Comments on: Merlin Mann on getting creative stuff done

By: John Paul Van Johnson

John Paul Van Johnson — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 11:02:41 +0000

I always thought that writing blocks are the foils of those who dont write for themselves. I don’t think who you write for affects your quelity in the pilosophical sense, but if the writing is its own reward than writing blocks are just times your body tells you:”go watch Thunder Cats for the 500th time”(i prefer E.R. but my body isn’t a drama enthusiastic). Love your body – it has some great insights about writing, sex orientations and household pets cannibalism.

By: Dobbs

Dobbs — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:47:49 +0000

Nice talk. Thanks. Part of it reminded me of something David Milch said: “We do not think our way to right action. We act our way to right thinking.” He was referring to writer’s block.

By: andrew

andrew — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 20:53:38 +0000

bit of a non sequitur, but anyone else think he sounds a lot like ryan adams?

By: Massimo

Massimo — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:38:23 +0000

Nice! Thanks for sharing!

By: Max Penny

Max Penny — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 07:05:52 +0000

Reminds me of a mini-documentary called “Failure” where a bunch of writers like ZZ Packer and Ruth Forman talk about failing badly and how central that is to what they do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPBGgImadRk

There was also a Michael Jordan ad on the same subject. Which kind of suggests it’s a mundane insight. But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Failure happens to everybody no matter how good they are. The secret of success isn’t to not fail, it’s to expect to fail and not let that stop you.

By: Jay D

Jay D — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 21:01:03 +0000

I feel writing every day is detrimental unless it’s your full time gig–in which commission and deadlines reign. It’s a great achievement if you can, but writing is not much different from physical exercise. You need Off days for better On days.

I battled this for some time; you go on with your day with writing on your mind at all hours. As you do errands, at your day job, as you socialize, when you workout, etc. You have to commit to not to write and then plan your next writing time accordingly. It just works better when you release yourself from ’should-I’ or ’shouldn’t I.’ Schedule and commit. Consider larger, efficient blocks when you do write. Don’t write everyday.

By: Joseph

Joseph — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:58:02 +0000

Thanks for posting this. It was great to hear and something I will go back to every once in awhile when I feel like I’m a terrible writer or that everything I write needs to be amazing.

By: Pier

Pier — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 01:10:48 +0000

Nice speech!

Most of his ideas come from this book http://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-Spiritual-Creativity-Workbook/dp/0874776945

… or they miracously share the same pinciples.

BTW Picasso is not Italian, he’s Spanish. :)

By: Andreas Climent

Andreas Climent — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:17:37 +0000

I enjoyed this quite a bit. Merlin’s advice really resonated with me. Thanks for the tip John!

By: EC

EC — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:09:37 +0000

"You have to write your way out of a thinking block because you can't think your way out of a writing block."

AMAZING! Just what I needed right now. Thank you for sharing, John!

By: Kristan

Kristan — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:51:49 +0000

Great stuff, thank you for sharing/spreading it. (And I hope the first 12 min weren’t that valuable, b/c I took your advice and skipped it.)