Sometimes content creation is difficult. Even if it’s what you do every day for a living, there can be hours and even days when getting words onto the screen is a real challenge.
This post is about dealing with writer’s block, and it owes everything to Kristin Long, an associate editor at Ragan.com. I liked her article “8 struggles every communicator understands” so much that I am going to dedicate this post and the next couple to her words of wisdom and those of her many sources. (If you’re a writer, you’ve got to read this article for the links she’s provided, if for no other reason.)
So, writer’s block.
Here you are, in front of your (blank) computer screen. Your assignment: a technology solution piece that doesn’t cause readers to nod out. You’re relatively well rested. The light at your desk is soft and pleasant. You’re not hungry or thirsty. You’ve done all your background reading and have it close at hand. Really, there’s no reason whatsoever that you can’t just knock this doc out by the end of the day.
But the words won’t come. At least not easily. You write a few and then you think maybe your sentence should have a different beginning. So you delete the words and start over again. And again. And again. Argh. How to address this situation? Ms. Long draws on the suggestion of New Yorker essayist John McPhee, who gives us permission to “write pure crap.” After you get that first horrible draft done, you go back to refine, because a good result inevitably involves rewriting.
But how do you get to the “pure crap” stage? The answer, according to Mr. McPhee is to type “Dear Mother” (or colleague or friend) at the top of the page and then start writing about your topic. As you write, you forget about your frustration and instead focus on telling Mom all about it. You’re not an essayist, of course; you’re a humble marketing content creator, but the principle is the same. Your frustration melts away as you become ever more engaged in the task. It would seem, then, that knowing what your audience needs to hear about the Corona Triple-XXX Widget somehow takes over and your work takes on a life of its own.
Years ago, I remember reading Jack London’s advice about how to deal with writer’s block. He went to his desk every day at the same time and didn’t leave until he had has words on paper. He didn’t wait for inspiration to descend. He just hung in until the job was done. Sounds simple, eh? But I bet there were times when it was excruciating. And I bet he wrote a lot that he ended up rewriting. Though his method is not exactly like McPhee’s, what they have in common is steadfastness. No matter how you get there, you stay until the job is done.
Bonus: No one, of course, has time to read any more. But if you can sneak in a little time, I recommend reading “Looking for a Ship” or “The Control of Nature” by John McPhee. You’ll be richly rewarded for your time.
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