The Psychology of Writing: What You Need to Know to Break Through and Find Your Writing Happiness Again

“Every writer I know has trouble writing.” ~ Joseph Heller

 

Have you ever had trouble starting or finishing a writing project? Maybe you’ve experienced writer’s block, procrastination, or even fear of rejection. Or maybe you just can’t find that seemingly elusive balance between creativity and the duties of motherhood. And let’s hope this isn’t the case, but maybe you’ve gotten so far off track with your writing career that you are drifting into depression. Let’s face it; being a writer isn’t easy!

Over the past six years editing for WOW!, I’ve worked with writers of all ages, levels, writing fields, and dispositions. I’ve even had the pleasure of working with some of my personal heroes whose books I read during childhood. And you know what? They all get stuck. Because writing is hard.

I’ve been there, too. I’ve been stuck staring at a blinking cursor, typing the first sentence and deleting it again. I’ve been in the middle of a short story, only to lose interest. In fact, sometimes I have to write a piece in one sitting or else I won’t finish it. I’ve written a couple novels and abandoned them because the plot seemed contrived and the characters unlikeable. I’ve switched from loving to write fiction to craving a nonfiction assignment. I’ve struggled to meet deadlines and worried about impressing clients. I’ve bitten off all my nails while waiting to hear the results from a writing contest I entered. And writing a research paper when it’s nice and sunny outside? I’m probably going to the beach! But that’s just it—every writing project presents its own set of unique challenges, and a writer must learn to tackle these problems head on.

That’s why we decided to do an issue on all the delicate matters that affect writers. And not just the matters, but the science behind it. Each article contains advice from successful writers and psychologists or writing coaches. We wanted to make sure we were dispensing the correct advice. The goal of this issue is to help you break free of the barriers that are preventing you from reaching your personal best. We know you will relate to some of the struggles that each writer has faced, and we hope the solutions provided will help you find your writing groove again. Because we all know that when we are at our best, writing is the best feeling in the world! And there’s no other career more satisfying and rewarding than being a writer.

A big, warm thank you goes to our freelancers and staff members:

We welcome freelancer Julie Luek to the WOW! family and thank her for her excellent article, Overcoming a Writer's Identity Crisis: Find Your Writing Joy Again. Julie quit her job to pursue a career in writing; and a year and a half later, she completed her novel. She should have felt ecstatic! After all, she wanted to be a writer, and writers wrote novels, right? But instead she felt apathetic toward her project. It wasn’t that she dreaded doing revisions; she just didn’t want to write fiction anymore. That’s when she plunged head first into what Julie calls her “writer’s identity crisis.” I love this article! I went through the same thing myself after writing two novels, so I was excited when Julie pitched this idea. With the help of Lora Freeman Williams, a writers’ life and business coach; Elizabeth Ayres, founder of the Elizabeth Ayres Center for Creative Writing; and Alissa Johnson, freelance writing coach, Julie shows you how to handle an undefined transition and reinvigorate a tired and weary writing soul.

I am not a mother—yet. But I can only imagine how tough it is to be a writer and a mother. I have enough trouble tending to my cat, husband, extended family, and friends, let alone a house full of children! We welcome back Kathy Higgs-Coulthard and thank her for her inspiring article, Creative Impasse: The Intersection of Creativity and Motherhood. Similar to Julie Luek, Kathy left her teaching job to stay at home with her four children and write. She planned on freelancing for magazines, finishing her novel, and maybe even developing a website—all while taking her kids to parks and introducing them to great books and fun hobbies. She soon learned that, in her words, “Mixing writing and full-time motherhood was like trying to play the xylophone while leading seventeen show ponies through a circus performance—all blindfolded and on roller skates.” (LOL! Did I mention how funny she is?) Kathy examines how women’s multiple roles prohibit creativity and chats with Susan K. Perry, PhD, a writer and social psychologist, and Margaret Jessop, a clinical psychologist, along with authors Tara Lazar, Nimbilasha Cushing, Martine Leavitt, and Ruth McNally Barshaw, who share their best advice on how to balance writing and femininity. Not to miss!

One trick that helps tackle writer’s block and other blocks is something unique to each author. I’m talking about weird writing rituals—and countless authors have used them, including Isabel Allende, Virginia Woolf, Ernest Hemingway, and Charles Dickens! We welcome freelancer Rosanne Bane to the WOW! family and thank her for her article, Why Weird Writing Rituals Work. Rosanne is a creativity coach and author of Around the Writer's Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer's Resistance. In this article, she explains the neurology of ritual, what rituals can do for you, and how to design your own writing ritual. Included is a fun matching game where you match up the writer with the ritual!

While writing rituals are one way to get your brain ready for writing, there are other ways to put you in the write state of mind. If you’re experiencing writer’s block, procrastination, or other shortcomings, you can break free by retraining your brain. The two articles in this issue’s SLAM column, Retrain Your Writer's Brain, will show you how to get started. In The Write Brain, Tori Walters explains the virtues of brain balance and provides you with actionable tips to stimulate right-brain activity. She also interviews two experts in the psychology field—Susan Selvey, who has a master’s degree in clinical psychology, and Dr. Bill Elmore, PhD in clinical psychology—to find answers. In What's Holding You Back? Break Free by Retraining Your Brain, Robyn Chausse shows you how to break the cycle and reprogram your brain with step-by-step actions. She also interviews Morry Zelcovich, a certified brainwave engineer, and Kelly L. Stone, a licensed therapist and professional counselor, as well as an instructor for WOW! and the author of several writing books, including Thinking Write: The Secret to Freeing Your Creative Mind.

Sometimes the psychological issues are not only your own—they are those of your characters! To share a different POV on our theme, we welcome our newest team member, Renee Roberson, to the WOW! family and thank her for her article, Spine-Tingling Tales of Suspense: How to Write a YA Psychological Thriller. Suspense is tough to write—you have to carefully develop your villain and protagonist, throw in a couple unpredictable plot twists, and keep the pacing just right. So Renee reached out to authors Megan Miranda, Kate Ellison, and Jennifer Miller, who have successfully tackled writing suspense for a young adult (YA) audience, and they share their writing tips with you!

A big part of a writer’s life is waiting. We wait for an editor or agent to respond to our query. We wait for writing contest results. We wait for years, sometimes, for our book to be published. We know that patience is a virtue, but the anticipation is a killer! How can writers make the cycle of wait, waiting, waited go by a little bit quicker? We welcome freelancer Mridu Khullar Relph to the WOW! family and thank her for her fantastic article, 10 Ways to Play the Waiting Game (and Win It!). Mridu Khullar Relph interviews authors Debbie McClure, John Ashley, Leigh Matthews, Anne Leighton, C.L. Talmadge, and Nikki Moustaki who share their best ideas. Not to miss!

Who do you turn to when you are stuck on a decision in your writing career? Should you start a blog to promote your novel? Which project is a better use of your time: the picture book idea or the how-to book? Is it finally time to drop your manuscript and move on? Similar to a trainer at a gym, writing coaches get you moving in the right direction with quicker results. In Workout with a Writing Coach and See Career Results: 10 Questions Answered by 2 Writing Coaches, WOW! editor Margo L. Dill interviews two amazing writing coaches and successful authors—Alice B. McGinty and Christina Katz—and gets the skinny on what you can expect from a writing coach, what psychological issues writers face, and even ideas for becoming a writing coach.

If you were to pick one characteristic that is necessary for a successful writing career, what would it be? WOW! columnist Allena Tapia says tenacity is essential for writers and shows you how to cultivate a tenacious disposition in her article,Five Ways to Cultivate Tenacity in Your Writing Career. Learn how to choose projects with balance in mind, control your environment, know the breakdown in your craft, prepare for the costs, and get inspired.

Have you ever felt depressed about your writing or your writing career? Maybe you’ve been rejected so many times that it’s put you in a dark state of mind. Let’s face it: being a writer is hard! How do you cope? We welcome freelancer Pinar Tarhan to the WOW! family and thank her for her excellent article, How to Manage the Evil Three: Rejection, Depression, and Procrastination. Pinar shows you how to battle these demons, along with experts Carol Tice, Julie Fast, and Sophie Lizard. I found this one particularly helpful!

We took a little hiatus with our markets column, but now it’s back! This time Charlene Oldham tackles Trade Publications. Charlene interviews the editors of five trade publications to find out what they’re looking for. Learn how to pitch to Model Retailer, Pet Product News International, Supermarket Guru, ASCP Skin Deep, and Sustainable Industries. Discover their pay rates, writers’ guidelines, what to pitch, submission etiquette, and more!

We’re also proud to announce the Winter 2013 Flash Fiction Contest Winners! A big thank you goes to literary agent Jennifer DeChiara for judging this season’s contest. Congratulations to all the winners and those that had the courage to enter the contest as well. You’re going to enjoy reading these fantastic stories!

And last, but not least, I’d like to thank WOW!’s amazing editor (and writing coach herself—(even though she doesn’t advertise it . . . yet!) Margo L. Dill for making this issue an absolute pleasure to read!

Announcement

This website has been awarded a Best Writing Website.
Sponsored by Writer's Digest, Writer's Market,
Writer's Digest University & Writers Digest Shop.

We recently found out WOW! Women On Writing was selected as a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers 2013! This is our sixth year in a row, and we’re thrilled. We’d like to thank all of our readers/writers for supporting us. This is a great honor for all women writers because you make up WOW!

On to the issue . . . enjoy!