn’t just one off day. It’s when you have a bunch of off days that travel to a big annual meeting that takes place inside your head and hang out in the hallways with the stale pastries and burnt coffee. It’s when you stare at a blank screen for days on end and tell yourself that you’ve actually done a lot of writing but you just happen to be writing in matching white font for a change. And it’s when doing anything else from yard work to painting the house to rubbing your eyes until you see the pretty patterns sounds more attractive than sitting in front of your computer, pecking at those keys.

If you’ve been following this series, you’ll know that I liken writing a book to running a marathon. If you’ve ever run one before, you may have experienced what some runners refer to as “the wall,” which usually occurs during the last leg of a race. It’s when you’re tired, achy, and just want to do anything other than move but can’t stop even though it feels like there’s a brick wall right in front of your face. Writer’s block is like that except with less heavy breathing, though that too may come with the inevitable anxiety from sitting down for an hour, five days in a row with nothing but a deeply furrowed brow to show for it.

So, how do you “break the block,” so to speak? Well, I’ll tell ya. But first, let me go take a nap first and come back … later.

Learn more on this week’s episode, now playing on Spotify.

❝

I believe it [writer’s block] is a when not an if question.

-One of the best ways to combat writer’s block is to launch a podcast, record 450+ episodes, and quote from it. Easy peasy!

What else on this week’s episode:

  • The three levels of writer’s block.

  • Why writing more can be a great way to “work out the knots” if you have writer’s block.

  • How to use your accountability buddy to get you unstuck.

  • How to properly take a vacation from your book and the dangers of saying “I’ll come back … later” (like I just did 👆).

Hacks

Take a vacation

When you experience a serious case of writer’s block, the temptation is to stick your book in a drawer, be it literal or closing your laptop, and say “I’ll come back to it later.” Don’t do that. That phrase is one of the most dangerous ones to utter while writing a book. The risk is that “later” often means never. Once you stop writing, time has a funny way of marching on and not caring that you’ve taken a pause from your great American novel or non-fiction tome. Before you know it, a day turns into a week, and boom, four years will have gone by when someone asks out of the blue, “Hey, whatever happened to that book you were writing? When can I read it?” and you’ll have this 😳 look on your face as it dawns on you that you were just smashed with two awkward jabs compounded into one.

Instead, take a vacation. Now before you say “but that’s what I just did,” hold your 🐎 es. Think about when you take an actual vacation from work. It’s not as if you can simply drop everything, leave, and never come back. Not unless you 1) win the lottery, 2) are a character quitting a job in a sitcom, or 3) a combination of 1 and 2. In the real world, you have to plan it out, talk it over with your boss, set a start and return date, and book your travel arrangements. There are enough steps you have to take such that by the time you’re on vacation, you’ll need another one to recover from all the hoops you had to jump through just to make this one happen.

Treat a break from your book with the same formality. Sit down and come up with a firm start and end date. Talk it over with your accountability buddy, and if they’re worth the shout out in your acknowledgments section, they’ll be the first to encourage you to take a vacay -and- remind you when it’s time to get back to work.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a break from your book if you have too much going on or are simply burned out. But do it in a sensible way that ensures you’ll come back and finish what you started. Your future readers will thank you by picking up that book you eventually did write and publish.

“I’m giving you permission to take a vacation from your book.”

Weekly quirky news

📚❤️, 🌒🎶🪙, 🗽🌎🤝, 🐐🌊😂

A rare first edition of a Stephen King classic: the one that’s sorta like The Simpsons Movie except not quite as dark

Available now at my bookstore on Pangobooks

Under the Dome by Stephen King, Hardcover | Pangobooks

Used copy of Under the Dome by Stephen King for sale on Pangobooks.

pangobooks.com/books/d222bd08-eaad-4bbf-a42a-913f391485d2-CTy0cvJNOZgXlCopDUy87CB1Evl2

Resources

Teach a man to fish, you know the rest (if you don’t, check these out).

  • Book a coaching call with me on Clarity.

  • Follow me on Goodreads for book recommendations.

  • Check out one of my favorite daily newsletters Morning Brew (affiliate referral link).

Support the newsletter and podcast

“What are you selling?!?” -actual quote from a b-school classmate

Affiliate disclosure

Note: Links to Amazon and Audible products are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.