Author’s Block

As many of you are aware, I was surprised as anyone by making the transition from bored IT consultant to specialist at removing writer’s block.

If this is new to you, I am not talking about simply getting creative juices flowing (which I also do) but also sometimes dealing with deep trauma and fears associated with the writing process using a mix of hypnosis and regression.

If this applies to you, I wrote my book Blocks with this in mind …

Recently, I have been working alot with writers who have no had problems writing their books but in getting it published and promoted … they are suffering from an equally insidious complaint – that of Author’s Block.

So What’s Author’s Block?

When you finish writing any manuscript, you should be rightfully proud – well done to anyone who gets this far. In my estimation, you are only 25% into the journey to becoming a successful writer – bearing in mind the definition of success is something we can each define.

The first level of author’s block that manifests is when you sit on your manuscript, perhaps too afraid for others to read it.

The second level is when you start sending it to publishers and either get no response or a slew of rejection letters.

If you self-publish it or get a publishing contract, well done as you have completed about another 25% of the journey – this is where the third level of author’s block kicks in.

Once you have published your book, the remaining 50% of the task in had is all about publicity and promotion.

If you are stuck at any of these points, you have a form of author’s block … the solutions to each level of stuckness are both practical and subtle.

Dealing with Author’s Block

If you are are stuck at level 1, have a read of the series of blogs called Four Fears, Talent and Time. You will find a bunch of tips and techniques to use to blast through and deal with the most common types of blocks.

The techniques to deal with level 2 types of block when we get stuck in the cycle of rejection is more subtle. When you set high intent for you and your book, a whole set of serendipities kick in whereby the world turns on its head and the perfect publishing route and/or publisher finds you. So rather than thinking of retiring the Caribbean on all those lovely royalties, when you are writing your book have set some goals – and make the goals as big as your imagination allows :

- what your book will do for the reader

- what your book will do for the planet

- what you will be able to do for you, your family, your friends and your business as a result

See my webinar on Goals of Learning to discover a goal setting system that delivers way over and above many you may have come across.

To deal with the level 3 type of block when you are faced with promoting your book, again we must address and embrace our fears – fear of ridicule and fear of success being the most insidious at this stage. The best way to deal with this is to see any block, fear or resistance as a good thing. It is almost as you have invited it in to your life so you can evolve.

When you learn to love your blocks, they vapourise and are replaced by the most magical serendipity. You will look back at them with affection and wonder what all the fuss was about. If you bump into someone suffering from the same plight in the future, remember to pass on what you learned.

My Journey

The reason I am qualified to even write this blog is because I have been suffering from Author’s Block over the last few years and I am only just clearing myself of it completely. Now I have a series of three non-fiction books out, opportunity to get out and promote them and myself abound – yet even at the start of this year I was blocking it.

With me, the issue is not so much fear of public speaking, or making a fool of myself, but Fear of Success. I have already been financially reasonably successful in my life and both times I was also the most stressed out I had ever been.

So in my mind Success = Stress !!!

The solution was to redefine what success meant to me which I did as follows :

1. Financial consideration, although important, will sort themselves out : they are !

2. Speaking gigs and bookings for workshops will come in without any effort : they are !

3. Clients will emerge automatically from these talks and workshops (including virtual stuff) : they are !

4. I will generate enough free time to write the next books : I have !

5. I will be having the most fun ever : I am !!!

Visualisations

These two vosualisations are a real tonic to help aspiring and published authors – the first takes you on a metaphorical journey forward in time to Become Fear-Less – the second is a great exercise for you to do before each writing session to Get in The Zone – ENJOY and let me know how you get on in the comments below …