{"id":861,"date":"2014-11-10T13:40:13","date_gmt":"2014-11-10T18:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/?p=861"},"modified":"2014-11-10T13:43:32","modified_gmt":"2014-11-10T18:43:32","slug":"when-writing-dread-is-your-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ellismorning.com\/blog\/2014\/11\/when-writing-dread-is-your-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"When Writing, Dread Is Your Friend"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"spider_sense\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Help! There’s something I really need to write, but ugh! I just don’t want to!<\/em><\/p>\n

Have you ever felt this way? Careful- your spider-sense is tingling!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sit back for a moment and think about why<\/em>. Your reluctance may just be pure procrastination, especially if it’s a homework or job assignment. To get past it, you’ll need to flex your discipline muscle<\/a>, plunk your butt in front of the computer with minimal distractions, and after a few crappy sentences, you’ll be off to the races.<\/p>\n

However, your dread may be a sign of something else- especially if this is writing you’re supposed<\/em> to be excited about, like for a short story or novel.<\/p>\n

Have you ever thought to yourself, I just gotta power through this crappy part, then I’ll be back to the good stuff?<\/em><\/p>\n

Don’t do that! It should all<\/em> be good stuff!<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you don’t want to write it, what makes you think anyone will want to read it?<\/p>\n

Before writing anything that’s causing you dread, a time-wasting slog that’s painful for you and unsatisfying for readers, spend a minute to identify the specific source of your dread. What don’t you like about the section ahead of you? The scene structure? A lack of conflict? The characters involved? Then, either:<\/p>\n