Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Writing Under Pressure by Betty Thomason Owens

I don’t always work well when the pressure’s on. The dreaded deadline is looming, and my mind’s a total blank, or worse—mush. Mush is when there’s so much information, it’s difficult to separate the good from the not so good.

I type feverishly, trying my best, only to erase it all because it’s boring. If I’m yawning over it, the reader will most certainly be uninterested, too.

How do I break free from this vicious cycle?

  • I get up. I get my blood flowing, either by cleaning something, or simply doing a few stretches. If it’s a nice day, I may go for a quick walk. I free my mind from the bondage of the laptop screen. Fifteen minutes, or so, is all it takes. 
  • Change it up. Work on something else for a few minutes. Create a meme, write a quick blog post (I can always use those).
  • Do something fun. Toss a tennis ball at the wall and catch it. Play with your pet for a few minutes. I don’t have a pet, I would have to pretend on that one, but make-believe is one of my strong points. 😊 
  • Read something funny. Laugh out loud. Watch a silly pet video. Laugh out loud. 
  • Spend a few minutes meditating, praying, studying God’s word, or listening to praise music. Sing along with the music. 

Each of the above suggestions can lessen the feeling of bondage I’m experiencing due to that time-constriction, which I usually despise. And here’s another odd little suggestion: Forgive yourself. Sometimes, I feel that I’m letting myself down. I’m either under-performing or maybe, I brought this penalty on myself by dragging my feet until the last second.

When I forgive myself, there’s a resulting release within my spirit. And then the words come. I’ve cleared the blockage. Now the inspiration can flow freely.

As writers, we’ve probably all been there at one time or another. What’s your favorite way to overcome the pressure? What helpful hint(s) can you add to my short list of remedies?

~~~~~~


Betty Thomason Owens has been writing for almost thirty years. She’s a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and serves on the planning committee of the Kentucky Christian Writers Conference. Her writing credits include Amelia’s Legacy and Carlotta’s Legacy, in the Legacy Series, Annabelle’s Ruth and Sutter’s Landing, in the southern historical Kinsman Redeemer Series. When she’s not writing, Owens is a part-time bookkeeper, who loves to travel and spend time with her family.

You can connect with her at: http://bettythomasonowens.com, Twitter - @batowens, Facebook Author Page, Amazon Author Page, & Pinterest - btowens

You'll also find Betty visiting these blogs:

proud to be an autism mom, August 15

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 16

Reading is my Super Power, August 16 (Interview)


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