You started writing...then stopped.

You had good intentions but...it's now another false start.

Where did it fall apart? And why?

Even though we experience common pitfalls in writing, they aren't always obvious. Sure, "perfectionism" or "imposter syndrome" will always be present, but I hope a few of the following pitfalls hit hard in an unexpectedly truthful way.

Here are five crucial writing pitfalls (along with how our WOW workshop overcomes them)...

Perfectionism

Are you continuously revising pieces before they are fully drafted? Me too, ha! But too much editing, too soon, paralyzes our efforts be giving too much power to our inner censor. Soon, typing anything becomes agonizing.

The Censor saves its most vehement attacks for our most original ideas. – Julia Cameron

In the WOW Workshop, we practice LIVE custom notemaking exercises to wear down the inner censor so that what remains is your real voice: fully activated and authentic. ​Learn more.​

Opinion Overdose

Nothing more insidiously silences our voice than the endless one-way flow of online information into to you. If we consume too much, we're liable to forget our own voice—that is, if we don't take it along for the ride.

• Architects be careful here. You want the big picture, but you have to know when enough is enough so that you can actually do the work yourself.
• Researchers be careful here. You want to be rigorous and comprehensive, but it's been ​impossible ​for ​decades​ to read everything in most fields, so you must develop a reliable process to know when to switch modes.

In the WOW Workshop, we'll drill the skill of moving from research sparks to writing remarks. We'll do that so many times, it'll become a habit for you to integrate your research and your thoughts.

Lack of Time

Are you familiar with the most famous Twilight Zone episode? In it, all our main guy wants is time alone to read. You see, everybody keeps distracting him. If he just had time, things would be better...Well, ​he gets time​. He magically transports to a place without people—and full of books! Joyously, he bends over to grab one...and his glasses slip and break.

A lack of time is just the first reason hiding the real reason.

While being able to isolate and focus is crucially important at times, it's a fallacy to think that "only in complete solitude do I write". If those are the walls you've erected, it shouldn't come as a surprise when the barrier to your writing has become too high.

It's usually not a lack of time; it's a lack of ease.

In the WOW Workshop, you'll feel how freeing it is when you have a reliable process that makes writing relatively ease. You'll get there with a new framework—the Creator's Codex (​introduced here at the 22:11 minute mark​)—so you know where you are exactly at in the writing process, and where you need to go to keep making quality progress.

Creatively Drained but Stubbornly Stuck

You are writing or revising something and you get stuck. But you really want to solve the current puzzle, so you keep pushing. But the push becomes a grind. But you keep grinding. Oh, you're a stubborn one, aren't you?

In the WOW Workshop, we train for this moment. We develop the sense of this sticking point, and we practice switching modes between Architect and Gardener. The result is that our writing session doesn't have to end. We can regain a sense of flow and continue to make satisfying progress.

Tech Entropy

Even in school, I found it painful to have to handwrite timed essays. Not because I had nothing to say, but because it took forever to say it. By the time I finished one sentence, other sentences were slipping away from my short-term memory. Well, note apps solve for this, especially notes that use links. But...

...they are one click away from endless distractions online.

Countless times, I've fallen victim to avoid a difficult paragraph by mindlessly typing "you" into my web browser, hitting enter, and instantly being transported to YouTube.

In the WOW Workshop, we hijack the novelty bias! Instead of going to the internet at the first sign of trouble, we practice techniques for moving between our notes in a loose, wandering way. This indirect approach feeds our curiosity, gives us small wins as we touch up notes, and rebuilds our enthusiasm for our current effort.

We flip our need for novelty into a productive activity.

Empower yourself past the pitfalls

Want to confidently and reliably overcome these paralyzing pitfalls?

Want to write like you know you should be able to?

Then learn the techniques, practice the workflows, and develop the skills in WOW. Finally, create a reliable process that makes it almost effortless to effectively write your best work.

​Start Writing Original Works »​

Find out how it works on the webpage.

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Do the free training now

Didn't make it to our Livewriting 101 event? ​Check out the recording​ and try the exercises for yourself.

"That was one of the most fun live sessions l've ever been a part of. LOVED the rapid-fire warmup session. LOVED the chaos of the Miro board. And LOVED the meticulous and thoughtful time/content organization."

It was incredible seeing how we wrote over 10,000 words together, live. See what it does for you. I might watch it myself, as a student this time!

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I hope you give it a go.

Nick

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P.S...Which of the five pitfalls hit you in an unexpectedly truthful way?