Day 6: Overwhelm
Overwhelm: Sometimes, you may get overwhelmed by the amount of research and information that you need to gather and organize. This can make it difficult to know where to start and how to structure the writing.
Break down research and information-gathering tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Create an outline for your writing project to help organize your thoughts and ideas. (It’s OK if you’re a Pantster and not a Plotter. You don’t have to actually use the outline, just jotting it down can help structure your thoughts so that you can feel free again to write by the seat of your pants.)
Use tools such as mind mapping or note-taking apps to help organize your research and ideas.
Doodling and drawing can help you get out of overwhelm and into flow, so if you normally type your writing, maybe break out the old notebook and give it a shot longhand. I have a theory that writing by hand is helpful because the back and forth motion can provide some bilateral stimulation. The same kind you get (or if you’re an insomniac like me, the kind that you don’t get enough of) when you’re in R.E.M. sleep. Haven’t heard of bilateral stimulation? Search on YouTube for tons of free videos. I especially like this one with EMDR Music. (Not especially for the music, but for the way it switches back and forth between ears. You have to wear headphones for it to work.)
