A Sneaky Writing Tip to Trick Your Brain

If you’re a writer, most likely you’ve been working on a manuscript of some sort. Fiction, non-fiction, short story, or a magazine article—your ideas have been percolating in your brain and swirling around on paper for a while.

Sometimes a looong while.

You are sick of opening that document with the same title. The same unpublished title of the same unfinished, unpublished book.

The solution? Trick your brain! This tip sounds corny (well, it is!) but it helps to trick your brain and put a smile on your face each time you open that document to work on your manuscript … again.

One of my clients and good friends taught me this trick: rename your document with something goofy, silly, funny—anything but the real title of your manuscript.

For example, my above-mentioned client and friend has worked on a manuscript for many years. She got sick and tired (and tired and sick) of seeing the same title. So she changed it to “Scooby Doo.” Every time she saw the document in her folder, she smiled. Even giggled. It was enough to get her brain rejuvenated and inspire more creativity.

Seeing the title of your book in the document name yet again can be discouraging and set off your writing time with negative thoughts. Instead, bring humor to it. My client’s document soon became Scooby Doo 1, Scooby Doo 2, and so on.

Silly? Maybe. Easy? Definitely!

Bring a smile to your face each time you open that document!

I renamed my book manuscript “Tinkerbell” because it reminds me my youngest daughter flitting around with her wings, wand, and slippers. Always brings a smile to my face!