Quiet your thoughts by picturing mice or don't.

Anne Lamott references a great tip in Bird by Bird (the most helpful book I've read about writing).

Many writers experience chatter in their brains even away from the notebook or laptop, and she says in order to bid goodbye to it (and SLEEP!), she imagines the thoughts are little mice. She picks each one up by its tail and drops it into a jar before replacing the lid.

I find this exercise to be effective EXCEPT when I'm mouse phobic. Which is all the time. Carefully weigh your options before picturing rodents or touching those miserable tails.

Instead, go online and devour the work of cupcake bloggers. Or imagine Edward Cullen breaking the neck of each racing bad vampirish thought.

But you know what honestly works? Deciding to record these ramblings (however odd they come to you) for future exploitation and fortune. KNOW that this chatter is going to make you millions. Then a miracle happens. Lucky for you, all the juiciness and the voices and the potential for wealth will be gone.

image, Christina Romeo