Welcome back to a special edition of The Writer Files called “The Best of the Writer’s Brain,” a series neuroscientist Michael Grybko and I started in 2015 where I enlisted his help to give us a tour of the inner workings of the writer’s process.

Q: Have you ever wondered why writer’s block is such a widely disputed malady, if it’s curable, or even real?

As we wrap up our Summer hiatus before the upcoming season, I thought I d put all of these enlightening episodes in one place …

In Part Four of the series I invited my friend, research scientist Michael Grybko — of the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington — back on the show to help me pinpoint some possible origins and solutions to an ailment known only to writers.

If you missed the first three episodes of The Best of ‘The Writer s Brain’ you can find them on writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

In this file Michael Grybko and I discuss:

• Why writers argue about the definition of writer’s block
• What happens when your creativity dries up
• Why writers need to unplug to recharge
• 3 symptoms of writer’s block and how to cure them
• How small, attainable goals reward your brain
• Why changing work venues boosts productivity
• Hemingway’s personal tricks for getting words on the page
• The importance of regular rituals for eliminating self-doubt

The Show Notes:

 

• The Best of The Writer s Brain Part One: Creativity
• The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Two: Empathy
• The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Three: Storytelling
• How to Beat Writer’s Block – Maria Konnikova
• This Is Your Brain on Writing – New York Times
• Famous Writers’ Sleep Habits vs. Literary Productivity, Visualized – Maria Popova
• How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part One
• Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind
• The End of Reflection – Teddy Wayne
• How To Concentrate Automatically Without Even Trying
• Seven Tips From Ernest Hemingway on How to Write Fiction
• Around the Writer’s Block: Using Brain Science to Solve Writer’s Resistance
• 8 Strange Rituals of Productive Writers
• Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices