Excuses, Excuses
Do you have something you’ve been waiting to write? (or simply do, for that matter) – but, you just haven’t done it yet? We’re talking about personal writing here, not client copywriting. (Because if you’re not doing your client work then you’re just a big procrastinator!)
I’m curious to hear your excuses. Why haven’t you done it? What’s holding you where you are? And while I wait for your responses, I’ll fill you in on my own neuroses…
What is it that holds me back?
1. Time. This is probably the easiest excuse – because you get to pretend you’re selfless. I don’t have time now because I have to do my paying work to support myself or my family. I don’t have time now because my children are young. I don’t have time now because I’m on the board of this or I have to clean the house or I have a sick parent to care for…
2. Self-loathing. (don’t look at me like that) Who am I to deserve the chance to write or to be happy or to be great?
3. I can’t…for whatever reason. When I tell myself that, it’s all over. Only I can really shut that gate…and keep it closed.
4. This isn’t just about me. What will people think if I’m actually a success? How will I fit into my life? Won’t I make other people feel bad about themselves if I ‘win’??? (Okay that last one is hilarious to see in print…)
5. What if I can’t stop? Yes, I’ve actually struggled with this. What if I start writing and I can’t stop. What if I finally open the floodgates and I drown in this flow of words? How will I live my life if my fingers are actually bound to my keyboard?
6. What if I do stop? What if I start and it’s going really well – but then I have to sleep or eat or go to the bathroom and I can’t get it back again. Is there one time in my life when it will be safe to start because I won’t be interrupted…by life? Will I be able to get it all down?
7. What if someone reads it? And then they see into my brain and my heart. They’ll see everything – oh, the raw exposure.
8. Fear of the bad. Why should I start when the end result will probably suck? This excuse masquerades as self-preservation. I don’t want to write because if it’s bad, it will be mortifying and I’ll have wasted so much precious time – when I probably should have been doing something else more worthy and productive.
9. Fear of the good. What if it’s really good? What if I’m actually successful? What if this fulfills me? What if I’m actually happy?
Okay, I spilled it – all of my ridiculous and crap-filled roadblocks – it’s your turn now. And if you’re worried about sharing too much, go read this and then come back…I’ll wait.
The following quote was a focal point of the 500 hours of yoga teacher training that I did in the early 2000′s – it seems apropos here. Come to think of it, it seems like it should be tattooed on my brain. Enjoy…
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” ~Marianne Williamson
Image credit: whizchickenonabun
Blogstipation (and how to avoid it)
Cheers to Cassie Aiden for introducing me to this fabutastic word…
Blogstipation. Is it the inability to write blog posts? The back-up of so many good blog ideas? Or is it a blog that’s just not moving – no increase in visitors, pageviews, business?
Of course the term itself fits all three of these possibilities….it’s that good.
The inability to write blog posts
You’ve run out of ideas, you’re having a bad day, you’re simply out of juice.
1. Search the net, check other blogs. Chances are someone’s writing about something that either you could write better or their take on it is a 180 degree spin from yours…make it your own.
2. Walk away from your computer. Literally – take a walk, a bike ride, something to get out of your head and get creativity flowing through every limb again.
3. Don’t panic. Ask some folks to guest post, do some interviews – take the heat off of yourself and your muse.
4. Whatever you do, don’t just write something for the sake of filling your blog. People are less likely to leave you because of your silence than because of your pointless or crappy posts.
The Back-up
So many things brewing that you simply can’t get anything done or published.
1. Don’t let ideas back up in your brain, it’s very crowded already. Carry a notebook or a digital voice recorder or a smart phone to get the ideas out of the brain and into the world as they happen. You know, let it flow.
2. Make a list, schedule, calendar…and use it.
3. Hire a VA or other specialists (like writers, designers, techies, cleaners, bookkeepers, etc.) to help you get things done.
4. Prioritize. There’s bound to be something in that there should be done first. Do it…and get the ball rolling again.
The stagnation
Same number of visitors day after day? No new business?
1. Guest post somewhere else – preferably on a blog with readers who have never heard of you and need your services.
2. Use Twitter. Follow new people, build relationships, give good tweet by sharing interesting links and info on a wide range of subjects. (I ‘spose a little LinkedIn and Facebook wouldn’t hurt either)
3. Write an ebook and make it free and valuable.
4. Do some keyword research about your topic and find out what people are looking for…then give it to them.
If absolutely none of this works:
1. Shut down your blog. Maybe it’s just not your thing?
2. Add more fiber to your diet: get out there and experience life, learn more about your industry, go to conferences. LIVE away from your computer.
3. Take some blogging Pepto: Shot of Red Bull? Glass of Merlot? Shot of Tequila? Mug of green tea? Flask of hot chocolate?
4. Call me…a good friend, your coach or mentor. Sometimes we just have to talk these things through…
Image credit: Alexander Ekman
Filed under Blogging, How To, Social Media | Tags: blog, Blogging, Facebook, guest post, LinkedIn, Marketing, Networking, social media, Twitter, writer's block | Comments (2)Brainstorm, no pen, lost forever
There are two things at play here: irresponsibility and intensive muse connections.
irresponsibility
Once upon a time, I would have an inspired writing thought (oft times in the middle of the night) and even if pen and paper were steps and moments away, I’d say…nah, I’ll remember it later.
And every time, every single time, I‘d forget that brilliant thought by the time I found the means to write it down.
There is no excuse for this people. Take action and right it down. I’m proud to say that I do it now – every time. I got to the point where I thought, ‘This is just irresponsible. My muse is offering me a gift and I’m just pissing it away.’ Why would I do that? Why would you do that?
The answer that springs to mind is self-worth. If you aren’t getting your tush out of bed at 3am (or handily leaving a notebook by your bed), you aren’t taking your writing seriously enough. You aren’t believing that these gems are truly important. And where’s that gonna getcha? What’s that all about?
intensive muse connections
Something very cool has been happening to me lately. Every morning when I head out to take a long walk with my dogs, about 10 minutes in, my brain starts writing. Posts, ads, client work, novels (not the whole thing, just snippets), big ideas. I’m starting to think the soles of my feet are directly connected to the creative chunk of my brain.
It’s incredible. I’m totally into it. Literally, this voice, my truest voice, just starts talking…it’s a stream.
Now let’s all review the first half of this post. (pause, pause, pause) Okay, you all with me?
I’ve been incredibly lucky because I’ve remembered most of these walking mind extravaganzas…but I’ve lost some nuggets.
But, I can’t stop and write while I’m walking or I wouldn’t get to walk – and these 30 minutes are all I get! So, I’m going audio – I’ve got a mini tape recorder. It’ll be glued to my palm tomorrow morning…can’t wait to use it.
other solutions?
I’m guessing some of you face the same issues…how do you handle it? What works? What doesn’t? Have any illegible middle of the night scribbles you’re still hoping to decipher – I have many…
UPDATE: I’m thrilled to tell you all that this morning was glorious. I set out with my tape recorder…realizing that now that I was armed and ready, nothing might happen – so I allowed that – and even thought of a whole post about it (coming soon) – but suddenly, BOOM – there came they idea – I hit record and just started talking – it felt unnatural for about 3 seconds – so I made a joke (yes, outloud), laughed heartily at my wit…and kept talking…I captured the post – and thought of more ideas while I walked and talked. Loving my little Radio Shack MICRO-44.
Filed under Blogging, Critical Copywriting, How To, The Business | Tags: copywriting, freelance copywriter, inspiration, Julie Roads, marketing writing, muse, writer's block, writer's tools, Writing, Writing Roads | Comments (25)writer’s block, shmriter’s block
I don’t believe in writer’s block. I do believe that sometimes your mind, fingers and assignments are not aligned – and the single most important thing to do….is not to push it. When you try to force it, you get resistance. And it hurts. If you follow what feels right, what’s working, (pardon me) where the flow is – it will lead you back around to the place where you were struggling.
Let me put it this way: it’s mud-season, you turn on your car and the tires just spin. What will happen if you keep trying? The wheels will spin deeper and deeper and you will get increasingly more stuck. BUT, if you add some sand, chains or rocks, turn the wheels in a completely different direction or better yet, go do something else until the mud dries to dirt – THEN, you will make progress and you will be able to move your car.
Here’s how I handle myself (and my work) when it just ain’t workin’:
1. I work on a different project. I find one that feels really good. For instance, writing this blog is something I love, so if I’m having a hard time with a client’s project, I’ll write tomorrow’s post (in fact, I’m doing this right now!!!). Once I shift my energy, produce something I like and feel accomplished, turning back to that original project is easy and all good.
2. I eat lunch. Have you ever looked up to discover that it’s 3:00 and you haven’t had a thing to eat or drink since 7am? I’m not suggesting that you eat every time you can’t think of a good word (that would be enabling a serious case of compulsive eating)…but our brains need food and drink to function. Make sure you’re taking care of your physical self.
3. Ahhh, the web. Web surfing is a brilliant ‘un-blocker’…I stumble upon (so that’s where they got it!) all kinds of great nuggets that inform current projects, future marketing strategies and general professional development. Also, if I’m supposed to be writing an article about marionettes, but I just can’t think of anything to say, I look at other sites. No, not to copy them – to springboard from them. As good as the web is, it can be very, very bad. Sometimes I find terrible websites about my topic which make me exclaim, “I can do better than that!” And then I do. I call it WPK (Web Pants Kicking) and I need some every once in a while.
4. The clock. Occasionally, I find myself unable to write even the simplest email. Confused by this predicament last week, I glanced at the clock and discovered that it was 6:30 and I had been working like a dog for too long…so I went home, and when I arrived the next morning, the assignment just flew out of my head.
5. Make a call. Contact someone who specializes in the field you’re writing about and interview them or just chat about what’s happening with their work…of course, this is a great way to use your clients or an outside expert – carefully consider which is most appropriate.
Filed under Critical Copywriting, How To | Tags: blog writer, Blogging, copywriter, freelance copywriting, freelance writer, how to blog, Julie Roads, marketing writer, writer, writer's block, Writing Roads | Comments (3)Moving past a block
Not that I don’t occasionally suffer from plain old writer’s block – but this past week (and hmm, hmm, the lack of blog entries) beat the band because I had the flu – so not only was I void of creativity, I also felt awful. While I wallowed in my own special brand of self-pity, I got to thinking about writer’s block and then ‘blocks’ in general.
Whether you write, design, coach, sell, teach or invent – whatever you do. Your work contains some amount of creativity or, at least, the need for energy to move forward. And, at some point, the energy disappears. So, what do you do?
Here’s what I do (and if you aren’t a writer, use the writing references as metaphors):
- Start in the middle. It’s that blank page thing again. When the long view of the project overwhelms, begin the work as if the momentum is already there. Fake it till you make it, in essence.
- Break it down. A variation on the theme above. If the entirety of the project is to massive, the psyche can take a beating which is a total energy-sucker. Breaking the project into small pieces takes away some fear, and once you conquer one of the little chunks, well, the rest is gravy.
- Tell yourself to shut-up. I know this doesn’t sound very nice, but my best friend from high school and I had a philosophy, ‘we’re going to get the assignment done, so stop worrying and/or bitching about it and just start.’ There is some comfort in this reality, that you do know, deep down inside somewhere, that you will finish – because you always do.
- And, finally – search the web. I find the internet to be the ultimate igniter. I just search my topic and start to read what people are saying and before I know it, I’m inspired or disgusted, I’ve formed my own opinion, I know exactly what I want to say (what must be said!)…and I’m all set, mission accomplished.
Caveat to this last suggestion: only search for your topic…if you are stuck in blocked land and you start tooling around the internet aimlessly, the whole day will pass and what will you have to show for it? 30 viewed YouTube videos, a new foot massager, and enough Brittney sightings to win you a subscription to Teen People.
Filed under Critical Copywriting, How To | Tags: copywriting, creative blocks, freelance commercial copywriting, writer's block, Writing | Comment (0)
