I can’t even begin to guess how many mornings I get up with great plans. I am going to write X number of words—tons and tons. I am going to edit a complete manuscript. I am going to plot out a new story.

I sit in front of my computer and then reality hits. I CAN’T GET STARTED.

I constantly complain about the difficulty of breaking through that initial barrier. I research hoping for some magical answer. What is the problem?

I call it MENTAL INERTIA.

According to Newton’s first law… An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force. An object in motion continues in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

I need an ‘unbalanced force’ to kick me into moving. An opposing force against my inertia.

The trick, the answer I seek, is what can I use as an opposing force? I don’t have any answers and would welcome ANY suggestions, things that work for you. But I have learned a few tricks to get myself moving.

1. Coffee

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2. crying

3. working on paper rather than on the computer…hopefully tricking myself into thinking I’m NOT working.

4. I call my critique partner and hope talking about writing will get me going.

5. My most effective thing is my timer. I set it for 15 minutes and force myself to write for that amount of time. And just like the law of inertia says, once  I get started, I keep going.

Tell me? Am I the only one who has this struggle? And if you have it, how do you deal with it? Any and all suggestions more than welcome.