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7 Secrets For Beating Writer's Block
By: Shaun Fawcett
Most people can easily identify with the dreaded
"writer's block". It is a well-known phenomenon that
just about everyone has faced at one point in their lives. I
used to suffer from writer's block, big time! Thus, I know through
personal anguish and suffering, that it is definitely not a
pleasant experience.
Especially when the due date for one's project
or paper is getting closer by the day, and the boss asks you
"how's that project going" every time you don't manage
to avoid him/her when you're sneaking down the corridor. WRITER'S
BLOCK IS FEAR-BASED. Writer's block is a fear-based feeling.
For whatever reason, many of us have this incredible fear of
committing ourselves in writing whenever we are faced with a
blank page or computer screen.
Fear no longer! I'm here to tell you that
writer's block can be beaten! Just realizing that writer's block
is really an irrational fear that keeps us from putting pen
to paper is half the battle. It's actually a fear of the unknown,
often coupled with a fear of failure.
We secretly wonder just what exactly is going
to come out of this pen/keyboard, and when it does, will we
be revealing some kind of incompetent idiot who doesn't know
what they're talking about? On the other hand, if we have done
the proper preparation, our rational mind knows that we can
do it just like we did it all of those other times before.
Unfortunately, fear often wins the day when
it comes to writing.
As I stated above, I suffered from writer's
block for many years and it was not the most enjoyable of experiences.
THE 7 SECRETS
Fortunately, somewhere along the way I did
manage to develop a few tricks to overcome writers block. Some
are obvious, others are not.
Here are my personal hard-earned secrets for
overcoming writer's block:
1. Don't Write Too Soon
Before trying to write, it is important to
prepare mentally for a few hours or days (depending on the size
of the task) by mulling the writing project over in the back
of your mind. (Just as athletes don't like to peak too soon,
writers houldn't write too soon either!).
2. Do The Preparation
Read over whatever background material you
have so that it is fresh in your mind. I read through all background
material carefully marking important points with a yellow hi-liter
and then review it all before I start to write.
3. Develop A Simple Outline
Before sitting down to write, put together
a simple point form list of all of the key points you want to
cover, and then organize them in the order in which you are
going to cover them. (I know, I know... your Grade 6 teacher
told you the same
thing... but it actually does work).
4. Keep research Documents Close By
When you sit down to write, make sure that
all of your key background materials are spread out close at
hand. This will allow you to quickly refer to them without interrupting
the writing flow once you get going. I keep as many of the source
documents as possible wide open, and within eyesight for quick
and easy reference.
5. Just Start Writing
Yes, that's exactly what you do. Once you
have prepared mentally and done your homework you are ready
to write, even if your writer's block is saying "no".
Just start writing any old thing that comes to mind. Go with
the natural flow. In no time at all you will get into a rhythm,
and the words will just keep on flowing.
6. Don't Worry About The First Draft
Once the words start to flow, don't worry
about making it perfect the first time. Remember, it's your
first draft. You will be able to revise it later. The critical
thing at the outset is to write those thoughts down as your
mind dictates them to you.
7. Work From An Example
Get an actual sample of the type of document
that you need to write. It could be something that you wrote
previously, or it could be something from an old working file,
or a clipping from a magazine article, or a sales brochure you
picked up. As long as it is the same type of document that you
are writing. Whatever it is, just post it up in your line-of-sight
while you are working. You'll be amazed at how it helps the
words and ideas flow. The main thing is to have an example to
act as a sort of visual template.
In my experience this last one is the ultimate
secret for overcoming writer's block. To help with this, be
on the lookout for good examples of writing that you may see
in newspapers and magazines, and clip out the useful ones for
future reference.
About the author: Shaun Fawcett is webmaster
of writinghelp-central.com
and author of the new eBook "Instant Home Writing Kit".
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