Feeling Stuck in Your Writing?
I’ve been thinking about your writing — I mean, it’s probably how we met, right?
So today I just have a few quick tips for when you need to write something and you’re stuck.
Leeeeshgoooo!
It’s a mind game
Getting started on that doc or email is really all in your head. So let’s hack our brains, by:
Lying to ourselves and pretending we’re not really going to start when we actually are
Diving into the procrastination and the emotional regulation (or lack of, ouch) that’s underlying it
Just turning to some tried and tested tools that will help you get started
Let’s lie to ourselves
OK, so something’s making you feel stuck or in avoidance of actually writing this fucking thing. I get it. There’s a reason I don’t write for clients anymore (see below — Procrastination isn’t about time management…)
So here’s the thing. Since it’s all a mind game, let’s play it. Your brain is worried or avoiding writing this thing. But what if we tell our brain, “It’s ok, we won’t write. I’ll just do some planning instead.”
And then, what if you just answer some simple questions:
Who am I writing to?
Why does this need to be written?
When those readers pick this up, what are their top 3 questions?
Where can I get the answers to those questions?
What else do I want them to know?
For some of us, we’ll now feel ready to start. But if that doesn’t help reduce at least *some* of the anxiety around writing the damn thing, read on.
Procrastination isn’t about time management
I’m sorry to tell you, but it’s not. It’s about emotional regulation. In other words, that thing you’re procrastinating about is connected to some kind of pain or discomfort (probably fear or anxiety).
So, I suggest this process — all questions you ask yourself:
What am I afraid of?
If I write this thing, what’s the worst that could happen?
And then what? Is that survivable? Does it even matter?
What’s the best that could happen?
How would that FEEL? (Really sit in that feeling. Connect with it. It has a LOT of power.)
If I weigh up the worst possible outcome and the best possible outcome and how good the latter will feel, can I now bring myself to start the damn thing?
Now just start. RIGHT NOW. You don’t have to write the whole thing, but you have to show your brain that you can START it.
Or, if you don’t like either of these first 2 psychology-ish approaches, let’s just act:
Just follow these easy steps
These are tried and true. Often the best way to get over the hurdle of getting started is to start to get some clarity on what it is you’re actually producing. My SIFTing process is the go-to here.
To make any document fit for purpose, work through these 10 questions and produce a one-page set of notes:
1. What does this document need to ACHIEVE?
2. If it works, what will HAPPEN?
3. WHO might read this document?
4. WHICH of those readers has the ability, position, or authority to make my document achieve its PURPOSE? (Who does it need to work for the most?)
5. Are there any UNINTENDED readers?
6. What MIGHT need to go into this document?
7. What USUALLY goes into this document?
8. Does my PRIMARY reader NEED this for the document to achieve its PURPOSE?
9. Does my SECONDARY reader NEED this for the document to achieve its PURPOSE?
10. Does it WORK?
Once you have that all sorted, I frikn DARE you to keep procrastinating!
Go be amazing! You can doooo eeeeeeeet!
