Fake Out of a Writer's Block

"Fake it 'til you make it" is one of many mottoes that twelve-step self-help programs offer to assist people in changing their lives. It's one that I instinctively recoiled from, despising falsity in any form. Ah, but I didn't understand what "faking it" really meant. In the context perhaps "mimic" would be more accurate, but it doesn't rhyme with "make", and the purpose in devising these jingles is to ingrain them into a person's psyche.

To my mind, a key aspect in faking it is to know what "it" is. If you've been struggling with a temporary creative interruption (Writer's Block) for some time, you may have forgotten how it looks and feels to be a productive writer. Believe it or not, drunks have to learn how to behave as sober people.

Maybe you feel stymied at how to become a writer (take on a new role) or you're a writer in a slump (need to relearn, reinforce good writing habits). Start with or go back to basics. You're first a writer in your own mind.

• Stand in front of a mirror and repeat aloud, "I am a writer." Try it out with the emphasis on each different word. Add some gestures, if they help. Find the form that fits you: one you feel comfortable saying and makes you feel good about yourself. Mine is, "I am A WRITER!", loud and proud, smiling, head held high. Repeat the phrase ten times as often as you can remember to daily . I plaster PostIt notes on my bathroom mirror for help with such aspirations.

• Keep the focus on yourself, and don't try to compete or compare your productivity with others'. Generate your joy from your own creativity (although it's fine to rejoice for fellow writers and to draw inspiration from their work).

Then it's time for more actions. What does a writer do?

• Drain your brain for writing ideas and goals, but be realistic. Don't expect to complete monolithic endeavors if you're just starting out. If you do aim for a wide target, like writing a novel, break it down into bite-size chunks. If you want to be a self-published poet but know nothing about publishing or poetry--take a class.

• Establish your writing time, too. No matter how little it is, stick to the schedule. Make it a top priority in your life. Write SOMETHING, even if it is just practicing queries or cover letters. They make be "fake" letters, but they are also stepping stones to success.