The Word Corner

There are a few procrastination zapping techniques I’ve developed over time that have helped me build the habit of writing on a regular basis.

Minimize Distractions
Lack of ideas is usually not a problem for me. My biggest challenge is staying focused on one topic long enough to finish it, revise it and publish it on time.

I tell myself, if I write one clean draft then I can indulge on some fun, non-productive task like searching for a good quote or an image to illustrate the finished article. The promise of a little reward after completing a task usually does the trick.

Prepare Outlines
An outline can be just a bulleted list of items you intend to cover. If an outline helps you organize your thoughts then use one. Normally, when writing a post I just write my thoughts as they appear. If an article is longer than 1,000 words I usually print it and review it away from the screen. That’s when I zero in on my real beginning, middle and end.

Write Now. Fix it Later.
Pour all your thoughts on the page. If ideas about another topic come to mind don’t censor them or push them away. I often keep two or three Word documents open simultaneously and I switch between them as my mind begins to fire ideas. Some of those ideas end up getting published weeks or months later and some end up getting discarded.

Outsmart Writer’s Block
Few people seem to suffer from writer’s block when they write emails or text message their friends. If you’re having problems coming up with ideas, pretend you’re sending an email to a friend or some imaginary reader and just write.

Write a post, review it and save it. If you’re struggling with the material, walk away from it and do something physical. Go for a short walk, get a cup of coffee. Just get your body moving. The moment I walk away from my desk, ideas usually flash through my mind that I can incorporate into the text.

Prepare Tomorrow’s Post Today
Early in the morning I jot down in a notebook at least 2 or 3 ideas that pop into my head for future posts or articles. Instead of just keeping them in a notebook, I write a paragraph or two containing the core idea I’m trying to get across and save it as a draft in WordPress. I usually include a brief title just to remind me of the topic’s subject.

I keep several of those pre-posts in various stages of completion. I don’t stress over them. I know those ideas are waiting for me and I can take my time shaping them into complete articles when the time is right. These pre-posts remind me of all the posts I can generate if I run out of ideas so they act as confidence builders and “abundance” reminders.

Simmer Down
Once I type everything I can think of on a given subject and I have about 2000-3000 words of text then I start to eliminate anything I consider non-essential until I end up with 700-800 words of solid content. I pretend I’m getting charged by the word (like a newspaper ad) and I challenge myself to eliminate all redundant sentences.

The superfluous sentences are not always discarded. Some of them may end up in a future post or as a continuation of the current post. The extra information is never wasted since it helps me write one solid article.

Submit and Move on
This is the hardest part for me. After I’ve been working on a post for 1 or two hours and I get it to the point where it’s almost ready to publish it’s hard to let go. There’s always a phrase or a sentence that needs rewriting or another image that can best illustrate the ideas I’m trying to convey. It takes discipline to say “enough, this is ready” and click Publish.

You don’t have to write a brilliant pillar article every time you post. The important thing is to build the habit of publishing something on a regular basis. A post can be a useful tip, or a video or news of an important event related to your industry.

Breathe Life Into an Old Post
You can always improve your best. Problogger Darren Rowse recommends we Breathe Life Into an Old Post by correcting some outdated information or doing a complete overhaul. It’s reassuring to know that even a pro like Darren revises some of his old posts once in a while. Remember, “writing is rewriting”.