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 .