How to write when you don’t know where to begin

Is that blank screen and blinking cursor beginning to taunt you? Show them who’s boss! Sometimes, you just don’t feel like writing something that really needs to be written. That’s understandable – and it happens to all of us at some point. So here’s a neat trick to persuade your brain to get busy in a productive way…

In short, you need to be adaptable and approach the task in a way that best suits you at that specific moment.

There’s no rule that states you have to begin writing any piece of communication at the start. So if you’ve been worrying over that all-important opening line for far too many minutes, stop right now.

Instead, jump straight in and start writing where it feels comfortable for you to do so.

Start where it’s easiest
The first sentence (or headline) of any piece of writing is often the hardest to write – so leave that until the end. That way, you’ll also have a better idea of how you can use it as the most effective lead-in to the rest of what you’ve written.

Look at the structure of your communication and start writing the section that you feel is the easiest – or perhaps the bit that is the most interesting to you as you sit staring at that blank screen.

Maybe that’s a middle paragraph, the call to action or tackling a handful of sub-headings. Who cares? You’re just looking for a quick and easy way to get your head into the right space…

Once you start writing, the flow will follow. One word or sentence will stimulate ideas about another, and you’ll be off! (If that doesn’t work, go for a walk and try again.)

The trick is simply to focus on getting it written, in any way possible, and then come back and edit it into shape later.

And that, of course, is a wholly different discipline…

Written by Kyla Skinner, founder of Copy Café
www.copycafe.co.uk