Word Wars

Play against other writers and tame your inner critic

One of the biggest problems many writs have is turning off the inner critic during our first drafts. However, we must do so. This is vital for two reasons. First, composing and editing are different brain functions. Switching back and forth between them slows down the creative flow. Secondly, because of this frequent switching, you are stuck for what to write next. Often, the so-called "Writer's Block" results from intimidation by your inner critic.

Here's a fun way to kick-start your creativity and put your critic in a holding cell until you need her on the next draft.

You need a writing buddy for this one. You can do this while physically together or use the internet for communication. Choose someone evenly matched with you in terms of experience. You don't want to feel intimidated by someone with more experience.

Set a time period for writing together. The time frame doesn't matter much. It can be a day, an hour, or, my favorite, 15-30 minutes. The object of the game is simple: write more words in that time frame than your friend. You can raise the stakes by creating an incentive like the one who loses buys the coffee at Starbucks the next time you go out.