It’s inevitable. At some point every one of us sits down to write content, from a social media post to a full-length book, and it happens…We sit and stare at the blank page… sometimes for minutes, other times for hours, and occasionally for days.
So then, how do we overcome ‘blank page syndrome’ to fulfill timelines, obligations, or merely to finish a piece of content.
Rather than pull out our hair (maybe this is why my editor has none…lol) let’s take another angle and break down four ways to (hopefully) never allow this to happen again.
By no means is this an exhaustive list, however having created content, writing books, publishing articles, and simply even my own blog, there are many tips and tricks to avoid writer’s block, blank page syndrome, the abyss of the white screen… or whatever else you want to call it, there are four tips that stick out the most.
They are here.
1. Lage Location
It’s nice to have a place you can relax and work. Why not create your own workspace? Truth. True.
If you feel this way, you should change the place you are writing. Maybe you only have to do it once. Perhaps you will need to do it more than once.
Every week, I’ll change my place of residence. It is enough for me to reset my mind. When I get back into my comfy, big chair, I feel renewed.
2. Reframe Your Audience
It can be tricky. It is, at least initially. At least at first.
There is nothing wrong with that. So it is with my book. Media Secrets Revealed. The document was designed with my ideal customer in mind but is flexible enough to be applicable across all businesses.
We sometimes feel we just can’t write.
So…
Write to one person that you think would be a good fit for your writing. It will give your writing a more personal touch and feel authentic to those who are reading it. This tip has been one of the most effective ways that I have found to increase the level of trust in my writing.
“Make it simple. You should make it unique. You should make it attractive and inviting. Make it fun to read.” – Leo Burnett
3. Dictate
Do you remember the two-way radios? Most people know someone who has used one. They were once almost exclusively known as walkie talkies. I never thought of the name until a few years ago when it clicked… they are called walkie-talkies because as we walk, we talk.
It’s a simple thought.
If we look at the writing world, we will find a multitude of programs and apps we can use to dictate text into any device.
Get one. Get outside. Talk about your ideas and go for a stroll. You will see some results when it is all written down.
- You will not have to write but edit.
- You can see how you speak.
- You will learn to hone your skills.
It is important to be able to understand what we are saying. Are there a lot of “ums” in the text? If so, it’s time to look at how we speak publicly.
It is important to observe how your thoughts are expressed in writing.
4. Take a look at the Old-School
When I say old-school, I refer to pen and paper. Now, you don’t necessarily have to write the entire article out on paper, although you could (then add in tip number three).
Create a basic outline. Write down some points. Simply by engaging our brains with the activity of writing, we can start to feel creative.
Sometimes I find myself writing sideways notes and drawing arrows on the page. This opens up a new part of me and allows me to write more than I can when I just start typing.
You can change it up
While there are more than 20 ways to not write from a blank screen, the following four tips will help increase your content creation and minimize your stare time at the writing screen.
It is important to make it work. Simply because something is not working does not necessarily mean it won’t. Sometimes it is necessary to have a rest, adjust or get a new perspective.
We become more skilled writers the more we pay attention to what we write. If something doesn’t work. You can change it. You can leave it. You can always come back to it and do the same again. The reason we write is because of perspective. Time to implement more perspective into our practice. When you do… watch what happens.
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