Dear Julie: Pushing through.

How do I keep writing when it’s hard?

Julie Cohen
Novel Gazing

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Photo by Charisse Kenion on Unsplash

Dear Julie,

Sometimes when I’m writing it’s so easy and fun and fluid. Other times, every sentence written feels like having a tooth pulled. How can I get through those difficult times when writing feels unnatural and chore-like? Especially when I’m working to a deadline and don’t have the option to step away for too long!

RM

Dear RM,

OH, ME TOO. Isn’t it awful? Here is a list of fourteen things that might help you. Your mileage may vary.

1) Chocolate.

2) Booze and/or caffeine and/or petting a friendly animal.

3) The Pomodoro technique: set a timer for a short-ish amount of time — say ten or fifteen minutes. Promise yourself that you will write for that entire time, and then afterwards, you will give yourself a five-minute break, also timed. Then start again. The marvel that is Kate Harrison taught me this technique and it really works.

4) Know that this pain is completely, utterly, normal — and indeed, desirable. If writing is easy all the time, you’re doing it wrong.

5) Swear. Profusely.

6) Go for a walk, or take a bath or a shower. Something about movement or running water…

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Julie Cohen
Novel Gazing

I’m a Sunday Times bestselling novelist and creative writing consultant. My latest novel is SPIRITED. Twitter: @julie_cohen