Do We Need to Feel Ready to Write?

A seductive psychological defence is that we will one day feel ready. Ready to start a draft. Ready to tackle these rewrites. Ready to send the script to a friend to read. But feelings of readiness don’t always arrive…

Today I share my thoughts on whether we need to feel ready before we take the next step in a creative project. And some strategies and tools to try out if we don’t feel ready. I speak about:

  • Readiness is an emotion and emotions are fickle.

  • How to focus on what you can control: where you place your attention and the action you take.

  • Discovering a supportive writing routine and setting up writing sessions.

  • Getting curious about the pace your project wants to move at. Does it want to go slow? Or does it want to bolt? Are you getting in the way of that pace?

  • A travel story about the opulent dinner parties thrown by Salvador Dalí and his wife and muse, Gala. Hint: if you’re given a bottle of champagne, it’s only good on your shelf for a year. So don’t save it. Drink it!

I reference:

  • Episode 14 Episode Creative Resets Between Projects

  • Episode 15 'The Artist's Way' Weeks 1-4

  • Episode 16 'The Artist's Way' Weeks 5-8

  • Episode 17 'The Artist's Way' Weeks 9-12

  • Episode 25 Writing Habits to Overcome Procrastination

  • ‘Dali: Les Diners De Gala’ by Salvador Dali.

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