The deadliest enemy to writer's block is re-reading what I just wrote and analyzing it. However, getting past the stream-of-consciousness stage is even harder than getting started. That's when I start realizing that other people are going to read what I write. No matter how I feel about it, a deadline is looming and I have to produce. Being disciplined is essential at this stage because only pressure can keep the pen or keyboard going. Even when I am not interested in writing about myself in a diary I can use stream of consciousness to compose the first draft of an essay. With stream of consciousness I can write without worrying about how it sounds, even to me. I can get into a mind state beyond any self-criticism. I can worry about technicalities later.

The technicalities are easier to deal with when the raw content is there. Writing without stream-of-consciousness is like trying to make gasoline without tapping an oil well. At some point I have to engage in the mundane process of tapping the well. Once I strike oil, then I can worry about refining the product.

With the basic grammar skills I have from grade school, I can revise a basic stream-of-consciousness piece into a coherent and decent piece of writing. I don't need to think about the Pulitzer Prize panel at this point, just the teacher. It sounds easier than it is, because this is probably the stage at which I have the greatest trouble. When I write something, my natural instinct is to walk away from it and do something else. I put a lot of energy into my stream of consciousness and don't want to have to revisit all the thoughts and feelings I had when I first wrote. Preferring to move onto another project, I tend to procrastinate at this point.

Procrastination is another sign of writer's block: a good friend and a better enemy. In spite of all...

Pundits, parents, and teachers warn about the perils of procrastination, but I find that waiting until the last minute creates some positive pressure. With too much time I can get caught languishing. Procrastination creates time constraints that I have no choice but to overcome. Nothing can motivate me more to write than an immanent deadline and usually I come through just fine. When I have a deadline I hammer out final copy like there is a tomorrow: a tomorrow with a cut-off date. At that point I have no choice, which is why it's easier to overcome writer's block with a deadline than without.
The criticism I receive about my writing is good and I should listen to it if I want to improve and be less ashamed of what I produce. Criticism I am used to hearing include the following. The first type is general grammatical criticism that has to do with actual errors in grammar, punctuation, style, and usage. That type of criticism is the type I deal best with because it involves the basic rules of writing that everyone conforms to, in most writing situations. In fact, I enjoy receiving grammar criticism because I want to learn about how to watch for and eliminate grammatical errors. A second type of criticism I receive is related to being focused. Sometimes I have a hard time coming up with a thesis for a paper and if I do have a clear thesis I stray from it because I get sidetracked. A third type of criticism I encounter is that I can be too verbose. My sentences sometimes run on and my papers are more often too long than too short. These three challenges are the ones I deal with most in my writing and when I can develop a positive attitude and integrate these ideas into my future compositions, I am bound to be better with every word.