Charlie Creative Blog

Everyone gets writer’s block. There’s no way to prevent it all together. The question is how do you bust through writer’s block once it comes? Here’s a method that works consistently for me. Before you do any writing, create an outline of your project. What are the parts? Will you include a title, opening, main argument, supporting argument and so on? Decide on all the parts, list them as headings, and then fill them in. Good organization reveals your whole project before you start. You can easily make connections you might otherwise miss, and filling in the blanks speeds up your writing and makes it more efficient. When you organize your project ahead of time you’re creating a system that works. Everything has a place and a role that is designed to move your project toward a satisfying end. It’s like ordering lunch in a restaurant at noon. You get a hot, tasty meal fast. If you go to the same restaurant at 3PM you might wait an hour for cold, bland food. Why? Momentum. The secret to momentum in writing—and busting through writer’s block—is silencing your internal editor. Your mind wants constant assurance that you’re on top of everything that can go wrong. Shut out these fears by developing an outline for your project so your mind can relax. Then you can get into action, build momentum, write past your block and serve up hot, tasty writing every time.

To convey a message with fairness and accuracy, set aside what you believe is true and explore wider points of view. Not that what you believe is false. It’s just a good idea to be open to possibilities. This is hardest when you’re facing a deadline. Writers sometimes take shortcuts by making assumptions. They turn in their work on time, but—by relying too much on what they know—they unwittingly write a biased story. This is forgivable because setting aside your beliefs is unnatural. To prove it, name any subject. I bet you already have a view about it. Don’t worry. We all do this. And it’s tough to add an extra step when you’re in a hurry. So why is it necessary? As a writer, part of your challenge is to look at your subject with fresh eyes. You can do this by unraveling yourself from your beliefs—from what you expect is true. Fortunately, differences don’t indicate right or wrong. Instead, differences give us a wider view of reality. If you set aside what you know when you do your research, your writing will be richer and more meaningful. You’ll come up with more angles for balanced content. And you’ll enjoy the insights you gain about your subject.

You know that satisfying feeling you get as a reader when you finally find what you’re looking for? Or how about when the piece you’re reading makes you feel smart, included, peaceful, or inspired? Don’t you wish you could give your readers that feeling every time? Consider this: When writing, there are three major audiences: Your readers, your client, and—believe it or not—you. It’s true. Without including your take on the subject you risk sounding wooden and false. To get your writing to resonate with you, your client, and your readers, discover how the subject relates to all three. Look for connections and common themes. When you connect what you and all your readers care about you generate a sort of harmony through your writing. You needn’t announce the connection. Your audiences will feel it. Like smiling through a telephone or cooking with love. They’ll just know.

It’s a good idea to research your subject fully before you start writing. It’s not such a good idea to spend valuable writing and editing time doing research you won’t use. When you get a new assignment, determine what your audience wants or needs. There’s no point writing something no one will read. Once you narrow the subject, make a list of questions you need answered. Take each item on this list and research it separately. Always record your sources so you can verify your findings and go back for more details. Research is about thoroughness, accuracy and verification. It’s also about meeting deadlines. Focus on the right details and research them thoroughly. That’s a better strategy than researching every possible aspect of a subject. Do this and you’ll have more time to write—and that’s a good thing. Bad writing comes from researching too much and editing too little.