writing blocks

How to Stay Focused—and WRITE!

July 19, 2020 by Lisa Tener

Do you struggle with how to stay focused on your writing? You’re not alone. Just a few tweaks can help you break through the challenge and write in a state of inspired flow.

Her Breakthrough in Focus

On a call with a Bring Your Book to Life® participant, she shared her recent breakthrough:

As a busy freelancer she had trouble making time for her writing. When she sat down to write she often became distracted by pressing business activities on her to do list.

What finally freed her was turning off her phone. “I lost track of time. Two and a half hours later I realized how immersed I’d become. I didn’t want to stop but I had to get some food!”

She reports that the solid block of undisturbed time helped her get more focused and productive. “I got much clearer on my outline and moved things around with post-it notes like you showed us in class.” Her writing flowed with ease once she had a clearer outline and undisturbed time to write.

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Having your phone on, checking email, online shopping (or even research) can distract you from making progress with your book. Here’s how to stay focused on writing:

Identify typical—and potential—distractions.
Take specific actions to prevent these distractions. For example, turn your phone off; write in a place where no one and no device will find you (perhaps writing outdoors); put a do not disturb sign on your door.
Plan your breaks to invigorate rather than distract. For example, set a timer for stretch breaks or even step outside and take some deep breaths, moving your body in ways that energize you.

Read more: Check out these 7 writing productivity tips; 9 ways to connect with your creative muse and 5 Ways to Get Unstuck in your writing.

What distracts you from writing? What do you do to stay focused? Share any commitments you are making to stay focused on your writing today or this week.

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Get Your Writing Done!

One of the best ways to stay focused and write is to create an environment conducive to writing. My most recent program helps you do just that.

Give your writing practice a boost by joining me (and my two amazing colleagues, Laurie Hunt and Sharon Burton) to write Thursdays from 11:30 AM ET to 1:30 PM ET, or Wednesdays 8-10 pm ET:

In the program:

You’ll learn my favorite creativity-inducing exercises.
You can work on a specific project or just let yourself be inspired by the writing prompts I provide.
You’ll learn my secrets for writing in a state of flow.
You’ll have the nourishing support and accountability needed to show up to writing.
You’ll get writing done, every single week that you show up!

If you’ve been thinking of taking a class with me, but were intimidated by the bigger commitment of my other programs, Get Your Writing Done offers a perfect opportunity to learn some of my best tools for writing, get your questions answered personally on the calls, and make progress on your book, blog, articles or other writing. I’ve also priced this system to fit just about any budget.

I’d love to help you achieve a BREAKTHROUGH in writing with ease—every time.

Click Here to Get all the details.

Your Bonuses

I’ve bundled in lots of extras including my most popular self-study book writing programs and the materials we use in my Bring Your Book to Life(R) Program. I include videos, audio meditations, ebooks on writing, revision and creative flow and much more.

You’ll find all these resources on the program website; yet your monthly fee is just a fraction of what I charge for these programs when sold individually.

Yet, even if you never use these bonuses and just show up for the writing sessions, you’ll receive incredible value — imagine what it will do for your life and/or your business when you complete your writing projects and bring them out in the world!

And if you’re not ready to share with the world, that’s fine too. You can use the program to journal, for personal growth, to explore genres or just write for the love of writing.

Find out more about Get Your Writing Done here.

Write a Book? What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

March 23, 2012 by Lisa Tener

Book writing coach Lisa Tener — Your Book Writing Coach

During a consultation with a newly enrolled Bring Your Book to Life participant, Ariel shyly admitted that she was a bit afraid I might give her a hard time for not getting started on the course materials before our session. After all, she’d been beating herself up for days. Wouldn’t I do the same?

Ariel committed to my book writing program and then her life seemed to fill with other commitments–a trip to Europe for work, trips to visit family members and, of course, all those little interruptions that make it impossible to get started–meal preparation, errands, a client project…you can fill in the blanks.

I assured Ariel that her experience was common. And we did some brainstorming. I encouraged Ariel to use her plane time to work through the preliminary course materials and enjoy the process of getting clear about her book concept and structure. She began to get excited about the upcoming trip and the way she could fit her book into her travel schedule.

meet your muse visualization for writers — Meet your writing muse to get clarity and overcome writing blocks. Photo by David Donohue.

I also introduced Ariel to my favorite client exercise: Meet Your Muse. I took her through a visualization from meadow to woods to a clearing and a small building where her muse was already waiting for her. For some people their muse is a totem animal–hawk, bear or even mouse. For others, it’s a wise being, an elder, a jester, their wiser self. And for still others the muse may be light, a color or just a sense of connecting with something bigger than their everyday self.

Ariel’s muse told her the real culprit was her fear blocking her. She could feel those people in her life who’d told her she couldn’t–those judgmental adults from childhood she carried around within her psyche. I had her ask her muse to help her start to let go of that and she could feel the knot in her stomach start to unwind.

writing muse as hawk — Your muse may be a totem animal, wise being or just a felt sense of connecting with something greater than yourself.

Ariel’s muse hugged her and told her, “Yes, you can write this book. And you don’t have to do it alone. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Ariel thanked me for creating a safe space where she could “mess up” and not be doing things perfectly and I pointed out that she was doing it perfectly. It turns out that the exact steps she needed to go through were the steps she needed to take her readers to go through in order to benefit from the advice in her own book. Her process was important not just for her (breaking through old blocks and belief systems and expanding into her own personal power), but important for the light it will shed on her own readers’ processes.

your writing muse — One client's muse was a bird that turned into a person when she spoke to it. Photo by David Donohue.

After clearing her fears, Ariel realized she could commit Tuesday and Thursday nights to writing. From years of experience I know that evenings can be challenging, even to a night owl, and suggested she first find some time to rejuvenate before the writing–a walk outdoors, a meditation, listening to my Meet Your Muse meditation (a free download) or playing some relaxing music. This activity could provide a supportive transition to come to the writing with renewed energy.

If you’re experiencing any challenges that are making it hard to write, I recommend a similar process to Ariel’s. First do some practical brainstorming about what you can do and then go to your muse to tap into your creative inner wisdom.

Are you beating yourself up or allowing your process to unfold? Yes, there will be a time for deadlines, schedules, holding yourself to commitments, but perhaps first you need to create the space to work through something. I invite you to listen to this downloadable gift from me–my Meet Your Writing Muse visualization and experience a shift that can help you get your book written–a compelling and powerful book that makes a difference in the world.

And please do share what you’ve done to move out of fear, transform blocks and get writing, as well as any insights you’ve received from your writing muse.

Why Aren’t You Writing? Afraid?

April 27, 2011 by Lisa Tener

lisa home photo — Your Book Writing Coach

When you start writing a book, your demons will come up. That’s a good thing. You get to clear them. However, you often have to name them before you can clear them.

Here are two demons that almost everyone grapples with–just two sides of the same coin: Fear of Success and Fear of Failure.

Over the past couple weeks, a participant in my Bring Your Book to Life Program found himself severely challenged in making progress on his book. We did some work with his “muse” and got powerful answers about how to get back to the writing flow he experienced earlier on in the course. But I had a feeling the Fear of Success and Failure Demon lurked somewhere as well.

I asked him about it and he said, “I thought of that. Yes.” We went back to his muse to unblock.

His answer to the fear was to ask two questions:
1. What’s the worst thing that can happen [if I fail]?
2. What’s the best thing that can happen?

The answer to question 1: “Nothing. I’m right where I am, which is not all bad.”

lisa carrying books — Holding published books by Write Your Book Clients. Is yours next?

His answer to question 2: “It’s tremendous. I’m in front of the room having fun, laughing, joking, teaching and improving lives. And getting paid to do it. The money is important but more important is helping people.”

I asked him to connect to the second image before he writes each day. To feel how good it feels and set himself up for that success. I also suggested he start the morning envisioning himself writing with ease–feeling inspired, the words flow, and he enjoys uninterrupted writing time.

What’s your worst case/best case scenario? How can you set yourself up for success? What are you envisioning to start your day or writing time?

Writing Blocks: Create Sacred Space

March 17, 2010 by Lisa Tener

One of my future book writing students (she’s registered for the May class) called to say she’s a bit stuck. Going through the preliminary material, she found herself feeling a bit hazy about her book, and conflicted about her goals:

Should the book create interest for her workshops?
Should it be required reading for workshops or would that just turn people off?
Should it include any exercises from the workshop or not?

What a mess: How can I ever create with this all around me? — “What a mess: How can I ever create with this all around?”

As we spoke this morning, I realized we needed to take a step back. Her problem stemmed from the fact that she had no sacred space for writing. She’d moved six months ago and complete chaos reigned throughout her new home–from boxes piled in rooms and hallways to floors that required a complete overhaul.

We both recognized that little progress could take place until she developed a sacred, clear, inviting, inspiring space for creativity, including writing.

While you might not have quite the herculean task of moving a whole household, some of my recommendations might support your own process:

1. Clear the space with intention: open windows, burn sage or another aromatic, cleansing herb, sing songs, dance or do whatever it takes for you to clear out old energy and bring in new energy that resonates with your intention. Burning herbs may sound airy-fairy, but remember that your creative side loves metaphor, symbols and creative practices.

2. Clean out the old: What needs to go to make this space support creative flow? Can you donate it? Sell it? Put it in the basement for now?

I chose this Melissa Harris print for my office because it evokes creative flow and journey for me.

3. Plan your space: What will you do in this space? What will make it feel like a sanctuary for creating and writing? What artwork, furniture, colors and other objects will inspire you?

4. Schedule your time: Go right to your planner or calendar and schedule specific dates and times for organizing and creating sacred space. Treat this appointment just like any other important commitment.

5. Get support: Recruit a friend, hire a recent college grad, or ask your super-organized sister to help you. It’s so much easier to take on the task of clearing, cleaning and organizing a space with someone to help. If you need to pay for help, think of it as an important investment in your writing life and future.

I’d love to hear how you’re creating sacred space for yourself. Share your commitments, accomplishments and suggestions.

Writer’s Block

November 28, 2008 by Lisa Tener

I just ready Cathy Stucker’s blog on Writer’s block and she brought up a good point about fear being a common cause of writer’s block. And, of course, the thing to do to get rid of fear is to do it anyway.

Opening up to nature can transform writer's block. — Opening up to nature can transform writer’s block.

However, As a writer and writing coach, I find that stress and depletion are two very big reasons that my writing clients and students experience writer’s block. When you come to your writing refreshed and in an open frame of mind, the writing can often flow with ease. But if you’re still breathing shallowly, thinking of the 10,000 things on your to-do list, you’re not very present.

Writing is about being present. When you’re present, you make your writing come alive for your reader. You paint a picture. You make it real. Which, oh-my-gosh, I’m not actually doing right now. I’m generalizing, pontificating, but I’m not showing (I’m telling). So I might not be blocked, but I’m not knocking your socks off, either.

Truth is, I just finished packing for a trip to my parent’s house in Sag Harbor early tomorrow morning. My husband loaded the boys into his Toyota Corolla for a quick trip to Home Depot. We’re due to go to a party in about a half our and I need a shower, a wardrobe adjustment, and time to turn my hair into something other than Medusa on a bad day. So I think I fell into category two–not blocked but not much fun either.

By now, I hope I’ve painted a picture and that brings me to some of the cures for writer’s block due to stress or fatigue.

1. Take a walk in nature and allow the autumn smells and cool, crisp air to replenish you. Breathe deeply.

2. Listen to your favorite music. You can lie down and take it in, dance or sing out loud–whatever it takes to energize you.

3. Bust through it by sheer will–write a bunch of blah until it turns into something else.

4. Do a few yoga postures, chi gong or even jumping jacks.

5. Meditate for a few minutes. You can even close your eyes and just picture yourself as the stress melts away. Then picture yourself writing with ease and feeling the exhilaration of inspired writing.

The challenge with my third suggestion is that sometimes it doesn’t turn into something else. In that case, those rejuvenating exercises are a whole lot better. Have fun with my suggestions and see if they get rid of writer’s block. I bet they will.

I also have a visualization I often take my writing coaching clients and students through. At my clients’ request, I’ve made a free recording of the guided visualization–so you never have to suffer from writer’s block again.