Baby Step Around Writer's Block

Remember the movie "What About Bob?" In it Bill Murray practices his psychiatrist's therapeutic technique of "Baby Steps". The neurotic character "Bob" is anxious to ... do anything. If he were a writer, he would have the biggest block, Writer's Block I mean, of all time. He would fear inserting a page into the typewriter (he would be too afraid to own a computer)! "What About Bob?" is a very funny movie with a seriously useful, if subtle, message about overcoming obstacles.

A writing block can occur at any point in a project. The newer (to you) or larger the job, the more likely it will rise up near the start of the process. More experienced writers are often bogged down in the middle when everything seems in chaos, and it is, and they wonder if they'll ever be able to sort it out. Writers who fear failure or success, whether they know it or not, will balk towards the end. They edit or rewrite endlessly or complain, "I can't find a good ending."

Baby steps, very small actions, can move you toward a part of your creative enterprise. Baby steps also build good writing habits. Examples of baby steps that a writer can take:

• prepare a 30-90 seconds description of your project
• write in a different format
• outline or write a synopsis
• organize your material
• write a "trial" part
• brainstorm with friends
• write in increasing time increments
  

Have you tried taking baby steps to successfully walk yourself through a writing project? Feel free to share them with us.