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If you’re like every other human being on the planet, you have some fear of writing.
Why is this? Is it because we desperately avoid thinking too much (because thinking is what we must do to write)?
I think it’s because of our education. We were encouraged to write before we had anything to write about. We were asked to write what we thought of countless events, people, and historical facts before we even knew what they meant to others. How in the world would we know what they meant to us?
Writing is a form of critical thinking. It helps us put on paper how our brain works. Oftentimes, we don’t really think critically because it’s too much work (or because we’re afraid that others might think we’re dumb).
But in this day and age, we need writers and we need them now.
Here’s how to write something TODAY:
1. The golden age of the literati has passed. Write what you know, write what you want to know, write what you think. Really, it doesn’t matter if someone thinks it’s stupid, because the Internet is so vast, no one will call you out and kick you off the island. Sure, folks may disagree, but writing now is more about YOUR take on a subject, not the right take on a subject.
2. When you first write, it’s private. The first draft is for your eyes only. You just have to put it down. You can always edit it later, or you can throw it away and no one will ever see it. It’s a great reversal of risk to know that you will not show your first drafts around town. Don’t fret. All first drafts are shitty (thus sayeth Anne Lamott).
3. Pretend you are sitting across the table from someone who asked you a question and you write to answer them. Pretend you both are drinking deep mugs of coffee and it’s laid back and relaxed and this person doesn’t care if you riff, they are genuinely interested in what you have to say.
4. Consider that what you are writing may save someone’s life; not literally, but they are desperate to know the solution that you have in your brain. Write for them. Help them. The “Good Samaritan” gene is very strong in our psyches these days. You will be so happy to be helping someone, you’ll forget you’re writing.
5. Forget pretense. No one thinks you’re cool, no one thinks you’re good looking, no one cares what you say, no one gives a crap if you screw up. But really, people do think you’ve got it and you just have to write it. But the less you focus on what others think and more about how you feel, the better the writing will flow.
6. Focus on success. Say you write this and it’s good. Say you write and it goes viral. Say you write this and people flock to your blog to read it. How would that make you feel? Good, yeah?
7. It’s just words. You just need to put the words into sentences and the sentences into paragraphs and the paragraphs into sections. Really, you’re just organizing words. Perhaps an outline first would help? Then the words that are in the outline can keep you focused as you expand on them throughout the piece. I use a scratch outline: 1. a. b. 2. a. b. 3. a. b.
Action Tip: What do you have to write today? Use one of these quickstart techniques and get started! Any other quickstart techniques you’d like to share with your fellow writers? Leave a comment!
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