Have you ever found yourself struggling through a beat sheet, or struggling through the turning point at the end of Act 1, or throwing your hands up over a certain character? Or, maybe you simply can’t get yourself to pull the trigger, and you’re stuck in “the-story-lives-in-my head” mode and don’t have a single word written.
What do you do?
You start searching for answers. You madly read the blurbs for every writing book on Amazon.
“There’s got to be an easier way to do this!” you say.
“Surely the answer I’m looking for will be in this book,” you say as you hit the BUY NOW button on Amazon. Never mind that you already have several shelves full of books on the exact same topic.
“But this book says it works for ALL writers. This one says it’ll show me how to write my book in 72 hours! I must have it!”
But all those books you’re spending money on? They’re Shiny Objects.
And this^^^^^ is known as Shiny Object Syndrome.
Shiny Object Syndrome happens when writers struggle and want something – anything – to ease their pain and make the process easier.
Don’t jump on the Shiny Object Syndrome bandwagon.
Let it roll right on by.
Shiny Objects are super effective at what they do best: distracting you.
And that means they’ll prevent you from doing what you should be doing: focusing on your project, doubling down, allowing yourself to feel uncomfortable, and learning to move through your anxiety and fear, so that you can get the work done.
The results you’re looking for will not come from shelves and shelves of books.
The results will come from consistently applying yourself.
And from following one system.
If you already have shelves and shelves of books, pull out the one or two that speak to you. Use only those.
Instead of asking “What book should I buy next?” ask yourself “What efforts will get my manuscript done?”
Then in the next phase of the process, “What efforts will get my project edited and ready to market?”
Then, “What efforts will get my project to market?”
Shiny Objects are not your friend!
Say goodbye to Shiny Objects.
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2 thoughts on “Goodbye Shiny Objects”
This is so true. I have several how-to books on writing. I found most of them to be worthless. I do have a few I love, like Writing Down the Bones, Bird by Bird, and The Virgin’s Promise. Shiny objects can be such a trap. Thanks for your wise words.
Writing Down The Bones and Bird by Bird are two of my favorites. 🙂 I don’t consider them how-to books necessarily. Keep them on your bookshelf for sure!