The EmDashProf

On my family blog, I’ve been trying to re-create the trip we took ten years ago to China. I’ve written about this experience, in many forms, over the years. I’m well-versed in it — I’ve lived it. But, for some reason, I can’t get it done this time. I’m stuck.

It’s as if I don’t know where to start. Oh, there’s the chronological beginning to the story, but there’s also the emotional and physical start to the process. Actually getting the words on the paper.

My students have the same problem getting their papers going. It happens to my friends at work who have to write a project report. For me, Christmas Letter Writing season is a classic time of “where-do-I-start” stuckness.

It’s not just me, it’s not just you. We all get stuck getting started. Here are some of my tried-and-true methods for getting unstuck.

My first recommendation is to relax. Get something warm, wonderful, and take a seven minute break. Athletes need to loosen up before they compete. Why shouldn’t writers loosen up a bit, too. Wiggle your shoulders and fingers, sip your drink, and let your body and brain loose.

My second recommendation is to do a brain dump, using a mind map:

1. Get a piece of paper and your favorite writing instrument.
2. In the middle of the piece of paper, write the subject or topic name.
3. In short phrases or single words, write everything you know or think you want to say about the subject, as quickly as you can. Do this for five minutes, or until your brain is empty of all the keywords or triggers on your topic.
4. Get a refill on that warm and wonderful something, and take another break – four minutes this time.
5. Go back to your piece of paper, and start connecting your keywords and thoughts into logical groupings. You can use lines, circles, color-coding; whatever will help you organize your groups.

Once your have your groupings, you’re ready to write. It doesn’t matter which grouping you start with, but it helps to start with one that feels the easiest to write.

Once you start writing, you’ll get on a roll. But don’t forget to take a break periodically. Getting up to move and change your scenery a bit every 30 to 45 minutes helps your brain process what you’ve done, while taking a little break.

Give this process a try the next time you have a writing project that doesn’t want to get started. If you have other suggestions or want to share your experience with this technique, drop me a line in the Comments.

The end of the decade snuck up on me. After all the Y2K/Millennium noise ten years ago, I thought never have to pay attention to a year change again, unless I was writing a check.

At midnight tonight, we pass from one decade to the next. I’ve heard debates all week about what to call the years from 2000 to 2009. Much of the debate has been couched in political terms rather than providing a numeric statement.

So, what do we call this decade soon to pass? One term I haven’t heard is “the aughts”. I had a history prof that referred to the period of 1900 to 1909 as “the aughts”. Should we call them “the 00′s”, like we refer to “the 40′s” or “the 80′s”?

What to do about the decade coming up? Are they “the 10′s”? Or do we call them “the teens”, even though we won’t hit a “teen” number for three more years? If we did, do we call the 2000-2009 time-frame “the pre-teens”?

I’m full of questions, but no good answers. Time to check with the experts. My favorite style guide, The Chicago Manual of Style (section 9.37, 15th edition) suggests referring to the 2000-2009 and 2010-2019 time frames as first decade of the 21st century and the second decade of the 21st century. It’s the clearest and most specific description, even if it’s a bit long.

If you want to debate when the decade ends or the millennium ended, well, you can carry on that conversation in the comments. I’m off to celebrate the new year!