Notes and highlights for
The Writer's Process: Getting Your
Brain in Gear
Janzer, Anne
Part I
Highlight (blue) - 2. Attention > Page 21 · Location 281
The external environment cannot bear all of the blame ; we are often our own
worst enemies , our minds flitting to other things we’d rather be doing .
Highlight (pink) - 2. Attention > Page 22 · Location 284
Attention and focus are essential skills for writers in a noise - filled world .
Highlight (pink) - 2. Attention > Page 24 · Location 312
Experiment with Focus
Highlight (blue) - 2. Attention > Page 24 · Location 313
Writer’s block , for example , might happen when you neglect open , mind -
wandering attention
Highlight (yellow) - 2. Attention > Page 24 · Location 314
Procrastination and distraction are failures of the Scribe’s focus .
Highlight (yellow) - 2. Attention > Page 25 · Location 320
Pomodoro Technique
Highlight (yellow) - 2. Attention > Page 25 · Location 326
creative procrastination .
Highlight (orange) - 2. Attention > Page 27 · Location 344
“ A mind adrift lets your creative juices flow . ”
Highlight (yellow) - 2. Attention > Page 27 · Location 352
“ These days , we may mistake time on the net for solitude . It isn’t . In fact ,
solitude is challenged by our habit of turning to our screens rather than inward . ”
Highlight (yellow) - 3. Flow > Page 35 · Location 434
“ During flow , two key regions of the brain deactivate : the portion of the
prefrontal cortex responsible for self - criticism , and the amygdala , the brain’s
fear center . ”
Highlight (yellow) - 3. Flow > Page 40 · Location 480
As tempting as it seems , multitasking is not a path to productivity — quite the
opposite .
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Creativity > Page 42 · Location 503
All good writing is creative , no matter the genre .
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Creativity > Page 44 · Location 530
This task calls on a mental process called divergent thinking . ( That’s how a
scientist says “ thinking outside the box . ” )
Highlight (yellow) - 4. Creativity > Page 45 · Location 536
Sometimes interruptions can help us by dismissing the Scribe so that the Muse can
take over .
Highlight (blue) - 4. Creativity > Page 47 · Location 565
Reframe struggle as the immersion stage of creativity .
Highlight (blue) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 54 · Location
624
The results are clear : we give up more easily on difficult tasks after resisting those
cookies .
Highlight (yellow) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 56 ·
Location 652
The class that determined its own paper schedules fared better than the “ no
deadlines ” course ,
Highlight (blue) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 56 · Location
653
but worse than the class with a traditional , evenly spaced paper schedule .
Highlight (pink) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 57 · Location
658
Nearly everyone procrastinates . Waiting until the last moment degrades the quality
of the work . Deadlines are an effective defense against procrastination .
Highlight (orange) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 57 ·
Location 660
The lessons are clear . Make firm commitments to counteract the dangers of
procrastination , and schedule time to produce high - quality work .
Highlight (blue) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 58 · Location
669
Pledge to work for an hour or meet a minimum daily objective before connecting
to email and social networks
Highlight (pink) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 59 · Location
680
Commitments help us resist procrastination that otherwise cuts into critical phases
of the process .
Highlight (blue) - 5. Self-Discipline and Procrastination > Page 59 · Location
683
It’s easy to let private deadlines slide , so share them with others . Make them
public .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 62 · Location 719
Put in basic terms , people with a fixed mindset tend to consider their talents or
abilities as set , inherent parts of their beings .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 62 · Location 720
Those with a growth mindset believe that they can develop abilities through
learning and work .
Highlight (pink) - 6. Mindsets > Page 62 · Location 721
Of course , you understand that you can learn and improve . But when faced with a
challenge , you may suddenly hear the voice of the fixed mindset whispering that
you are not “ good at ” the task and are likely to fail .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 723
Listening to this belief limits your willingness to take on challenges .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 723
Without faith in your ability to grow , you become risk - averse . For people caught
in a fixed mindset , failure damages the sense of self .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 728
Mindset also affects creativity . The fixed mindset shuts down exploration and
discovery .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 728
You won’t want to start an outline until you have all the answers at hand ;
Highlight (orange) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 730
A growth mindset leaves room for creativity .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 733
Authors with a growth mindset start researching and outlining without planning
everything in advance .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 63 · Location 734
They learn as they proceed .
Highlight (pink) - 6. Mindsets > Page 64 · Location 735
Nonfiction authors consider the act of writing as a path to learning , deepening
their understanding of a subject rather than simply reporting what they already
know .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 64 · Location 740
A growth mindset transforms writing into a journey of discovery .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 65 · Location 756
Good ideas multiply when shared .
Highlight (blue) - 6. Mindsets > Page 66 · Location 763
- All of the good concepts have already been written about . - Someone might steal
my ideas unless I keep them under wraps . - I need to wait for the perfect time to
write .
Highlight (yellow) - 6. Mindsets > Page 66 · Location 766
You can learn to adjust mindset through practice . If you find yourself experiencing
limiting thoughts about your abilities ( the fixed mindset ) or ideas ( the scarcity
mindset ) , use the following practices to train your brain to see the world
differently .
Highlight (pink) - 6. Mindsets > Page 67 · Location 769
contradicting your belief with behavior .
Highlight (pink) - 6. Mindsets > Page 67 · Location 769
The person you need to convince is yourself .
Part II
Highlight (pink) - 8. Research > Page 84 · Location 930
Research feeds itself : once you start , you’ll see your topic everywhere .
