How to Beat Writer's Block reviewed

Holly Lisle's How to Beat Writer's Block reviewed

Although I managed to break a major case of writer's block a few years ago, this year I found myself struggling through a series of minor blocks. The latest session arrived three weeks ago - just in time for me to try out Holly Lisle's workshop in breaking writer's block.

How to Beat Writer's Block is Holly Lisle's one hour audio course that talks you through a relatively quick process of recommitting and refocusing, generating new ideas, and finding enjoyment again in your story.

I can recommend How to Beat Writer's Block for writers who need a friendly pep talk and some encouragement to get going again, and anyone who is sick of ploughing through block the hard way.

Starting the unblocking process

How to Beat Writer's Block by Holly Lisle

I've had enough practice in writing discipline over the years to either keep writing through a block, albeit more painfully, or to switch my attention to a different writing project. So Holly's definition of Pages of Misery Block (where the writing feels like drudgery and the writer questions why she's even bothering) grabbed my attention and convinced me to give the course a try.

Within the first few minutes of the course I had tears running down my face (so I recommend having a box of tissues at hand if you have runaway emotions like me). I can't give Holly all the credit for the lightbulb moment that started my session because it was really a reminder of something I discovered three months ago - but I did come dangerously close to forgetting this particular discovery and developing an energy sapping habit that I'm now able to nip in the bud.

Initial impression of the course

I didn't generate very many new ideas in that first session, but my problem was not being stuck for ideas, but lacking the motivation to sit down and write my ideas. Since that session, however, my brain did start ticking over again and I moved forward on two sticking points in my story that I didn't even realise were there.

After working through the course, I did feel very tired, and I'd left the session for quite late in the day, so I only managed ten minutes of writing on my actual story. But that was the first ten minutes I'd spent on my story in two weeks. At that point, I found the course pleasant, but not overwhelmingly ground-breaking. It certainly was easy and quick, though, and I'd managed to pick up a tentative thread of inspiration again.

Keeping the momentum going and breaking the block

Since then, I've listened to the daily visualisation tool each day (except for one day on the weekend) before starting my writing session. On the second day my word count was the same as the first day. The third day I didn't listen to the recording and I didn't work on my story. The fourth day I suddenly found myself flying again and I managed a word count that I haven't seen in many weeks. The fifth and sixth days I found myself waking up excited about getting to work on my story - that hasn't happened in a very long time. Again, I got good word counts. By the eighth day, I had posted my second highest word count for a session in six months. I'm writing easily and painlessly and I'm definitely through this block.

Interestingly, it's not just my fiction that I'm excited about again, but since identifying and turfing out some projects draining my time and energy, I'm finding myself with more energy and interest in all my other writing-related projects. This week feels a lot less stressful than last week was, purely due to having my priorities clear.