Procrastination and Writer's Block might just be the same thing around here. What about you? Show Notes: Hello Indie Authors! I'm Valerie Ihsan, and This is Season Two, Episode 21 of the podcast and it's 8/21/2019 as I record this. Main Topic: Procrastination/Writer's Block But first the personal update segment: • Course work for Sweet Spot Strategy. I finished writing my Origin Story and I'm working on a production calendar --trying to figure out how many times I want to offer my signature coaching program. I'm getting really excited about this! • If you want to talk to me for a 30-minute interview and tell me what your challenges are and what you think can help you, you can book yourself a call at indieauthormentor.as.me and choose the Interview Call option. • I'M READING: In fiction, Just finished Elizabeth George's first YA novel called The Edge of Nowhere. It was a fast read. Now reading The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld; Non-fiction: Resonance by Nancy Duarte, on how to give presentations that the audience, well, resonates with--doesn't make them fall asleep. PATREON: No new patrons this week. I'd like to remind everybody that this podcast is sponsored by my supporters at Patreon. Being a Patron of the Arts is a totally cool thing to do. For as low as a $1/mo, you can get sneak-peeks into my creative world, become a patron of the arts, and of me! Find me at Patreon.com/valerieihsan. Resources: Trying out a new-to-me podcast on business called Seanwes podcast; looks like it has a lot of good content. Next week I'll have an interview for you! I'll be talking with author Cai Emmons about her latest book and what her take is on mindset. Plus, what her upcoming talk at the Eugene Willamette Writers chapter meeting is about. And now: Procrastination and Writer's Block ▪ Where are you? (In between books? Stuck in the middle? On deadline?) ▪ Why? (Self-doubt? Too hard? Too big of a project? Distracted? Emotionally/Creatively dry? Exhausted?) ▪ What can you do about it? ⁃ Accept it. Clean out that closet. Maybe you really can't write until you've cleaned your office. ⁃ Research theme and character motivations. ⁃ Sleep. ⁃ Go play. ⁃ Take a walk. Or a shower. Do yard work. ⁃ Write about something different. ⁃ Journal. Or do other writing exercises or prompts. ⁃ Set a timer and just do it. Be miserable for 25 minutes, until you aren't. ⁃ Wait for the story. Do another hobby. (Knitting, or snorkeling.) ⁃ Meet up with other authors and discuss the perceived problem. ⁃ Chip away at it. Trust that if those wretched 300 words took 90 minutes to write and the scratched at you the whole time, when you read you manuscript before editing, you won't be able to tell where those 300 words are. ⁃ Affirmations. "I'm doing the best I can right now." Remember, your best yesterday doesn't equal your best today. You're different every day.