We all know the importance of blogging and the benefits an engaging blog can bring, but as important as blogs are, let’s be honest we know that keeping up a regular blogging schedule with engaging and fresh content can be a challenge.
So, to help keep the creative juices flowing we’ve highlighted some of our top tips for overcoming writer’s block.
The first step is to identify the cause. It can usually be boiled down to one or two of the following.
Distractions: You haven’t prepared the right environment for writing
Fear: You are afraid of what others will think of your writing
Timing: Your ideas need more time developing before you write them down
Fatigue: Your mind is exhausted
Perfectionism: You want every sentence to be perfect before you proceed to the next line.
Here’s our top tips for battling these demons.
Develop a routine
A routine might seem counterintuitive when working on a creative task such as writing, but if you are just writing blogs when you feel inspired or creative, you are bound to get writers block. Push through this by trying to write a blog on a regular schedule – every other week, or every month, just make sure you stick to it.
Freewrite
Freewriting involves writing for a set amount of time without stopping, and giving no regard to grammar, spelling, length or topic. You simply write. The goal is to challenge that perfectionism and write without second guessing yourself. You’ll find yourself writing free from doubt or self-consciousness. To try this out, find a suitable environment and set a time limit – 10 minutes can be a good start. If you’re prone to hitting the delete button maybe start with pen and paper, just to get the juices flowing!
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Do you find yourself spending hours looking for the perfect word to illustrate your point? Save yourself the pain of finding exactly the word you need and distracting your writing by putting ‘in other words’ and simply write what you are thinking, whether it’s eloquent or not. You can then jump back later on and look at the sentence a-fresh. Focus on the bigger picture and return to the ‘detail’ later.
You don’t have to start at the beginning
The hardest word is always the first one, so instead of starting your blog in chronological order why not begin where you are most confident. This can be the final paragraph or half way through, you’ll feel less pressure to get everything right straight away and can come back to write a killer intro once you’re warmed up!
Remember,
your first draft is just that – a draft!
Trying to make each sentence perfect can be debilitating. Writers
put a lot of pressure on themselves to sound ‘right’ the first time. Giving
yourself permission to loosen up and write imperfectly in your first draft can
free your writing. You can come back and edit later on, but getting the words
down first is the important thing.
And a few more tips for good luck…
- Go for a walk
- Eliminate distractions
- Read a book
- Brew some coffee
- Change your environment
- Brainstorm ideas in bullet points
- Listen to music
And if all else fails…
You’ve tried our tips and it’s still not happening? Then we’re always here to help. Get in touch to find out more about how we can support your content marketing plans in 2020.