Combining the practical lessons of clinical practice and the literature of the disciplines of composition theory and psychology, this book merges what writers say about writing with what researchers and scholars say in a way that helps both experienced and inexperienced writers at the writing desk. The writers depicted in the book are comprised of…

To provide a broad view of writer's block and the composing process, this annotated bibliography includes 100 sources that discuss (1) early views of blocking, e.g., Freud's warning about internal critics; (2) contemporary curatives, e.g., cognitive therapies that purport to change a writer's inhibitory self-talk; (3) successful writers' accounts…

Analyzes more than 5,000 examples of "self-talk" gathered from blockers and nonblockers during the initiation and completion of writing sessions to reveal seven cognitive components of blocking: work apprehension, procrastination, dysphoria, impatience, perfectionism, evaluation anxiety, and rules. Indicates that blockers are more likely…

Treated two groups of academicians (N=10) with writing blocks with contingency management. One group received treatment in individualized therapy. The other group participated in an experiment in which meetings were confined to discussions of contracting and self-monitoring. Both approaches, clinical and experimental, effected stable writing…

A review of the literature on writing block looks at two kinds: inability to write in a timely, fluent fashion, and reluctance by academicians to assist others in writing. Obstacles to fluent writing are outlined, four historical trends in treating blocks are discussed, and implications are examined. (MSE)

Reviews automaticity, effortless writing that enjoys freedom from excessive conscious interference, in terms of its origins in automatic writing and growth into contemporary techniques. Characterizes automaticity as a (1) form of dissociation from consciousness; (2) succor to spontaneity and creativity; and (3) key to understanding why some…

The reasons why so few academicians write for publication when the benefits are so great are described. New insights into scholarly writing discount commonmplace reasons for not writing and point to misconceptions about the writing process, poor work habits, and possibly inequitable editorial practices. (Author/MLW)