"I think if you get quiet and honest with yourself–really honest, the kind of honest you need to get..."

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I think if you get quiet and honest with yourself–really honest, the kind of honest you need to get to your best work–you know when you’re stalling. You know when you’re working, when you’re bored, when scared, when you’re lost, when you’re stuck and when you’re stalling. It’s remembering to have that gut check and act on it that’s hard.

You working? Building something, losing a sense of time passing as you engage with your characters? Great. Keep going. Remember to take breaks and whenever possible stop when you still know what comes next.

You bored? Tough shit. If it was always fun everybody could do it. Take a short break and get your ass back in your chair. If you really need to, connect with the WHY–why are you doing this? If you can’t answer that, you’re sunk.

You scared? That’s normal. Keep going. Writing is telling truth by telling lies. It isn’t safe; it’s scary. But bravery isn’t defined by a lack of fear, it’s definied by what we do in the face of our fears. Be brave. You have it in you.

You lost? Get up. Go for a walk, take a drive, take a shower. Call somebody and talk the problem through. This IS the discipline of writing.

You stalling? You’re scared or bored or lost. See above.

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- the amazing Kelly Sue DeConnick, answering a letter asking “How can I stop doing stuff that isn’t writing?” in Bitch Planet Issue #8. (via sbyzmcpherson)