"No author on the planet gets a first draft published.'"
Writer's block is caused by one of three things.
1. You are trying to be perfect.
2. You are under pressure to produce the finished product too fast.
3. You have been sitting down too much.
Let's examine these closely, shall we?
1. You are trying to be perfect.
Allow me to share one of the dirty secrets of writing: no author on the planet gets a first draft published. This is great news! It means that what ever you are working on for NaNoWriMo does not have to be perfect!
WOO-HOOOO!!!!!!
(Take a moment here to skip around your room throwing confetti and celebrating, please.)
I would like to point out for the record that if you become a brain surgeon, you will be expected to be perfect every single time you show up to work. This is one of the many reasons I am not a brain surgeon.
Whenever I feel my ideas slow down, I listen carefully. I can usually hear that nasty whisper in my brain that is criticizing my work and telling me I'm dumb and I'm a bad writer and I should quit.
I ignore this voice. You must ignore this voice, too. Repeat to yourself: "This is a draft. It is only a draft. I will fix it in the next revision."
It takes me at least seven revisions to make my books well-written enough to be published. So cut yourself some slack and give yourself permission to be less than perfect.
2. You are under pressure to produce the finished product too fast.
The point of NaNoWriMo is to finish a DRAFT. A draft is not a finished book. It is the foundation of a finished book. So re-read all the stuff I wrote for Point #1 about it being OK to be less-than-perfect in your draft.
NOTE: the pressure to write fast and good usually causes kids to choke when they are writing things for homework. I have a solution for this, too. Always do your writing homework assignments first. Procrastinate about the other subjects. It is much easier to do your math on the bus than to write well.
3. You have been sitting down too much.
Our bodies were not designed to sit in desks or on busses or in front of computer screens. Our bodies were designed to move. A lot. Every day.
People don't normally think of writers as being athletes, but many of us are. Sherman Alexie loves basketball. Chris Crutcher is always working out. I run three or four times a week and cross train on other days. Charles Dickens used to walk up to twenty miles a day when he was thinking about his books.
If you are stuck, get up out of your chair and get some exercise. You will be shocked at the results.
Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous ALA and state awards. Two of her books, Speak
