Ten Tips to Take Your Writing Life Less Seriously
Hope is all ears
Pop Quiz: Name this tune and artist:
"And the best thing you ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously
It's only life after all, yeah"
By incorporating creative, fun – and FUNNY – practices into your writing routine, you’ll not only embrace self-compassion but also inject creativity and humor into the process of writing your "shitty first draft." Humor takes the sting out of self-criticism, helping you see your work from a light-hearted perspective. When you’re able to laugh and even sing along with your predicament, you’ll be able to enjoy the creative journey and embrace your writing life.
1. “Self-Compassionate Reframing”
· What to do: When you think negative thoughts like, “This is terrible,” or “I’m a bad writer,” pause and reframe it with humor. You could say, “Well, if bad writing were an Olympic sport, I’d be winning a gold medal today!” “Plot twist: The real genius of this chapter is its ability to confuse even the author!” or “My characters are so flat, they could double as ironing boards—useful in a pinch, but not exactly captivating.”Sure, it's cheesy, but you get the point! Crack Yourself Up!
· How it helps: A good laugh will trigger the endorphins and put you in a better mood about your shitty first draft. Reframing your inner dialogue with humor defuses negativity and allows you to approach your writing from a lighter, more compassionate place.
2. Practice the "Bad Draft Hall of Fame"
What to do: When you feel like your writing is terrible, take a section of your draft that you’re unhappy with and turn it into an exaggerated “award-winning” bad writing example. Write an imaginary acceptance speech for the “Worst Sentence Ever Written” award.
How it helps: This fun activity enables you to laugh at your perceived mistakes and not take your first draft so seriously. It also shifts your mindset from frustration to creativity.
3. Set a Timer for “Playful Writing”
What to do: Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and challenge yourself to write without worrying about grammar, structure, or quality. The goal is to keep writing non-stop, even if it’s pure nonsense at times. If you can’t think of what to write, start by writing, “I don’t know what to write,” until something flows.
How it helps: This exercise gets you out of your head and into the flow. It enables you to embrace the messiness and imperfection of a first draft with a sense of humor.
4. Keep a “Humor and Inspiration Journal”
What to do: Start a separate journal where you collect funny, lighthearted quotes or anecdotes about writing and self-compassion. You can jot down quotes from the Dalai Lama, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, or your own humorous reflections when something in your writing process goes wrong.
How it helps: Having a place to turn when you feel discouraged will remind you not to take yourself too seriously. Revisiting these entries can lift your spirits and help you approach writing with more ease and compassion.
5. Create a “Laughter Break” Ritual
What to do: Schedule regular “laughter breaks” during your writing sessions. Watch a funny YouTube video, listen to a humorous podcast, or even read a joke book for a few minutes.
How it helps: This allows your brain to reset and relieve tension. Plus, when you return to writing, you’ll feel more relaxed and less critical of yourself.
6. Celebrate “Tiny Wins” with Humor
What to do: Celebrate a small victory after each writing session, no matter how short or unproductive it feels. For example, you could say, “Today, I wrote 100 words. That’s 100 more than nothing!” Or, “I may not have written much, but I didn’t give up—somebody give me a trophy!”
How it helps: Celebrating even the most minor accomplishments creates positive reinforcement, and doing it humorously makes it fun rather than self-congratulatory. It encourages you to keep showing up.
7. Name Your Inner Critic
What to do: Give your inner critic a funny or silly name, like “Perfectionist Pedro” or “Judgy Jerry.” When that critical voice starts to speak up, acknowledge it by saying, “Oh, there goes Pedro again, trying to ruin the fun!” and move on.
How it helps: Naming your inner critic removes some of its power and makes it easier to detach from self-judgment. When you address the voice with humor, you’re less likely to take its criticism seriously.
8. Allow Room for “Mistakes and Giggles”
What to do: Set a goal to make mistakes while writing intentionally. It could be writing a scene that’s overly dramatic, wildly unrealistic characters, or sentences that don’t make sense. Laugh at them afterward and appreciate the absurdity.
How it helps: By allowing yourself to write poorly on purpose, you release the pressure to be perfect. This opens the door for creativity and self-compassion, as you’ll be kinder to yourself when the “real” mistakes happen.
9. Start with a Light-Hearted Affirmation
What to do: Before you even begin writing, set the tone for self-compassion by writing or saying a playful affirmation like, “Today, I give myself permission to write badly and have fun doing it!” or “This draft may be messy, but it’s my beautiful mess!”
How it helps: This lets you release the pressure of perfection right from the start and reminds you that the process is more important than immediate results.
10. End Writing Sessions with Gratitude and Humor
What to do: At the end of each writing session, spend a minute reflecting on what went well, no matter how small. Add a touch of humor by saying something like, “Well, I didn’t create the next great American novel today, but at least I spelled my name correctly.”
How it helps: This practice lets you close your writing session on a positive note, reinforcing self-compassion and humor while acknowledging your progress, no matter how small.
By incorporating these practices into your writing routine, you’ll not only embrace self-compassion, but you’ll also inject some much-needed joy into writing your first draft. These ideas allow you to keep things light, making it easier to stay motivated and less critical of yourself along the way!
POP QUIZ ANSWER: You guessed it, the song is "Closer to Fine" by Indigo Girls. You're welcome, it'll be stuck in your head for the rest of your writing session.
Bonus: Creating silly names helps personify your inner critic in a way that’s easier to laugh at—and ignore. Here are some names for your inner critic, designed to make that B*tch less intimidating and more manageable:
Nagging Nelda – Always pointing out what you should have done.
Doubtful Doody – Second-guesses every decision you make.
Overthinking Ollie – Turns even the most minor task into a philosophical dilemma.
Pessimistic Pedro – Assumes everything will go wrong, always.
Critical Clarise – Finds flaws even in your best efforts.
Negative Nate – Never has anything positive to say.
Worrier Wanda – Panics about problems that haven’t even happened yet.
Blaming Bobby – Loves to remind you of every mistake you’ve ever made.
Anxious Aimee – Gets jittery about even the tiniest details.
Self-Doubt Sally – Questions whether you’re really good enough.
Judgmental Jerold – Holds you to impossibly high standards.
Fussy Fannie – Insists that nothing is ever quite good enough.
Overbearing Oscar – Tries to micromanage every step you take.
Perfect Priscilla – Won’t settle for anything less than flawless.
Insecure Ivan – Makes you feel like everyone is watching—and judging.
Fearful Frederico – Finds danger lurking around every corner.
Comparing Constance – Loves to remind you how everyone else is doing better.
Sulky Samuel – Throws a pity party whenever things get tough.
Lazy Larry – Suggests giving up at the first sign of difficulty.
Rigid Rita – Insists there’s only one right way to do things.
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