Lately, I’ve found myself having lots of conversations with other writers about how to get into flow and the flow state.
(Flow is that absorbed feeling we get when we’re so into doing something that we lose track of time and our surroundings. We’re just grooving, doing our thing, in a beautiful, natural state of high. You can learn more in my book The Flow Habit: Creating Peace, Passion, Purpose, and Everyday Miracles.)
How do we get into flow as a writer? Especially when we’re feeling stuck. How do we get past that wall and find our groove again?
The truth is, there is no magical formula that will always work for us, even when we’ve figured out our unique flow formula! That’s what makes flow so much fun (and sometimes can make it feel like the ever-elusive nirvana).
However, there are a few tips that I’ve found can help, backed by science, and my own experiments and those who have been on this flow journey with me.
The Power of Flow Circles
In addition to the tips in this article (and more to come!), swapping stories helps too. That’s why I lead my 28 Day Flow Challenges and Flow Circles. Flow is contagious, and grows, especially in open-hearted communities committed to the mantra “when we lift each other up, we all rise.”
Flow involves energy—teaching and learning, giving and receiving keeps it moving. In other words, sharing what we know can lead to more flow! (I’d love to hear what works for you. If you’re a subscriber, hit reply, or comment below.)
Adopt a Flow Mindset
Having a Flow Mindset is also hugely important. I’ll say more about this in a future article. (I devoted a whole chapter to the Flow Mindset in my book The Flow Habit: Creating Peace, Purpose, Passion, and Everyday Miracles). The key is being curious, fluid, flexible, adopting an “I wonder what will happen if I…” and being willing to be happily surprised.
Tips to Getting Into Flow as a Writer (Part One)
Here are some Pro-Flow writing strategies that work for me.
#1: Make Friends with Stuck
First of all, let’s get one thing out of the way. Stuck is not “bad” and flow is not “good.” The minute we start clinging to flow as a goal, we activate that inner judge (aka inner critic). This “good and bad” way of looking at the world and ourselves that is the surest way to activate anxiety and block flow.
There’s science to back this up. Studies show that during a flow state, activity in the default mode network (DMN) quiets. It’s really hard to get into a joyful present-moment flow high when we’re ruminating about some past event or criticizing ourselves. Other flow studies show a similar quieting of the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of our brain that likes to plan and control things.
Flow comes much easier when we lighten up, relax, and make however we are feeling okay—even if we’re feeling stuck.
Flow Tip ~ Try This If You’re Feeling Stuck
If you’re feeling stuck, and you’re feeling frustrated about it, experiment with this kind of inner dialogue:
“Stuck? No worries! Everyone feels stuck sometimes. A creative breakthrough is just around the corner. I can’t wait to see what happens when it does.”
Let your inner gremlins know that you’re not scared of them while keeping your curiosity about what’s on the other side of “stuck” alive.
I love this quote from Iyanla Vanzant: “If you … let the monster in, it will just sit there and be. And at any given moment you can get up and leave.”
Tell all your parts, no matter how rascally, that you accept them just as they are.
If that makes them rant even louder, take a deep breath and tell yourself that this too shall pass. Everything always does.
Flow Writing Prompt #1 ~ Listen to Stuck
If those inner gremlins just won’t shut up, try this. Set a timer for five minutes. Write down everything your inner gremlins are saying.
Don’t try to censor them. Instead, let that monster in!
What is that “stuck” feeling trying to tell you?
Stuck is like a marionette, looking like a monster, when the real monsters are the inner parts pulling the strings.
Who are the gremlins activating your “stuckness”?
What are they so afraid of?
What do they really want to say?
What are they worried about, or what do they want you to feel instead of flowing?
Tell those gremlins:
“I’m not scared of you. All are welcome here—including you.”
When the timer goes off, tell them their time is up, send them some love, and shred what you’ve written down (unless you’re working on a novel and need to hone dialogue for a particularly cranky character). Sometimes we have to give the gremlins somewhere to go before we can get into flow.
Flow Writing Prompt #2 ~ Describe Stuck
Here’s another writing prompt that can help.
Get curious about how “stuck” feels for you. If it had a color or feeling, what would it be? If you had to describe your stuck feeling to someone who never, ever felt stuck before, how would you do it?
Think about all of your senses. What does your current version of stuck FEEL like? If it had a color, what would it be? If there were a symbol that represented stuck to you, what would it be? Does this version of stuck have a theme song? Does it have a voice? What does it sound like? Is the voice deep or high? Is it melodious or grating?
Start appreciating “stuck” with new eyes, or with all of your senses.
Appreciating “stuck” can help too. Realize that this version of stuck will never, ever happen again. You’ll never feel stuck in this exact way, at this exact age, in this exact place, at this exact point in history. Let yourself see if you can enjoy this fleeting experience of being stuck, knowing that it is going to end soon.
#2: Play. Write WRONG. (In other words, don’t take your writing so seriously.)
Here’s another strategy that works: Lightening up.
This is in the camp of Anne Lamott’s “write a shitty first draft” advice.
A back door approach to activating flow is to write “wrong.”
Think of all the playful, silly, childlike ways you can write what you’re writing.
Write the story or paragraph using the shortest sentences you can.
Then write the longest, run-on sentence you can, with the most adverbs and adjectives you can think of.
Don’t use AI. Resort instead on your childlike brain.
Let yourself be wrong.
Let yourself make stupid mistakes.
Write something so bad you will never, ever, ever show anyone. Make it that bad.
Promise yourself you will destroy it as soon as it’s written.
Seriously.
Do it.
Now.
Write that bad, bad sentence longhand on a piece of paper without lines in big, bad, messy handwriting and then shred it. Literally put it into your shredder and watch it die. Or rip it up into lots of little pieces.
There.
No one has to know.
#3: Make Up a New Word (or Language)
If your writing feels blocked, what is a word that describes what you’re trying to communicate that has never been uttered before?
Make it up. No, don’t use AI. You can do this.
What letter would it start with?
What other sounds would really communicate the feeling of what you’re trying to say?
You might think of a few words that feel right but aren’t really right and smoosh them together, or you might just create a new word that has the vibe you’re looking for, that has the energy of what you’re trying to say.
This is how I invented the word “Flowtivate,” which has its own chapter in my book The Flow Habit, and has become a foundational part of my teaching and coaching.
You never know where doing things “wrong” ends and you forging a new path and venturing where no one has ever gone before (which frequently happens in a flow state).
Focus on your process instead of product. Flow enters in the middle of having a present-moment experience, especially one that catches us off-guard, or makes us laugh.
#4 Do It Backwards
Flow gives you access to your highest potential, which means you are going to do things differently than you have before.
This is why we say “this or something better” when setting an intention, goal, or dream.
Flow has a magical way of leading to consequences and experiences we can’t even imagine—yet.
Here’s a simple way to introduce novelty in your writing.
Write the ending first.
Write the scene or point that is jumping up and down like an overactive, naughty, non-obedient child in your brain saying “Pick me! Pick me!”
Write in a style or a form that you haven’t before.
Once, I tried writing a poem, even though I never wanted to be a poet. A week later, I had written 80, enough for a book.
You just never know what will happen if you try something new.
#5: The Five Minute Rule ~ Get Moving
In my book The Flow Habit, there are stories after stories of people who just “did the thing.”
My 28-Day Flow Challenges are based on the idea of choosing a 5-minute daily activity that brings you joy and has a high chance of getting you into flow.
Writing just five minutes a day is how I reclaimed my writing practice.
I never would have written or published Leap With Me: A Creative Path to Finding and Following Your True Voice, a 498-page book to reclaiming your creativity, and my most recent book The Flow Habit: Creating Peace, Passion, Purpose, and Everyday Miracles without starting with super tiny baby steps.
Spending five minutes “doing the thing” is like rolling a little snowball down a hill.
Eventually, it picks up speed and grows (and flows!).
Set a timer. Write as fast as you can. Keep your pen moving.
Personally, a pen and paper with no lines works best for me.
Sometimes I close my eyes.
I’ve written books this way, typing into a laptop computer with my eyes closed.
After five minutes, I open them up and read what I’ve written, quickly proofreading and fixing spelling errors while the ideas are still fresh.
The key is movement.
Movement leads to flow.
Non-flowy movements done again and again help us break through the wall of stuck and get to the other side.
Moving our bodies can help too.
Dance for five minutes, then write.
Doodle for five minutes, then write.
Write for five minutes, then write for five minutes more.
Martin Luther King, Jr., said: “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”
Yes.
If you’ve made it this far through this article, no doubt, there’s a staircase in front of you, calling your name.
You have an important message to share with the world, and it’s time to take that next step that is right before you.
No one else is you, and no one else can share YOUR message in YOUR way.
Let what’s flowing through your heart flow out of your pen (or computer).
You’ve got this.
I’ll share a few more ideas from my list of 20 Flow Writing Tips in a few days.
In the meantime, if you try some of these, let me know how it goes!
Happy Flowing!
-Laurie 💕
Thank you for the reminder, my friend.