So You Think You Can't Write?

When I think of writing, it conjures up work, effort, anguish and the fear of failure. Think about it, in school there was always room for improvement (with a hint of judgment and criticism) when it came to writing. It’s no wonder many people don't like writing, avoid it or think they can't write. Why would you want to do something that wasn't going to be successful and that sets you up for judgment or criticism?

I decided in school that I couldn't write and that people didn't care about what I had to say. I still feel this way every time I write. What fears and decisions have you made that impact your writing? It's funny how the decisions we make about ourselves when we are younger impact us now.

I always loved the idea of writing but for me it was a scary concept, how am I going to get it right? Will people understand what I am saying? How long is it going to take me? It wasn't until I stopped listening to the little inner school yard critic in my head, that I could put my fingers on a keyboard and create words on a page. So here is what I discovered that has enabled me to write and squashed my writing insecurities.

Clear Your Mind of Negative Self Talk

Some people call it “writers block”, I call it “a voice in your head telling you all your worst fears and that you can't write”. So kindly tell your fears and negativity to be quiet today because you are about to start writing. Try swapping the negative talk in your head to positive talk. Change:

I can't write to I can write

I hate writing to This is something new I want to explore

Who will want to read it? to I care about this subject

It takes so much time to It doesn't have to be perfect

Once you have your mind on positives focus on your goal or what it is that you want to achieve.

Write For Yourself or One Other Person

I find it intimidating when I think of the people that may read my blog (yes that's you). When I get the statistics that say 100 people have read it, even though that's a small amount in the blogging world, I kind of get a vulnerability hangover. EEEKKKK what if they didn’t like it? What if it's not perfect? That silly voice goes to town! So when you write, only focus on what you know and what you want to personally express.

I find it helpful to think of one other person. For instance with this article a friend of mine said:

"You write really well, how do you write?"

Cue me falling off my seat, hopping back on it and applying mind negativity clearing tool.

Ok so as I type I am thinking of what I want to share with that one person, so that they can have the freedom to write. (Not sure that sentence makes sense) This helps because with people I know, I'm relaxed but if I was thinking of all of the people I don't know that might read this, I could start using large, unnecessary words to try and impress the reader like: “Write about your expertise and don't let the opinions of others hinder your creative writing nor you from your goals." Potentially this is a good sentence but lacks personality and engagement. People love personality. If it doesn't require personality then put it in bullet point form. So just relax, be yourself and write, even if that means making up new words!

Write The Way You Talk

I know it sounds funny but next time you are reading something online that is truly engaging, 9 times out of 10 it will be because of the person’s candid writing style. It's real and they aren't trying to convince you of anything, it's just them talking and sharing the world from their perspective.

Now before you get the wrong impression, let me explain something; writing the way you talk does not give you permission to write badly. What it does, is break down the mental barriers of fear and procrastination that keep you from being a more engaging and productive writer.

Get Unstuck

If you are really stuck try recording yourself on your iPhone. I use the voice recorder on the notes app to give me a start. I find it convenient when I'm running errands and I think of a blog idea, to talk into the phone. Your notes will automatically convert it to text and you will have some points to elaborate on when you sit down to write.

If you are stuck on the intro and title then skip it. Have your subject and theme in mind and write the main points that you want to get across to your one reader. These become your subheadings which readers love. Elaborating on each point becomes your content. Your intro can then simply introduce your main points. I also find it easier to name my post after it is written.

If you are still stuck then perhaps there is a personal integrity issue. Ask yourself “what is it that I am hiding or don't want people to know?” For instance as I am writing this I am thinking:

"Chantal, you're not the world's greatest writer, what on earth are you writing about writing for."

So I admit I have absolutely no writing credentials at all and I am not the world's greatest writer! For me, it's not the point, I write because small business owners ask me questions and I like to give them the answers.

So to recap if you are stuck, try recording yourself, start with what you want to share in bullet point form and be honest on the subject.

Forget About Editing, Grammar, Spelling or Punctuation

Before English enthusiasts fall off their seats I should add… for now! All of these things slow down your writing and give you an excuse to procrastinate. Just type away until all your thoughts are down and then go back and edit. Trust me you will need to go back over your work a few times. So that you don't get sick of hearing yourself I suggest you do a main point brain dump one day and come back a day later and do a re-read, add your intro, heading and conclusion. When it comes to the heading ask yourself, “What is the article saying and what would attract people to read it?”

Come back the next day to edit it. Send it to a friend who is a grammar enthusiast or even better your mum! She will love that you have included her in something important and if she is anything like my mum, a genius with attention to detail.

Read it Out Loud

Reading your work out loud makes any awkward sentences and bad punctuation obvious because as you read, you’ll naturally “stumble” over any parts that need to be fixed.

As you read you’re writing out loud, pay attention to those places that tend to trip you up — they may need some rework. Delete any unnecessary words, be intentional about your message and if you don't need it, delete it.

So to give you a complete recap here are my nine steps to writing:

1. Clear your mind of useless negative thoughts

2. Think of who you are writing for

3. Think of a theme or a subject

4. Write down the main points you want to get across and then elaborate

5. Write your intro, conclusion and then title

6. Edit your article for spelling, grammar and punctuation

7. Read your article out loud and iron out any bits that don’t sound right

8. Send it to your mum for a proof read

9. Share it with everyone

Let go of your fears of messing up or sounding stupid. Just write the way you talk and you’ll be able to knock out your first draft in no time. If you’re willing to do that, you’ll find that you’ll dread writing a lot less and be able to get more writing done because you’re working on it instead of fearing it. It has worked for me! I can't believe I have been writing for two years now. So go ahead. Dive in. Who knows, you may even start to like writing. I do!

P.S. If you have read this and think “That's great for you but it doesn't change how I feel about writing, then perhaps take a look at your motivation to write. Hmmm…. I think you have just given me my next blog idea, thank you!

#personalmanagement