Scribblers Anonymous

The principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) are designed to help people manage addiction, but its core tenets can be adapted to address other life-destroying challenges like — Writers Block.

AA: The first step is admitting you're powerless over alcohol.

Scribblers Anonymous: Stop reorganizing the kitchen cabinets and acknowledge that you're struggling and the usual methods aren't bringing that pitch or pages.

AA: Believe that a Higher Power can restore you to sanity.

Scribblers Anonymous: Stop reading Deadline. Stop checking your lack of residuals via WGA online. Stop chillin’ with Netflix. Trust there are forces, be it a supportive community of fellow scribblers, your own creativity, or even putting pen to paper, that can help you get through this.

AA: Decide to turn your will and life over to the care of a Higher Power.

Scribblers Anonymous: Let go of the need to control, plan, and perfect every aspect of the writing process. Sometimes, the best ideas will come when you're not forcing them. It’s called a shower. Look into it.

AA: Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself.

Scribblers Anonymous: Reflect on any fears, insecurities, negative thoughts, comparison-itis, low Rotten Tomato scores, bad reviews, or lack of streaming residuals contributing to your block.

AA: Admit to yourself, to a Higher Power, and to another human the nature of your wrongs.

Scribblers Anonymous: Share your struggles with someone you trust. This could be a fellow writer, a friend, a mentor, or even a cat or Labradoodle. But not your Agent (If you still have one), Manager, Development Executive, Strike Captain, Business Manager, or Landlord.

AA: Be ready to have a Higher Power remove these character defects.

Scribblers Anonymous: Be open to changing your habits, routines, or feedback loops of self-loathing and ice cream consumption that contribute to your lack of getting off page one.

AA: Humbly ask your Higher Power to remove your shortcomings.

Scribblers Anonymous: Don't be afraid to get objective help. Your old writing coach, ZOOM therapist, or even Chat-GPT. The best part of AI being non-human is that it will actually listen while you’re talking, versus just waiting for you to shut up so it can tell you about The Bear.

AA: Make a list of people you've harmed and become willing to make amends.

Scribblers Anonymous: If your writer's block has affected your professional relationships or scribbling commitments, be transparent about the situation and get those deadlines extended.

AA: Make direct amends wherever possible.

Scribblers Anonymous: Follow through on any commitments or deadlines you may have missed. Rebuild all those burned bridges by sending cookies from Deluscious.

AA: Continue to take personal inventory and admit wrongs.

Scribblers Anonymous: To catch any signs the creativity-sucking void is making it’s return, set reminders on your Apple Watch to constantly assess your word count and mental state.

AA: Use prayer and meditation to improve your conscious contact with your Higher Power.

Scribblers Anonymous: Use mindfulness techniques, meditation, a nature walk, exercise, Call of Duty, or other forms of mental practice to regain your focus and creative flow.

AA: Having had a spiritual awakening, carry this message to other alcoholics.

Scribblers Anonymous: Now that you're ready to resume writing, share your experience and methods with others. Reach out to your comrades in prose, who may be endlessly staring at blank pages and/or doomscrolling. Tell them to meet you at the local deli or diner. Slide into a comfy booth for cheap, greasy carbs and free coffee refills. And be grateful that your Higher Power has restored the status quo —

— kvetching and procrastination.