5-minute trick to overcome writer’s block

So I used to write copy for a writer who taught aspiring writers to write.

The problem with aspiring writers is that they aspire…

They don’t write.

So one of the first big things he would teach them is how to sit down and start getting words on the page.

He’d teach them how to create a writing schedule. He’d tell them how he used to write late at night, because he worked a full-time job and that was the only free time he had.

And eventually, he’d tell them that writer’s block is bullshit.

(He would use nicer language.)

He had been a journalist early in his career. And I think all journalists hold this belief about writer’s block. Largely because if your editor gives you a deadline and you don’t hit it…

“I had writer’s block” is not a valid excuse.

Newspapers don’t need artists or perfectionists… they need words on a page so they can sell a damn newspaper tomorrow morning.

One of the things he would tell them is that writer’s block isn’t any sort of legitimate mental block. It’s perfectionism.

It’s the belief that what you put down on the page has to be perfect… which is bullshit.

You’ve probably heard the quote that “all writing is re-writing.”

I don’t know who said it, but it’s true. And the reason it’s true is because most people’s first drafts are bad.

Like, very bad.

It’s not uncommon to hear a successful author mention that they are embarrassed by their first drafts.

And that’s kind of the point.

The purpose of a first draft isn’t to get it perfect… it’s to get it done. Word vomit onto the page. Then clean up the mess.

So if you find yourself facing writer’s block, here’s a 5-minute fix:

Start writing about what you want to write.

As an example, here’s what I wrote before starting this email:

“So I’m going to write an email to my list this morning. I had thought about writing one about my conversation at dinner with Sam last night. But now that I think about it, I think I could write a pretty good one about overcoming writer’s block, simply by writing a note like this.

So basically, I’m going to write an email that shares my opinion on writer’s block, then I’m going to transition at the end to give a quick tip on how to overcome it.”

If you need a little more direction than that, make sure you cover three things in your note:

1) What you want to write (an email, a section on a landing page, etc.)

2) The goal of the writing (tell a story, highlight a benefit of your product, etc.)

3) Your plan of attack (parts of the story you want to highlight, why the benefit of your product is important, etc.)

Remember – no one will ever see this note. It’s a brainstorm. A journaling session. Something to get the gears turning and the fingers moving.

That’s it.

Anyway, I hope that’s helpful.

If you end up trying this, reply back and let me know how it goes.

Robert