Video: “Best Writing Trick I Know”

HT to screenwriter Mike Le (@WriterLe) for tweeting the link to this video with nifty piece of writing advice from author Victoria Schwab:

It’s funny how little things can work as motivators. A calendar and stickers? Why not! That’s not the only way to get one’s derriere on chair and actually write. I believe it was an interview I read with Neil Simon who would tell himself, “Okay, I finish this scene, I can go have a snack.” Hell, for some kinds of work, I use the Pomodoro Technique.

The point is whatever works!

As fate would have it, I ran across this article today: How to Stop Procrastinating: 4 Steps Backed by Research. Here is a summary of those steps:

* You don’t need more willpower. You need to build a solid habit that helps you get to work.

* Getting started is the tricky part. Turn that habit into a “personal starting ritual.” It can even have some fun to it as long as it signals that in a few minutes, it’s time to get cranking.

*The most powerful habits change how you see yourself. Think about what makes you feel like someone who gets things done and make that a part of your starting ritual.

*Eat chocolate with friends. Maybe not literally, but it’s a good reminder that you need both rewards and a support network to build rock solid new habits.

That “solid habit” angle is key. I’m reminded of a quote from screenwriter Frank Pierson (Cool Hand Luke, Dog Day Afternoon:

“Sit down at ten o’clock in the morning and write anything that comes into my head until twelve. One of the few things I’ve discovered about writing is to form a habit that becomes an addiction so that if you don’t put something down on paper every day, you get really mean and awful with withdrawal symptoms, and your wife and your dog and your kids are going to kick your ass until you get back to it because they can’t bear you in that state of mind.”

“Form a habit that becomes an addiction.” To get there, if you need cute little stickers… or a bowl full of Fritos… or a timer program on my computer that says, “Get your ass in gear for a writing session,” then when I finish responds, “Great job, genius”… just do it.

How about you? Do you have any fun bits of business you do to motivate yourself to write? Please share them in comments, okay?

You can subscribe to Victoria Schwab’s YouTube channel here.

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