Breaking Writer’s Block with Sam Horn, Intrigue Agency | Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders with Jon Cook Flash Briefing

We're continuing our episode interview series featuring Sam Horn of Intrigue Agency…

Jon Cook:

There's almost this lie, this trap that we fall into as authors is saying, "writing my book, I need to find the secluded space." And then we almost like work on our craft, our art in the dark. And then when it's ready, which is relative, then we bring it out for the world to see. But it's been created in an echo chamber. There's been nobody else speaking into your manuscript, your message, the thing that you want to share with the world. From an art standpoint, it may be beautiful or it may be well-intended, but just not well constructed.

Sam Horn:

Writing is supposed to be an empathetic exercise, not an intellectual exercise. Do you know who had writer's block for eight years? Sting, the musician - the words wouldn't come. So what did he do? He went back home and he grew up in Newcastle with these big ships and so forth. And he went and he interviewed people and he ended up writing a Broadway play, a Broadway musical that won a Tony and once again it never would have happened if he hadn't gotten up and outside and connected with the people he wanted to write for. Well, I had an epiphany when I read that because I was working on my next book and I loved to write. I was very busy at the time and writing had become a grind. I would look at what I had written and it did not sing. And when I heard that I thought, "Of course it's not singing. I am isolated, I am thinking it up."

I got up. I went over to my son's high school, I interviewed teachers. What do you say when, when kids say you have favorites? Principals, what do you say when teachers come to you and say, I quit? Kids, what do you say when someone's bullying you on the bus? And I connected with the people I wanted to write for, and their words, and their stories, and their concerns, and their worries filled my mind. And when I came back, I sat down and the words flowed out so fast, my fingers couldn't keep up.

So if you’re a writers who’s come to a halt, just as you said, Jon, we're probably isolated. We're trying to think it up. It's become an intellectual exercise.

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The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing is presented by Jon Cook, founder of Keynote Content. Jon and his team help thought leaders, namely speakers, coaches, and consultants, craft and share their messages to better serve their audiences. Connect with Jon and his team at Keynote Content by visiting keynotecontent.com. You can subscribe to The Keynote Clarity for Thought Leaders Flash Briefing by visiting bit.ly/KeynoteClarity and enabling it there. Then, all you have to say is, “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?”