How to get over writer’s block
Do you know the feeling of staring at a blank Google Doc waiting for inspiration to hit? The anxiety as you see the clock ticking and no words have made it to the page? The pressure to produce something people will want to read?
That’s how I’ve been feeling over the past few months. Writer’s block, mental block (whatever you want to call it) kept me from writing anything for my business. This lack of ‘showing up’ tuned up my stress and anxiety. Because if you don’t write anything for your business, you’re not marketing yourself, and if you’re not marketing yourself no one will know who you are, and if no one knows who you are no one will hire you, and before you know it you’ll find yourself as a starving writer.
I agonized over writing a single Instagram post, not to mention my newsletter (if you’re a Makeup Chair subscriber, sorry I abandoned you, I’ll be back). The more time passed between published works, the more pressure I felt.
I’ve been gone for too long. I need to come back with a BANG!
There is truth to that anxiety. We have to write for our business because we need to express the value we bring, share what we offer, and most importantly, connect with people.
So, what can you do when the words don’t flow as they should? When you know you need to get something out there, but you can’t make it work? You can’t afford to sit back and wait for the ‘right’ moment. Join me in my experiment as I get over my writer’s block and make the ‘right moment’ happen right now, starting with this blog. Things are about to get meta (not the Zuckerberg kind).
3 elements to take action and start writing
While I haven’t updated my LinkedIn status in months, I’ve had no issue writing for my clients. I’m meeting my deadlines, and unless they’re lying to me, my clients are happy with the work. So, why does it feel easy to write for someone else, but not for myself? I’m paralyzed with fear over what to say and how to say it.
After sitting with this for a while, I came to the conclusion that there are three things that keep the words flowing for my clients:
Structure
Incentive
Accountability
Structure: With my clients, I have a plan. We have content pillars, we set goals, and have a deadline. All of this allows me to plan my days to complete the work. There is a clear process to follow.
Incentive: While money does play a role, I mean we all want to get paid for the work we do, it’s incredibly fulfilling to collaborate and see the final result. As a creative, seeing your work go live is the best feeling. For you, this may be seeing your product featured as a must-have in Elle magazine, or starting a conversation in the comments. What
Accountability: I’m aware that it’s a risk to hire people from the internet, and yet, my clients trust me with their money, their brand, and their clients. So, I’m accountable to them. I need to update them and meet my deadlines. In your case, you’re accountable to your clients, your investors, and yourself.
Before we start writing, I want to take a moment to relieve some of that paralyzing pressure you may be feeling. The goal here is to take action and start writing. We’re not looking to write something that will inspire the next generation and will be quoted for decades. Action creates momentum, and once we get that momentum going, writing will come easier.
To spark action, we need to set structure (writing schedule, goals, publishing date), set an incentive (what’s motivating you to keep going?), and get accountability (who is going to hold you accountable?). You’ve got those? Let’s go! We can’t afford NOT to write.
Goal-setting
Start simple with a goal that is achievable. What are you going to write, and by when? In my case, I’m writing a blog for my website about overcoming writer’s block (told you it was going to get meta). I’m starting on August 15th, and I’m going to publish on August 18th, giving me enough time to flesh out my ideas and write.
Some notes to consider:
Don’t bounce around ideas. Pick one and stick with it. Bouncing around is a form of procrastination and you’ll end up making little progress. We need to take action!
Your work has to be published. Whether it’s an email, a social media post, or just a thread, it has to be something people will read. This will hold you accountable and will build momentum.
Set a deadline. When are you going to start, and when are you going to hit that publish button? Be specific.
Planning your writing schedule
You’ve got your topic, and your deadline, now let’s plan your writing schedule. I know on average how long things take me to write. A blog can take me anywhere between 3 to 5 hours depending on the subject matter and research required. For this one, I expect three hours. Here’s how I’m breaking it down in my calendar:
Day 1: Rough Draft
This day is all about unloading your brain. Let it all go on the page. It doesn’t have to make sense. Just write what’s on your mind and let it flow. My #1 rule is to NOT delete anything. If you make a grammatical or spelling error, ignore it. This is not the time for perfectionism, it’s the time to let our brain sing and our hands type. Write as much as you can in the time allotted. After you’re done, don’t go back right away or you’ll feel overwhelmed. Let the work simmer.
For reference, the rough draft of this blog took me 35 minutes to write.
Day 2: Flesh out your ideas, and polish that brainstorm
You’ve let your work sit overnight. Good! You can look at it with fresh eyes. Go through your words and develop the ideas that stand out to you. We’re still not worried about wording or spelling, look at the big ideas and develop them. Do you have examples you can add? Can you expand on a topic? Is something you wrote not adding to the overall goal of your project?
Day 3: Edit
Now’s when we’re going to use that delete key. Read your copy aloud, it should be easy to read. If you get stuck, or it seems too wordy, it probably is. So, restructure long, hard-to-read sentences, add headings and subheadings, and look for grammatical and spelling errors. For proofreading, start from the end, and read your copy from the bottom up. This will allow you to focus on the individual words, instead of your sick storytelling skills.
Day 4: Edit Again and Publish
Do one last read through your copy (aloud) and make sure you didn’t miss anything. Fix it if you did. Now’s when to transfer it to your website, social media, ConvertKit, or wherever you’re going to publish. Don’t forget to celebrate after! Treat yourself, you did it.
Tips for inspiration when you can’t find it anywhere
You have the structure and the plan, let’s get those words out of you. This is what has worked for me, some might also work for you.
Start your Idea Bank Today.
The idea bank is your own treasure. This is the place you go to whenever you have an idea but don’t have the time to develop it. It can be your notes app, or a physical notebook if you’re old-fashioned. Do you have a story, an anecdote, or a clever pun? Put it in the bank. It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not. When it’s time to write and you feel dry, reach for it and you might hear the muses sing.
Read and allow yourself to be inspired.
It’s easy to fall into a trap of shame when you’re feeling pressured to produce. You may see other people writing damn good stuff, and you can’t help but feel bad about yourself (or maybe that’s just me). Allow yourself to read other people’s work for inspiration, not competition. Pay attention to what you like about what you’re reading, and if you want to, collect your favourite pieces into a folder. Refer to this inspiration folder when you need it (not for copying, for inspiration).Write whatever.
Even if it’s not the time to write something that will be published, just put pen to paper and let your thoughts flow. This exercise trains that muscle in your brain to come up with those ideas. Don’t know what to write about? Write about the object sitting in front of you. A day in the life of your pet. How you got your first piece of makeup. Anything to get you comfortable with the words in your brain.Chat GPT is your friend.
I know that as writers we should resist AI. Now, I don’t think AI is coming for our jobs, I see it as a tool, not a solution or replacement. Learn how to use it so it can help you. When you’re short on time and can’t wait to overcome that block, go to Chat GPT and give it instructions. It will give you something to start with so you’re not challenged by the blank doc.Romanticize the writing process.
Make it an experience and create an environment that inspires you. Play classical music (I prefer music with no words when I write), burn a candle, get a cup of tea, and wear your favorite perfume. Make it as enjoyable as possible.
Final Thoughts
I did it. It’s August 18th, and I’m writing the final words for this blog. Am I over my writing block? Not completely, but having put something out into the world had gotten my gears working again. Now, I’m going to start over with a new goal and a new plan. Embracing imperfect action is not easy, but here it is.
This blog may have felt all over the place. It’s partially a conversation with you, my reader, and myself. Maybe you’ll see some of me in you, and maybe my experience with writing can help you start (or re-start) writing.
Do you feel blocked? Do you feel the pressure of creating content? Send me an email at michellecarringtoncopy@gmail.com and let’s talk it out.
