How To Overcome Writing Anxiety

How To Overcome Writing Anxiety

Fear, numbness, exhaustion, chest tightness, procrastination, lack of ideas, lack of goals, lack of purpose, lack of confidence, anger, frustration, blockage… if you recognize any of these symptoms before, after or while writing, you are probably suffering from writing anxiety.  When the whole process stops being fun and delightful, something is wrong. But, don’t worry, you are not alone. Together we’ll bring joy back to your writing.

First, we need to understand what is causing the anxiety. 

Perfectionism

Your logical brain is forcing you to write a masterpiece and completely exhausting the creative brain in the process. You can’t write a single phrase without the logical brains telling you to reread and rewrite it a hundred times. But perfection doesn’t exist. So, your logical brain decides to postpone the whole project until the creative brain creates perfection. “This is its job.” The logical brain says. Under pressure, the creative brain turns off. Having this ongoing strike inside your mind will give you anxiety. 

So try this: Instead of a long out-of-sight deadline, set smaller goals or missions to be achieved daily. For example, instead of “I have to complete my first draft in three month's” try something like “I have to write two pages every day no matter what”. Daily goals will keep you moving. After completing a mission, reward yourself with internet time.

Positive affirmations to read every day:

§ Writing is peaceful and fun

§ I feel accomplished after a day of writing

§ I allow myself to write with the flow of creativity

§ I love to immerse in writing

§ Writing is my safe place

§ I am flawed and I like that

§ I am a prolific author

§ I always meet my goals

§ Writing brings me joy

§ This is the career for me

§ I’m proud of myself for writing every day

§ I allow my creative mind to speak up

§ Mistakes makes me stronger

§ I feel stronger every day

Unstable family

Having negative, critical, violent, abusive, dependent, emotionally distant or bickering family members is a major cause of writing anxiety. Both family problems and writing take a huge amount of energy. You can’t do both at the same time. We end up getting involved in family dramas, but, when it’s time to write, the missing energy causes us anxiety.

So try this: When your family shows instability, look for a safer place in your house. Distance yourself somehow. If they are used to negativity, nothing you do will make them feel better. Actually, sometimes, you trying to help will only make things worse. So, distance yourself. Allow them to do what they wanna do, but allow yourself to be different. Try making new friends as well, even online friends are valuable. They take away your attention from the bad mood. 

Positive affirmations to read every day: 

§ I choose to live my life in peace

§ I allow my family members to live the way they want

§ I can’t change others, and that’s okay

§ I am a free person

§ I am important, my decisions are important

§ I allow myself to be different

§ Writing completes my soul

§ Writing brings me joy and peace

§ I have many reasons to be happy today

§ I’m proud of myself for choosing peace

§ Writing is my safe place

Depression

The lifestyle of a writer is the major reason why depression is so common in our career. For example, no sunlight, no exercise, spending hours in the same position, thinking, thinking, over thinking, enduring loneliness (sometimes even when we are surrounded by people) and the financial uncertainty. Soon enough, your energy drops. What used to make you all excited and happy, now is boring or bothersome. In some cases, you can barely leave the bed. Sleeping is a mechanism your body finds to ease the pain in your mind. “Losing” the passion for writing can cause anxiety.

So try this: Exercise every morning, stretch, take a sunbath daily, enjoy happy songs before sleeping, change your workplace regularly, fill your walls with drawings and beautiful images, make small changes in your routine, learn something new, learn a new origami every day, learn a new language, learn new recipes, change your eating habits, start a blog or a vlog, try new writing habits, find a new restaurant, go out, write somewhere else (like in a coffee shop), write in a different genre and sub-genre, change the age of your characters, change the set, change the plot… you must be willing to let go of old habits and give yourself something new every day. 

Positive affirmations to read every day:

§ I am surrounded by love

§ I am surrounded by amazing ideas to be written

§ I am proud of myself every day

§ My career is to make people dream, I’m so cool

§ I feel excited to start a new day

§ I feel excited to write

§ I am going on a journey every day

§ I am excited for tomorrow

§ Writing brings me joy

§ I allow myself to feel good right now

§ My heart is smiling

§ I love smiling

§ My purpose is feeling good right now

§ Writing is peaceful

Grief or trauma

If you went through a traumatic event, writing is hard. You no longer understand life as you used to. What you were passionate about doesn’t matter anymore. You are in pain, angry and/or exhausted. These feelings have taken over your mind. Forcing yourself to write will only bring anxiety into the equation.

So try this: Give yourself some time, a month, three months or even a year. In this period, don’t worry about writing or anything. Get some rest, watch movies, read books, lots of books, travel, discover the new you. When the time comes, you will naturally go back to writing.

Positive affirmations to read every day:  

§ I feel better every day

§ I am proud of myself

§ I am brave

§ I am surrounded by love and peace

§ Writing gives me a good sense of direction

§ Writing makes me feel good

§ I allow myself to cry if I feel like crying

§ I allow myself to smile

§ I love smiling

§ Writing is a good life experience

§ Good news is coming my way

§ I am excited for tomorrow

§ Something amazing is about to happen

§ I feel light and peaceful

Low self-esteem

Feeling bad towards your physical appearance, career/school situation, financial condition, lifestyle and past choices can also lead to writing anxiety. If you are not confident in who you are, you will have a hard time finding confidence in writing. Having a voice requires confidence. And if you can’t respect and appreciate yourself right now, hesitation is the cause of anxiety. 

So try this: Change your physical appearance somehow, buy new clothes, dress nicely at home, change your hair, draw beautiful patterns all over your skin. Don’t compare yourself to celebrities. Stop following celebrities and beauty magazines if they are making you feel uncomfortable in your own skin. Find more realist celebrities to look up to. Give yourself love. No one deserves love more than you. Live in the present, avoid any thoughts about past mistakes or what to do in the future. Live in the now.   

Positive affirmations to read every day:   

§ I allow myself to simply be

§ I am part of this world, which makes me important

§ I enjoy my body

§ I feel pretty/handsome, regardless of beauty standards

§ No one has the same body and face as me, I’m unique

§ I enjoy my personality

§ I respect myself

§ I allow myself to make my own path

§ My opinion is what matters

§ I am proud of this body

§ I enjoy life

§ My voice is important

§ My voice is beautiful

§ I am beautiful

Decidophobia

Or the fear of making decisions. You don’t know in which genre you should write, or which sub-genre. You can’t decide which idea to write, or which character to create. You feel like drowning in an ocean of possibilities. Making a decision is too hard. And you stop yourself from moving forward for the fear of making the wrong choice. Being stuck causes the anxiety. 

So try this: If you can’t decide between two things, think outside of the box. Create a third option and go for it. You can also write all options in pieces of people and pick one randomly. Give yourself fifteen minutes to make a choice, nothing more than that.

Positive affirmations to read every day:

§ I am taking the right path every day

§ It’s easy to choose

§ I trust my instinct

§ I am wise and I always have the answer

§ I allow myself to decide

§ I allow myself to move forward

§ Moving forward is good

§ I am always taking a good path

§ I feel confident in my choices

§ I know what to do and which path to take

§ The answer is always clear

§  

Can you identify what is causing your anxiety?

Now that you know the cause, let’s overcome it.

This post was found on an unidentified blog post.

Thank you to Wendell Thorne for the blog post below.

So, You Want To Be A Star?

Those of us who create art--any form of art--have always known that the pathway to "making it" as an artist is rocky, uphill and rarely culminates in what the world calls "success." I'm talking financial success here.

But in our minds, there was always a chance that the content we created might catch the eye or ear of some influential entity or individual willing to bankroll an album or a book or a show. The labels or publishers would plant down a wad of cash to finance --and more importantly, promote--a project and the artists were on an upward trajectory to fame and fortune. A dream come true.

Some of you already realize it, but those days are gone.

Even thirty years ago, when I was in college learning to write, the refrain that echoed was, Everybody with a word processor is a writer. Publishers were inundated with manuscripts, studios received an onslaught of screenplays and record companies were bombarded with garage demos that produced the books, movies and albums we came to know and love.

Not anymore.

Books have been dying a slow death for decades. People simply don't read anymore. A site like this, Goodreads, is essentially a book club, a place where the remaining literature lovers in the world congregate and feel a kindred spirit with the 20 percent of the world that still reads books for pleasure.

The music business has been on life-support for some time, as well. Eagle's guitarist Joe Walsh said he'll never record another album, for the simple reason that, regardless of its quality, it won't sell. The internet has made music freely available, on a wide variety of platforms. The only way artists make any money at all is by doing shows, which is why we see our favorite legendary bands wearily touring, year after year. However, with the realities of a dwindling fan base, the cost of admission and myriad options for our entertainment dollar, even those bands don't draw like they once did.

And cinema? You see what the studios send to the theaters anymore. Remakes and Sequels. Series of CGI-heavy noise-making films that thankfully needn't rely upon thoughtful and thought-inducing dialogue.

Obviously, the reason for the decline in paid artwork is our friend, The Internet. Well, coupled with advances in the kind of technology that allow an eleven-year-old guitar-whiz in Topeka to share his professional-quality recording of "Eruption", easily uploaded to a platform with a worldwide audience. The downside is he doesn't get paid for making it.

The point of writing all this isn't to bum you artists out. It's to say that, if the reason you're writing or acting or singing or playing or whatever is based upon a dream of making the big time, I'm here to say that the big time isn't there anymore. Rather, it's an ocean of small time. And if you're engaged in art in order to make a living, that's the wrong reason.

I regularly hear stories of amazing performances on television talent shows. Unrealvoices that blow the judges away. In my estimation, only one of them over the years has ever gone on to superstardom, and that's Carrie Underwood. The point is, when it comes to chops, lots of people have them; when it comes to parlaying those into a career, the odds are staggeringly against you.

Create because you have to because you are compelled to, because it satisfies your soul. Share it with the rest of us and we will enjoy the kindred spirit that ignites the passion in us all. If you get paid, that's super. But don't kid yourself that you're headed for a comfortable place in the money-making limelight.

Not anymore.

Tower Two - Where are you?

As I’m sitting here listening to Lisa Stanfield singing about running around the world looking for her love. It makes me wonder how many of us writers are chasing our own dreams.

When you look around and see people who are go-getters. Making all those proverbial ’balls in the air’ dance. And yet there are others that seem to be floating by without a care, or thought about their future or goals.  Of if they even have one.

And then you take a look at writers and place them in those same silos. The vast majority of writers can be placed in three towers.

Tower One –

A writer that has already made a name for themselves and just sit back and let the system work for them. Putting out a bestseller after bestseller.

Tower Two –

The writer who writes every day pushes researches, promotes and sells their soul for just one good month of sales so that they can put out another book and start the process over and over again. Always maneuvering those proverbial balls to just make it work.

Tower Three –

Those writers that pick up a pen every now and then. You know the ones. They tell their friends that they are writing a book and have been for 7 years. And for some reason, it never seems to appear. Or better yet, those writers that call or email a publisher asking to be published  - the staff member on the other end of the line says sure, send your work over to me and I’ll take a look. And then that same staff member has to hunt them down a wild animal that just destroyed a village.

Tower three brings on a sad reaction to all publishers as well as those writers in Tower Two. They just don’t realize just what they are missing or throwing away. There are some writers who search for years to get their book published.  And when they finally get that break, they find that they are in a totally different world than they thought they were. That they are now a business and have to put all of their efforts into growing that business.

Here’s the gig. That quote that says, writers, write! Well, it’s true. And now a day’s those same writers shamelessly promote and sell themselves to get to where they need to go.

I have told several people who tell me that they want to write or be a writer, that the days of publishers giving out great advances, sending you on book tours or doing your marketing for you are over. Now are the days of self-promotion, making and scheduling your own book signings as well as shipping your books on your own.

We here at Breaking Rules Publishing are looking for Tower Two writers. The ones that have the drive, the desire to get their book and name out there. So if you have the taste, the drive and desire to make it work, then we’re here to help you. It is our goal to help all of our writers reach their goals and fulfill their writing dreams.

Simply email us at breakingrulespublishing@gmail.com and we will do all that we can to make that happen.

If you’re in Tower Three – we wish you luck. We’re sorry, but we just don’t have to time to trail behind you, trying to find you in the rough. We’re off forging the road for those authors that are serious about creating their own path. 

Six Steps To Selling Your Book!

Hey Guys –

Just thought that maybe I would shoot out a few ideas to help you sell your book. You would think that they are simple and obvious, but you’d also be surprised how many people don’t know how to use the tools that they have. READ ON!

6 Steps to Selling Books! 

· Do You have a social media presence? Well, you need one.  Social media – Social media – Social media - lets authors engage directly with readers, other writers and build a following of loyal fans from all over the world. Learn to use it daily. Post and share your events, your book, what you’re writing, what you think about writing, what you like to write about. The main thing that you should do – USE SOCIAL MEDIA – and learn to use it well.

· Your email list is king. Update your email signature to include a link to your book. A book link in every email is a must for any author wanting to gain more attention for their book. If you have a website – use your email list to guide people there. People don’t like to work or read too much – you have to help them and put the simplest of information in front of them.

· Get the acting bug and do more videos. 

Putting yourself in front of the camera on your phone never killed anyone. Besides, it puts a face to a name and gets you closer to your followers. Video is huge. Not good on camera? PRACTICE... Consider doing Facebook Live videos during your next book promotion event or author gathering and monitor the engagement. You don’t have to be a star – you just have to put it out there. And like riding that bike, or, WRITING, the more you do it the better you’ll get.

· Build an email list. You need a list – so – Build a list. Seriously. This is the most important way to stay in front of your fans and keep them up-to-date with your book promotions. Offer a free service, a free book, a portion of the book or short story. Anything that will get people interested in you and read your work. By doing that, you’ll get a way to stay in touch with them and be able to send more messages to them about your work. Remember – this shouldn’t be your only book, hopefully, you’ll write more.

· Give away portions of your book. You don’t have to give away the bank, but an easy give away will bring people running. Or your entire book (for a limited time). This is a great way to build brand awareness, build up your email list, and keep your readers wanting more! (WE love free stuff)

· Network with other authors. They are not your enemy – they should be your friend.  Reaching out and networking with other, similar authors, is not just good business, but can help you brainstorm new ideas. Plus, you’ll get a chance to see what others are doing that’s working (and what’s not working), and most likely expand your knowledge! There are so many Facebook groups that are full of writers that are in the same place as you. Reach out to them and learn from them. If they have started to build a wheel, help them and they’ll help you with your own wheel.

I hope that this helps and also offers questions and a desire to learn more about marketing your book.

Thanks for stopping by.

Christopher Clawson Rule

Here are some new titles - check them out!

Hey Guys - We are always looking for new titles - so if you have a manuscript that is ready to go - give us a call.

For now - check out some new titles that have just come across the BRP desk.

You can find these and many more titles on the Breaking Rules Publishing website - www.breakingruleswritingcompetitions.com

Dreams Can Come True!

Keep the Dream Alive.

Money. Isn't that where it always starts and ends. So many dreams are lost due to this little five letter word. And we shouldn't forget about "Peer Pressure."


The fact that people lose sight of their dreams because of money, family, friends, responsibilities and yes, guilt, is one of the saddest realities we have.

Here's a story - My father and I were far from close. We rarely spoke, about anything. I didn't know him well and he certainly didn't know me. When I was in my second year of college at Jackson Community College, I should mention that my major was dance, and I was good, so good that I was in 9 of the 11 performances at the year-end dance concert. My father stayed home.

The next year I transferred to New York University, and as luck would have it, I choreographed a piece for the Bi-Weekly show that they presented. My parents, yes including my father, flew out to NYC, from Michigan, to watch me dance for three minutes. Yes, I was happy that they showed. And amazed that he was there. I never understood why he would show up for one and not the other, but hey, he showed. And yes, I went on to dance and did well. But because of parental pressure and illness, I came home.

One Dream Lost!

Next up - I found a love of writing and then created a dream to write a book. Long story short - four books and four short stories later, I now have two more books coming out this year as well as have my own publishing company.

The rod in the cog - yep it's there.

The question is, will I allow this rod to actually stop the cogs from turning.

The answer?

NO!

The theme of this blog - Never give up on yourself or your dreams. 


The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. 

- Steve Jobs

So How Do YOU Start To Write?

Is this how is all starts? Are you so inspired that you can sit down, start typing and it's like fairies dust is coming out of your computer?

Do you sit down at your desk or in your favorite chair? Do you have music playing or is the room totally quiet?

Do you start right out at the computer or are you an oldie but goodie and start with "pen to paper?"

Do you write at night, in the afternoon or in the morning? Is there always a coffee, soda or adult beverage nearby? And is the ashtray full or empty?

Everyone has their way. The important thing is for you to just sit down and begin. Recently we had one of our authors call us up and ask how to get started on their second book. Our suggestion - to just sit down and start to write. It doesn't even have to be about the

book you want to write. But you have to get your juices flowing and then once you're in the groove - reach out for your story and see if you can find it.

For me personally, I never understood writer's block. I could sit down and write you a story right now about almost anything. Typically for my own stories, I have a little movie running in my head and it just takes a moment for my fingers to catch up with my brain.

For some people, they need to start out with an outline. Other's just start and fly by the seat of their pants. And then you have those who put post-its on the wall above their desk so that they can let the story flow from the ideas, to the posts to their fingers.

The most important thing about writing is that you actually write, and do it a lot. Read, read other writers work and learn from them. And then write some more.

No one said that this was going to be easy - no one said that you were going to get rich either - ALL of this is up to you. What they did say is that you have to enjoy it more than anything else. If you have that - then you are a writer.

Good Luck!

BRP is taking on another publishers inventory!

Breaking Rules Publishing is happy to announce a new relationship with Screamin’ Skull Press.

Screamin’ Skull Press was founded by Indie Authors, Tony and Nicole Nesca as a means to break the rules and bring forth a new form of writing.

One with no fear, one that would replace mainstream publishing with one that celebrates the writer.

For the Beat Generation, controversy was the norm, not the exception.  Creators like Jack Kerouac, William S. Burroughs and Lucien Carr courted debate and made careers out of pushing the proverbial envelope with their poems, books, music and other creative expressions. Living on the fringes of society was considered to be more exciting and fulfilling than conforming to the mainstream.

Authors and married couple Tony and Nicole Nesca feel connected to that Generation through their own work and their innate understanding of what it means to be artists whose work cannot be deemed ‘conventional’ by anyone’s standards.

Currently, Breaking Rules Publishing will take on ALL of the inventory at Screamin’ Skull Press as well as publish any new work. Breaking Rules Publishing will continue to follow their mission to be the writer’s publisher, create a writing community, provide encouragement, resources, competitions, and inspiration to writers, both young and not so young, at any writing level.

In Tony Nesca’s words - “To be frank, we see too much pushed out into the world today that is bland and formulaic,” says Tony Nesca, whose unique, humorous and lyrical sixth novel, ‘Hobo’ is out now. “Every other book is a rip-off of another rip-off. The bookstores are packed with these endless vampire stories and dystopian fairy tales. Where is our Anais Nin? Our Hunter S. Thompson?”

We here at Breaking Rules Publishing know that many mainstream publishers wouldn’t have the courage to publish the kind of work that we encourage writers to create. It’s as if ‘writing with bravery’ were dirty words in literature. Fearlessness should be the most useful tools and mean everything to a writer, and we encourage all of our writers and those interested in writing and releasing a book to be as fearless as possible.

TONY NESCA
…incendiary white-light/white-heat stream of urban consciousness.  Both lyrical and street-tough, often in the same breath, the words cascade down the page in a free-flow waterfall of ideas and happenings and what Nesca himself calls “word music”…

NICOLE I. NESCA
… emotionally uncensored, free-flow machine-gun

prose and poetry that is cathartic and kink-ready with a lime green twist in your gin and tonic…

We welcome Screamin’ Skull Press as well as Tony and Nicole Nesca to the Breaking Rules Publishing family and look forward to a wonderful and progressive relationship.

Check out all of the writing competitions and authors on our website at www.breakingruleswritingcompetitions.com