Regularly writing and publishing content is founded on the principle that you write engaging, preferably fantastic, content over, and over, and over again. Day in and day out, you need to produce valuable information that people will find engaging and useful and post it on a blog, in a white paper, in a presentation, and other engaging ways.
But what happens when writer’s block strikes? When you sit down at crunch time and stare at a blank screen and nothing happens?
Before you completely freak out or completely give up, either on the post or your content strategy entirely, take a deep breath. This happens to the best of people, and there are ways to break through. Here are five steps for how to write a blog online when you have writer’s block.
#1: Research, Read, Get Lost Online
It’s the research that leads to the writing. Sometimes all it takes is one interesting article that inspires me. So the best way to start is to actually stop trying to write and read instead.
I’ve heard it said that being a vigorous reader is important to writing well, and I can’t agree more! It’s important to know what’s going on your industry so you can report on news and innovations. It’s also important to research trends so you can adequately write about them.
If you’re really stuck on a topic, you may just need a fresh perspective to help give you the jolt you need. So break away, do some searching, and start reading.
#2: Use the Force
One of my friends is a reporter. His advice to anyone who is stuck writing a story is to “use the force.” This means you should stop overthinking the topic, or the act of writing in general, and trust that little voice inside you telling you to write. Sometimes you just have to start writing, no matter how bad, and stop editing everything before it’s on paper.
This isn’t the time to try and sound your best so just brain dump anything and everything you need to on the page. You’ll have time to edit the writing later. I think this step is particularly important to remember when you’re thinking about how to write a blog online with writer’s block.
#3: Spend Some Time Apart
Pausing is important in writing. It allows the writer to come back and look at the writing with a fresh set of eyes. Pausing can even help your brain continue to work through the topic subconsciously. Giving yourself a break, no matter how small, is an important step in writing.
If you’re under a tight deadline the break doesn’t need to be long. But leaving yourself some time to breath, regroup, and look at your writing with fresh eyes will help your writing.
#4: Edit
You’ve gotten started using the tips above, but now it’s time to make your first draft publish worthy. I don’t know about you, but I rarely type something perfectly the first time, so I always give myself at least one round of revisions. When I’m working on a particularly elusive topic I have a habit of starting completely from scratch during this phase.
Whatever your method is to edit your writing, it’s time to really buckle down and make the necessary changes for clarity and correctness.
#5: Get an Extra Set of Eyes
It’s always good to have someone who can review your writing before you hit publish. These editors can help you catch parts of your writing that are unclear or confusing and can help fix some common mistakes. Remember that you’ve sat with this concept for some time, so things may seem clearer to you than others who are new to the concept.
Once you’ve checked each step it’s time to rinse and repeat for your next post! What tips or steps do you find particularly helpful when you’re writing? Leave them in the comments below!