Use Synchronicity to End Writer’s Block

Gustav

Oh, dear. You have been procrastinating, haven’t you?

I am very, very disappointed.

You must realize we know when you aren’t writing. Every time you decide to watch “Lost” instead of writing, every time you sleep late instead of arising to devote yourself to your work, every time you decide to have lunch with a coworker instead of writing — every time you avoid your work, the Threat Board in the Directorate’s Command Center lights up.

The Board has been burning with the light of a thousand suns recently, and so Ethelie has charged me with sharing my best strategies for getting writers to write.

I am not sure that’s really wise, but so be it. Thus, here is your first Strategy:

Use the Power of Synchronicity

What is the difference between “random” and “synchronicity?” Why, synchronicity is merely a random path that works out so marvelously that you grant it importance. All you need to do is make random choices, and observe the results. I see far too many agents paralyzed by trying to make the best decision when, in fact, nearly any decision would lead to fortuitous results. Stop overthinking, and start acting — and let synchronicity be your guide.

Examples! You demand examples!

Help! I can’t decide which of my dozens — nay, hundreds! — of projects to work on today. Nothing could be simpler. Simply write them down on index cards and select one. Work on that project. Take the next step: write 500 words, brainstorm the surprising twist at the end, research the behavior of bats so Chapter Two is authentic.

Help! I don’t know what happens next in my story! Again the index cards come to your rescue. Think: what are all the possible things that could happen next? Write them down, one for each card. Do not fret if an idea is implausible or ridiculous; simply write them all down. You may find that this process of listing the possibilities has revealed the perfect choice: write it! If not, then simply shuffle the cards and select one. Write that one.

Foolish, you say? Perhaps. But which is more foolish: not writing, or being stalled forever for lack of the perfect choice? Think carefully before you answer: for the Verb-Hounds are always hungry. If it takes a mistake to end your auctorial paralysis, then make mistakes, I say!

However, you will be startled by the uncanny correctness of the random choice you made. Write it, and you will see that your “random” choice was perfect after all: you only needed the courage to move forward.

Help! I have thousands of things to do in addition to writing. What do I do first? By now you must know the answer, deep in your heart: select one at random. Do it. Rejoice. Repeat until all your work is complete.

What do you think?

I challenge you to try this approach the next time you feel hopelessly mired in procrastination. Trust, observe, and report in the comments! Did this approach help break your paralysis?

I am quite sure it did.