I had a breakthrough experience back in January. I was on a two week writing-solitude retreat, when I woke up one morning with crystal-clear insight regarding when, how, and why I get stuck when I am writing. It came in the form of the process I personally need to follow. I can’t say that these thoughts are rocket-science and I can’t claim that this is how everyone should do things. I just know that there is a sequence I need to follow and when I don’t I get jammed up–even when I am onto something that excites me.

IF I AM STUCK, it is likely for one of three reasons.

#1 I am trying to write before doing the work of steps 2 & 3!

(It is classic for me to be inspired by the idea and then start writing without a roadmap—bad idea.)

#2 I am trying to edit as I write.

(Yeah, I know this is a classic mistake. But I am a master at it.)

#3 I lost my bearings because I have just been working on the micro level of words too long and need to regain some altitude and get back up to big idea level.

SOLUTION: WHEN STUCK:  GET OUTSIDE THE BOX

Step away from the computer before someone gets hurt!

Creativity and macro-level thinking happen best for me away from the computer. With pen and paper, brainstorming with post-it notes, etc.  Something about the little box of a screen kills my creative thought process.

Don’t know if this is helpful to you, but it has been huge for me. If you communicate with words very often, I dare you to figure out what your personal creative process looks like.