Good morning, and welcome to all my WordNerdy friends and family!
Quick question to get the fun ball rolling:
Can you add to this list?
(Credit for this meme goes to Chip MacGregor–saw it on his FB page, and almost snorted coffee!)
I did an internet search on “WordNerd”, and boy howdy, did I get some fun stuff to read.
Your turn…and, go!
“My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.” —Abraham Lincoln
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Thursday, April 23, 2026 is World Book Day. According to Wikipedia,
World Book Day, also known as World Book and Copyright Day or International Day of the Book, is an annual event organized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. The first World Book Day was celebrated on 23 April in 1995, and continues to be recognized on that day.
Clearly, all authors should be celebrating World Book Day, but I have to admit I never heard of this special day until my husband and I were invited to give a presentation on the subject. As a result of that invitation, I did a little research and found it to be such a fascinating story, I figured TKZ folks would be interested.
Much of the information below outlining the major milestones in the history of books came from tckpublishing.com.
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Mesopotamia, 3500 BC – Clay Tablets
The Mesopotamians used wet clay and wrote on it with a reed stylus. The tablets were then dried or baked to preserve the writing. Much of the content recorded inventories, sales information, contracts and legal agreements.
Egypt, 3000 BC – Papyrus
The Egyptians used marrow from the papyrus reed to produce sheets which were glued together to create scrolls. Some of the scrolls were very long—one measured more than 40 meters!
Greece, 500 BC – Goat skins
A shortage of papyrus gave the Greeks incentive to go in another direction, and they used sheep and goat skins to make parchment. It was a good solution, but not as good as leather.
China, 100 BC – Paper!
The Chinese are credited with inventing paper made from rolls of bamboo that were bound together.
Rome, 100 BC – Codex
Romans made a giant leap forward with the invention of the codex, a way to bind pages together to form what we would recognize as a book.
It took 3500 years to get to books in the format we’re used to seeing, but printing books in mass was still to come.
Movable type – 1000 – 1400
The Koreans invented the first metal movable type in 1200 AD and produced the first book with that type in 1377AD.
Gutenberg’s printing press – 1439
Gutenberg’s brilliant invention provided for the mass production of books. The first mass-produced book was the Gutenberg Bible, printed in 1455.
Pocketbooks – 1500
Aldus Manutius is credited with inventing this precursor to the modern paperback.
Printing comes to America – 1640
The Puritans brought over a printing press and printed The Bay Psalm, the first book printed in the new world. It contains the Book of Psalms from the Bible. A few copies of the original printing are still in existence.
Project Gutenberg – 1970s
Michael S. Hart founded Project Gutenberg in 1971 as a way to digitize and preserve important books. As of March 2026, this volunteer effort has made over 75,000 free works available to the public.
Amazon Kindle – 2007
Amazon’s Kindle was introduced in 2007 to light a fire in the reading public. Over 80,000 titles were available for purchase on the first release. There are currently over 44 million book titles on Amazon.
According to medium.com, around 2.2 million books are published each year, and there are around 155 million books (unique titles) in the world today!
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So TKZers: What are your thoughts on the history of books? What’s your favorite book? How many books have you published? Do you write in one genre or several?
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THE WATCH MYSTERIES
Half-sisters Kathryn and Cece never meant to become sleuths, but trouble has a way of finding them. With Kathryn’s problem-solving skills and Cece’s theatrical talent, these reluctant detectives prove the search for truth is worth the effort.
Three complete novels on sale this week for 99¢ on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, Kobo, and Google Play.
Okay, Killzoners, let’s be up front with each other…and have some fun while we’re at it.
Be it paper delivery, fast food shenanigans, kiddo-sitting, or shoveling out your neighbor’s chicken coop . . . what was your first paying billet (or J.O.B.)?
I like to think of my first job as the First Draft of My Life.
Remember these?
I was the advanced age of fourteen when I was hired in my mother’s office. I worked after school three days a week, filing real estate cards—way before the digital age—and answering the black dial phone. Not exciting, but I could start buying my own clothes!
We won’t talk about the other job I had . . . intermittently dog-sitting for our neighbor’s twin St. Bernards . . . actually, I don’t know to this day who was sitting who. (Whom?)
Two of them!
Your turn—what was your first experience with a paycheck (and, dare I say, taxes?)
And, second question: How has that first paying job influenced your writing–such as plot, character development, etc.?
Portmanteau is a linguistic blend of two or more words. In French, portmanteau means “suitcase,” implying it holds two or more words inside. We, writers, can use portmanteaus to make our word choice more interesting.
Choose carefully. The last thing we want is to cause confusion.
Even authors like James Joyce, Charles Dickens, and Lewis Carroll created a few portmanteaus that sounded like nonsense, but they worked. In fact, portmanteau first appeared in Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass in a quote from Humpty Dumpty:
“Well, ‘slithy’ means ‘lithe and slimy’ and ‘mimsy’ is ‘flimsy and miserable’. You see it’s like a portmanteau—there are two meanings packed up into one word.”
A master of wordplay and creative word choice, Carroll created an entirely new genre of etymology in one quote. Portmanteau itself is even a portmanteau. It combines the words “porter,” which means “to carry,” and “manteau,” which means “cloak.”
Other portmanteaus have bled into everyday speech, like brunch (lunch + breakfast).
If you go back far enough into any word’s etymology, you’ll find any number of portmanteaus that helped create it.
Common Examples of Portmanteaus
Smog = smoke + fog
Motel = motor + hotel
Infomercial = information + commercial
Spork = spoon + fork
Podcast = iPod + broadcast
Glamping = glamorous + camping
Webinar = web + seminar
Chortle = chuckle + snort
Dramedy = drama + comedy
Listicle = article + list
Newscast = news + broadcast
Pokémon = pocket + monsters
Prequel = previous + sequel
Romcom = romance + comedy
Sitcom = situation + comedy
Telethon = television + marathon
Cosplay = costume + roleplay
Biopic = biography + picture
Bollywood = Bombay + Hollywood
Mockumentary = mock + documentary
Edutainment = education + entertainment
Botox = botulism + toxin
Brexit = Britain + exit
Affluenza = affluent + influenza
Juneteenth = June + nineteenth
Medicare = medical + care
Obamacare = Barack Obama + healthcare
Reaganomics = Ronald Reagan + economics
Ampersand = and + per se + and
Dumbfounded = dumb + confounded
Electrocute = electricity + execute
Flare = flair + glare
Fortnight = fourteen + night
Gerrymander = Elbridge Gerry + salamander
Shepherd = sheep + herder
Splatter = splash + spatter
Squander = scatter + wander (time, money, or opportunity)
Stash = store + cache
Taxicab = taximeter + cabriolet
Velcro = velvet + crochet
Adware = advertising + software
Animatronics = animation + electronics
Bionic = biology + electronic
Bit = binary + digit
Blog = web + log
Breathalyzer = breath + analyzer
Cyborg = cybernetic + organism
Email = electronic + mail
Emoticon = emotion + icon
Intercom = internal + communication
Malware = malicious + software
Modem = modulator + demodulator
Pixel = picture + element
Celebrity Coupling Portmanteaus
Brangelina = Brad Pitt + Angelina Joele
Kimye = Kim Kardashian + Kanye West
J-Rod = Jennifer Lopez + Alex Rodriguez
Lesser-Known Portmanteaus with Definitions
Brony = brother + My Little Pony — male fandom of the My Little Pony series
Movember = Mo + November — an awareness month where men grow facial hair to raise money for men’s health organizations
Ebonics = ebony + phonics — a common dialect in the American Black community
Stagflation = stagnation + inflation — continuous period of high inflation and unemployment
Pizzagate, Russiagate, Monicagate, Weinergate, etc. — The media creates portmanteaus with the word Watergate to imply an event is scandalous.
Imagineer = imagine + engineer — an engineer who works on creative projects
Netiquette = network + etiquette — proper online etiquette
Food Portmanteaus
Cronut = croissant + doughnut
Frappuccino = frappe + cappuccino
Froyo = frozen + yogurt
Grapple = grape + apple
Mocktail = mock + cocktail
Popsicle = pop + icicle
Pluot or Plumcot = plum + apricot (sounds delicious)
Spam = spiced + ham
Tofurky = tofu + turkey
Crossbred Dogs
Aussiedoodle = Australian Shepherd + Poodle
Chug = Chihuahua + Pug
Cockapoo = Cocker Spaniel + Poodle
Horgi = Huskey + Corgi
Labradoodle = Labrador + Poodle
Maltipoo = Maltese + Poodle
Pitsky = Pit Bull + Husky
Puggle = Pug + Beagle
Other Animal Portmanteaus
(usually bred in captivity)
Beefalo or Cattalo = buffalo + cow
Cama = camel + llama
Coywolf = coyote + wolf
Wolfdog = wolf + domestic dog
Geep = goat + sheep
Grolar Bear = grizzly + polar bear (Imagine the size of this bear!)
Liger or Tigion = lion + tiger
Wallaroo = wallaby + kangaroo
Wholphin = false killer whale (not orca; they’re long, slender dolphins that resemble orca in skull structure, black head, and markings, though with gray tones instead of white) + dolphin
Zonkey = zebra + donkey (Coincidentally, I’m on the waitlist to rescue/adopt a micro-mini version)
Conversational Portmanteaus
Athleisure = athletic + leisure
Brainiac = brain + maniac
Bromance = bro/brother + romance
Chillax = chill + relax
Fauxhawk = faux + mohawk (hairstyle)
Frenemy = friend + enemy
Ginormous = gigantic/giant + enormous
Guesstimate = guess + estimate
Hangry = hungry + angry
Jeggings = jeans + leggings
Mansplain = man + explain
Sheeple = sheep + people
Snark = snide + remark
Staycation = stay + vacation
Threepeat = three + repeat
Twerk = twist + jerk
Another common portmanteau is alcoholic + something addictive (workaholic, shopaholic, chocoholic, etc.) It’s so commonly used, many people believe -holic is a suffix for “addiction,” when in reality, it’s a conversational portmanteau.
Portmanteaus are not compound words. Compound words like “notebook” or “football” or “sunflower” use two words to create one, where portmanteaus shorten one or more words in a creative way.
TKZers, did you realize all these words were portmanteaus? Get those creative juices pumping and give us a new portmanteau! Or add to the list.
“Without great solitude, no serious work is possible.” — Pablo Picasso
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The psychologist Carl Jung first used the terms “introvert” and “extrovert” in the early 20th century to define personality types.
In general, introverts enjoy solitude but are uncomfortable in large social gatherings. They are self-aware and tend to be deep thinkers who like to have a few strong relationships rather than a lot of acquaintances.
Extroverts, on the other hand, prefer large groups and enjoy living in the spotlight. They are more outgoing and usually have a lot of friends.
In reality, being an introvert or extrovert isn’t an either/or definition. It’s more of a continuum, and we can imagine a line graph showing introvert at one end and extrovert at the other. The great majority of people probably fall somewhere in the middle area as ambiverts.
An article on WebMD notes some of the differences in brain function between introverts and extroverts:
Researchers have found that introverts have a higher blood flow to their frontal lobe than extroverts do. This part of the brain helps you remember things, solve problems, and plan ahead.
Introvert brains also react differently to dopamine than extrovert brains do. That’s a chemical that turns on the reward- and pleasure-seeking part of your brain. Introverts and extroverts have the same amount of the chemical, but extrovert brains get an excited buzz from their reward center. Introverts, on the other hand, tend to just feel run-down by it.
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“The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.” — Albert Einstein
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In her book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, Susan Cain’s premise is that we live in a culture that rewards extroversion, but we need to take advantage of the significant gifts that introverts have to offer. Cain gives concrete evidence of the superpower of introverts:
“Some of our greatest ideas, art, and inventions—from the theory of evolution to van Gogh’s sunflowers to the personal computer—came from quiet and cerebral people who knew how to tune in to their inner worlds and the treasures to be found there.”
She then goes on to provide a very impressive list including Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, W.B Yeats, Frederic Chopin, Marcel Proust, George Orwell, Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), Charles Schulz, Steven Spielberg, and J.K. Rowling.
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“Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who want to tell you a story but don’t want to make eye contact while doing it.” — John Green
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Many of the authors I know consider themselves to be introverts, and given the solitude and cerebral tendency of introverts, you’d expect most authors to be at the introvert end of the scale. You might be right. Here’s a list of a few:
The introvertdear.com site even lists several reasons “Why Introverts Make the Best Writers”:
- Good writing is good thinking. And who thinks more than introverts?
- We’re comfortable with solitude (which is a necessity to write).
- We’re keen observers of people, places, and details, which makes our writing rich.
However, not all great authors are introverts. Consider these extroverts:
One famous writer who was thought to be a combination extrovert/introvert personality was Ernest Hemingway
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Want to know where you fall on the introvert/extrovert scale? Take this quick 20-question quiz on Susan Cain’s website. Here’s where I ended up:
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So TKZers: Do you think introverts have an advantage when it comes to writing? Where do you fall on the introvert/extrovert scale?
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Extrovert Reen & her introvert cousin, Joanie, are the best kid detective team ever, solving problems and making the world a better place.
Click the image to go to the Amazon series page.
In honor of Good Friday, please share a hobby/activity you enjoy.
The only rule is this: it must have nothing to do with publishing or writing. Not to say your hobby/activity doesn’t feed your storytelling brain cells, but if you have one unrelated to writing, this is the day and the space to share it.
And . . . go!
Oh! Me first? You got it!
Target shooting’s my game–if it fires a bullet, I’ll try it.
Okay–your turn, TKZers. What do you do when you’re not writing/reading/editing/marketing?
We live in a world filled with distractions. Attention spans have shrunk from roughly 2.5 minutes in 2004 to about 40-47 seconds — some report a reduction to as low as 8 seconds — a drop of 60-70% since portable digital screens entered our lives.
Now more than ever, focus is at an all-time low, many preferring social media to writing. With the introduction of AI to shortcut the writing process, the problem is only worsening.
Writers who focus long enough to write without AI tools have become valuable to companies and organizations who hire freelance writers to grab the attention of their target audience. With the exception of tech companies who hire writers to train AI models — no amount of money is worth selling your voice! — all say they’ll trash your application if you use AI tools for any part of the application process: resume, cover letter, and writing samples.
Freelance writers need to able to flex their creative muscles, or they’ll never find work.
Authors need to be able to flex their creative muscles to touch the lives of readers.
Freelance writers — or authors who supplement their income with freelance work — have run across the “No AI” warning many times.
When I first ran across it, it made perfect sense. Of course, companies and organizations want the human touch. Any AI prompter can produce thousands of words on various topics. Only a real writer can trigger emotions in the reader.
Writers can’t flex those mental muscles without the ability to focus. In today’s world, new writers especially may suffer with a lack of focus. They’re juggling school, work, family, or all three, and don’t take their writing seriously yet. Many professional writers juggle just as much, if not more, but they’ve learned to hit the keyboard whether they’re inspired or not.
The ability to focus is an important life skill for us all. Hence my motivation for this post.
7 Unusual Ways to Improve Focus
Chewing Gum
Sounds crazy, I know, but I read this recently and couldn’t avoid diving headfirst into a research rabbit hole.
The Spider Technique
This mental training exercise helps you ignore external distractions.
If you held up a vibrating tuning fork to a spider web, the spider will rush out to investigate. After several repetitions without finding prey, the spider wises up and stops reacting.
Train yourself to be the wise spider. When a door slams or someone enters the room, acknowledge the sound but choose not to glance over. Practicing “tunnel vision” helps build a mental barrier against interruptions.
Look at “Kawaii” Images
Kawaii means “cute” in Japanese. Hope this one doesn’t sidetrack you for hours, but looking at cute photos of baby animals can significantly boost performance on tasks that require high focus, like writing a novel. A study by Japanese researchers found that cuteness-triggered, positive emotions narrow the breadth of attentional focus, making you more detail-orientated and less prone to veering off-course.
Loop One Song on Repeat
I’ve done this one, and it does work.
Listening to music is common among writers, but listening to one song or album on a loop for hours is a specific high-focus strategy. Your brain has two attention systems: conscious and unconscious. Familiar, repetitive music occupies the unconscious system — the part that usually scans for distracting background noises to assess potential threats — without taxing your conscious mind. This creates a “trance-like” state, or as creatives call it, “the zone,” our ideal happy place.
Create a To-Do List
Sounds simple, I know, but it works. I’ve done it for years.
Rather than fight stray thoughts, whether it be ideas for future scenes or things you need at the grocery store, give them a temporary home by writing it on paper or in Notes on your phone. This externalizes the To-Do item and sends a signal to your brain that the item is safe and can be released from your working memory. Otherwise, your mind will keep trying to remember it.
Practice Positive, Constructive Daydreaming
Sometimes the best way to focus is to stop trying. I do this a lot, too. When I reach a point where I’m spinning my wheels or hit a mental wall, I walk outside and watch my wildlife. Or go for a 20-minute walk. Or take a shower. Or read a book for a while. Or meditate. Or exercise. Do anything that allows free thoughts to flow, like daydreaming. This engages the brain’s default mode network, which replenishes your “willpower reserves” and often leads to creative breakthroughs that a forced focus cannot reach.
Strategic Cold Exposure
Dunking your face in a bowl of ice water for 20-30 seconds is not only an anti-aging technique but a reset for your nervous system. Cold exposure triggers a sharp release of norepinephrine and activates the sympathetic nervous system. This is often followed by a parasympathetic rebound that leaves you feeling calm, alert, and mentally sharp.
How many of these have you done? Did they help?
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” ― Stephen King
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Most writers are avid readers. An article on medium.com sums it up this way:
In a nutshell, reading and writing are inseparable. The better writers tend to be exceptional readers, and better readers can produce exceptional writing. A writer who doesn’t read is like a musician who doesn’t listen to music or a filmmaker who doesn’t watch films. It is demoralizingly hard to do good work without experiencing the good work that has been done before.
A well-read writer has better verbal skills, discerns the nuances of language, and distinguishes between poor and quality writing, so read more, read widely, and learn from other people who do what you are aiming at with the facility and the skill level you would love to cultivate.
I’ve been reading an eclectic variety of books in 2026. Here are some of them:
On Desperate Ground by Hampton Sides
The story of the battles around Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. I’m writing a novel with Korean War veterans and I wanted to get details of the actual battles.
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty
A book club pick. It’s an interesting novel that explores aspects of the fear of death, the art of fortune telling, and the power of suggestion. Most authors will appreciate the first chapter which almost guarantees readers will turn the page.
Over the Edge of the World by Laurence Bergreen
A fascinating look at the expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan that resulted in the first circumnavigation of the Earth. It’s one of the books that fuels my fascination with the early explorers.
Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey
Time to saddle up and read about the cowboys. Although I skimmed the long, descriptive sections, I liked the story and found myself eager to get back to it each evening.
Balancing Life’s Roles by Jarrell Gibbs
This common sense guide to handling all the different roles we play in life was written by a friend of ours. Very useful advice especially for young people.
Satan’s Subway by Steve Hooley
Our very own Steve Hooley authored this middle grade fantasy. Once again, Steve tackles a serious issue through the eyes of a the Mad River Magic gang.
Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
This was also a book club pick. I read just a few chapters before it had to be returned to the library. The book is wildly popular, and I’d be interested to know if any of you have read it and what you think about it.
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
Just started this one. I imagine it would be interesting to many authors.
Now I’m looking for a good mystery. Any recommendations?
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So TKZers: What books are you reading in 2026?
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A missing person. A trail of secrets. Private pilot Cassie Deakin reluctantly follows a mystery that refuses to stay buried—uncovering truths that shine brighter, and more dangerously, with every step.
Click the image to go to the Amazon book detail page.
The idea for this post began with a quote attributed to Michael Cunningham in A Home at the End of the World…
“We become the stories we tell ourselves”
This is especially true of writers. If you tell yourself, “I’ll never find an agent” or “My writing isn’t good enough to score a publishing contract,” chances are you won’t. Why? Because you’ve adopted a negative mindset.
Same principal applies to, “I can only write on weekends.” If you tell yourself you can only write on weekends, you’re already making decisions about your ability to write Monday through Friday, so if you slip behind the keyboard on a weekday, it’ll be more difficult to write. You’ve handicapped your creativity with a fixed (negative) mindset.
We’ve discussed fixed vs. growth mindsets before. I want to revisit the Mental Game of Writing *shameless plug for JSB* from a different angle, because it’s not discussed enough in writers’ circles.
RAY EDWARD’S THOUGHT EXPERIMENT
Imagine you’ve been given a treasure. This treasure, like all magical treasures, comes with conditions. While it’s an unlimited treasure, each day you can only take one gold coin. Just one. And every day you suffer from amnesia. When you forget you have this treasure, you lose a day of unlimited value.
How will you remind yourself to take the coin? Leave a note? Set an alarm? Phone a friend and ask them to remind you? How will you remember not to waste a single coin?
You already own this treasure. It’s called life. Consider this your reminder. Each new day offers endless possibilities, in life as well as writing. What will you do with your coin today? Will you squander it by scrolling through social media for hours? Or will you cash it in for its full value?
Look. We’re all guilty of procrastination from time to time. The trick is to prioritize your writing.
Every morning, I watch the sunrise. Not only does it inspire me, it grounds me with a positive mindset for the day. If you roll over and slap the snooze button, dreading the day ahead, you’ll start the day with a negative mindset. Things tend to roll downhill from there.
Have you ever heard a writer complain about being a lousy writer? That’s a fixed mindset. Their mind is made up. They will never write well. Period.
A growth mindset is positivity based. If that same writer said, “I may not be the best writer today, but I will be” they’ve flipped the script. Because now, they know if they continue to show up, they will improve.
See the difference?
The writer with the growth mindset is moving forward. The writer with the fixed mindset would rather complain about writing than study, hone, and implement their craft.
Writers aren’t the only ones who fall prey to a fixed mindset. It’s easy to do.
Do these excuses sound familiar?
Every excuse is steeped in negativity, yet this is common rhetoric in the writing community.
Let’s pull back the veil on each one.
TOO MUCH TO DO TODAY — I’LL WRITE TOMORROW
When life shakes the to-do list in your face, it’s easy to avoid the keyboard. The problem is, tomorrow never comes. If you are a professional writer, or striving to become one, then you must prioritize your writing.
Can you carve out thirty minutes in your busy schedule today? How about fifteen? How about five? No one’s too busy to write a paragraph.
CAN’T WRITE NOW — JUST WORKED AN EIGHT-HOUR SHIFT
Writers all over the world work a full-time day job. Lee Child wrote his first novel during his commute to and from work. If you’re driving, can you dictate into your phone? Hands-free, please! I don’t want to cause any accidents.
Or write on your phone during your lunch break.
Or start supper fifteen minutes later than usual — after you’ve hit the keyboard.
Priorities, priorities, priorities. How bad do you want it? If writing full-time is your ultimate goal, you must continue to show up.
If you train yourself to write for fifteen minutes when you arrive home from work, the word count will continue to grow. An ever-increasing word count leads to confidence, excitement, and joy. There’s no downside. None. If all you have is fifteen minutes, you must protect that time. Tell your family and friends how much writing means to you. The house won’t burn down if you disappear for fifteen uninterrupted minutes, nor will your children starve.
Some days the words will flow. Other days they won’t. That’s okay. You still made progress. Don’t get caught up in evaluating your writing or hitting a certain word count right away, or you’ll backslide into a negative mindset. Celebrate the fact that you showed up.
TOO TIRED TO WRITE
With all the snow blowing I’ve done this winter, it’d be easy for me to use the “too tired” excuse. Battling Mother Nature does wear me out, but I also have multiple writing projects that need my attention. I take time to rest, enjoy a nice hot cup of tea, then hit the keyboard. If my hands hurt from squeezing the handles of my snowblower (a common problem), I may only squeak out 500 words that day — self-care is equally important — but at least it’s something.
NOT IN THE MOOD TO WRITE TODAY
If we sit around waiting to get in the mood to write, the WIP will languish on the hard drive for months, even years.
“The only way out is through.”
—Robert Frost
Here’s where having a solid writing routine in place makes all the difference. For me, it’s sliding on the headphones. Once I crank the music, the world fades away, my focus narrows on the screen, and I’m transported into my story. It’s a form of self-hypnosis. When I hear that playlist, my creativity soars.
Find a routine that works for you and stick with it. You may be surprised by how quickly you can jump into the zone.
I’M NOT INSPIRED
Seriously? I’ve never understood this excuse. What are you waiting for, a lightning rod to shoot from the sky? Lemme tell ya, watching cat videos on social media won’t inspire you, either. Stop wasting precious writing time. Slide on the headphones, or whatever works for you, and write something, anything, even if it’s only a paragraph.
If you don’t know what to write, review your writing from the day before. It’ll come to you. If you’re still stuck, go for a walk. Alone. And think about your story.
Planners may have a slight advantage over pantsers in this regard. If I know my next milestone in the story — first plot point, first pinch point, midpoint, etc., etc. — then I’m able to say, “Okay, the MCs need to wind up doing this or that. How do I get there from here?”
The answer may require research. Or the introduction of a new character. Or better yet, kill a character. Nothing kickstarts creativity faster than raising the stakes.
I HAVE WRITER’S BLOCK
Pah-lease. Writer’s block is nothing more than a negative mindset with a title attached. You’ve convinced yourself you cannot write for whatever reason. Flip the script in your head, and the words will flow like Niagara.
Perhaps, you’re overwhelmed. It happens. Take a breath. You’re okay. Move on.
Or maybe, real life has given you more than your fair share lately. Or you’ve written yourself into a corner. Figure out what the root cause is, but please don’t call it writer’s block.
Burnout is something else entirely — been there, done that, got the scars to prove it — the subject of which has too many variables to discuss now. Want me to cover it next time?
Maintaining a positive mindset takes work and perseverance, but you can do it… if you want to.
Therein lies the rub.
How will spend your treasure today?
Many believe those who procrastinate are lazy or unmotivated. It can be true of some, I suppose. Most, however, are caught in a torturous loop that stems from the brain. Once you fall prey to these endless cycles, it’s difficult to claw your way out.
A War Rages Inside the Brain
There are two culprits triggering procrastination.
The prefrontal cortex, responsible for:
And the limbic system, which regulates:
Note how the prefrontal cortex’s job centers around self-control and the limbic system’s responsibilities are all emotional based.
When you have a task to complete, your prefrontal cortex sends a signal to your limbic system that says, “C’mon, it’s time to work.” Because your limbic system is like an unruly teen who seeks only pleasure and avoids pain or discomfort, it often returns a signal that says, “Let’s do something else that feels good right now.”
Procrastination is the war between the two, and we’re caught in the middle. Social media and other online activities have only worsened the problem, resulting in more and more procrastination. Devices like iPhones don’t help by trying to guilt you into increasing your screen time. Don’t fall for it. They do not have your best interests in mind.
Though procrastination may feel good in the moment — the limbic system tricking you into believing your actions are justified — that nagging task lingers in the prefrontal cortex, which leads to guilt, anxiety, and stress. Once you start procrastinating, it’s difficult to stop, because the limbic system rewards you with dopamine, the feel-good hormone.
Those stuck in this torturous loop know they should work on that project, but their mind is in turmoil. Add in real-life stressors, and procrastination worsens.
Yes, I speak from experience. After leaving my husband of twenty-seven years, starting a new life in a new area, moving again to another new area, where I bought my home, I had plenty of reasons to justify procrastination. Thankfully, I also took a year-long break from social media, which helped maintain my inner peace.
For those of us who didn’t grow up with the internet, the “noise” can be downright deafening at times. I also had to learn how to do “guy jobs.” Please don’t jump all over me for that comment. I know it’s sexist, but I never mowed a lawn or used a snow blower before. New England’s constant snowstorms and blizzards this year has forced me to use muscles I didn’t know I possessed. 🙂 There’s an art to snow blowing — it’s become another creative outlet for me, only with aches and pain afterward. LOL
The most important thing that saved me from endless procrastination was my longtime belief in mindfulness, the practice and awareness of living in the moment.
How To Cure Procrastination
Step #1: Realize what’s happening in your brain.
I solved that for you today, but feel free to study more about this war inside you. Fascinating research.
Step #2: Practice mindfulness.
An easy way to begin the practice of mindfulness is to walk outside. Stop. Close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths, the benefits of which we’ve discussed before.
What do you hear? Birdsong? Pinpoint where without opening your eyes. Is there a pattern to his song, or is he communicating with another?
For weeks, I listened to this tiny wood thrush who nests on my covered porch. Amazing little birds that can easily sing over fifty unique songs and can even sing two different melodies at once. I thought he was singing just to sing, until I noticed him stop to listen. Sure enough, another wood thrush sang back.
My breath halted. Since males try to out-sing each other, this must be a singing competition.
I was so invested in rooting for my little porch buddy, nothing else mattered in those precious moments.
What do you smell? The sticky sap of a pine tree? Smoke from a campfire or woodstove? Pinpoint where without opening your eyes.
What do you feel? Focus your awareness on your skin. Is the wind cool against your cheek? Does the sun warm your scalp?
What do you sense? You most certainly are not alone. Wildlife surrounds you, even in the city. Stand in the moment and engage all your senses, except sight. By taking away the ability to see, you must rely on your other senses.
When you’re done, take three steps forward. Start over. There’s one catch — you cannot list anything you already mentioned. This will force you to dig deeper, concentrate harder, your awareness opening like rose petals. Repeat at least three or four times. With each step forward, you’re healing your mind, body, and spirit.
Mindfulness is an important life skill to master.
Besides being a cure for procrastination, mindfulness has many health benefits:
Step #3: Work on the project you’ve been avoiding for five minutes. Your limbic system will reward you with a dopamine hit — good job! You did it! If you struggle to continue past five minutes, that’s fine. Stop there. Do this every day. Soon, you’ll be so invested in the project, five minutes will turn into fifteen, thirty, one hour, or more.
Though writers are not immune to procrastination — some say, we’re the poster children for it — it does help to have a regular writing routine. Walking into an office or sliding on headphones sends a silent signal to the brain that it’s time to work, but that doesn’t mean the limbic system won’t respond with, “Let’s play instead.”
The next time you find yourself scrolling on social media instead of completing a task, take a moment to ask yourself why. Are you procrastinating or do you need a break? If it’s the latter, enjoy. Mindless fun is important, too. If it’s the former, put down the phone and walk outside. Please don’t tell me it’s too cold. I’ve been out there in double negative degree temps and survived just fine. Bundle up. It’s worth the effort. What you’ll experience is the cure for what ails you.
If, for health or mobility issues, you are unable to go outside, use the body scan method to practice mindfulness. Lie Lay Recline in a comfortable position with your eyes closed. Deep breathe for a few rounds. Then focus on your feet. Note how your heels touch the surface below them. Do your toes tingle? If you concentrate long enough, you’ll feel blood flowing through your feet.
Next, take note of your ankles. Little by little, work your way up your body. When you reach each organ, envision how it works inside your body. Once you reach your scalp, you may open your eyes.
The body scan method also works for insomnia.
What do you think about this war inside your brain?