It’s that time again: You need to send out a newsletter to your email list, or maybe write a blog post. But you’ve got absolutely nothing to say today. Your mind’s a blank — what could you possibly tell your audience that’s new or interesting? Everything’s been written before. What do you do?
Behold: 4 Tips to Overcome Writer’s Block
Tip #1: Let’s Pretend
You already know what it’s like to be you — and after a while, it can get a bit boring. So why not be someone else for a little bit? Pretend you’re one of your customers or readers. Not just a generic person — really build out a character (or a persona, as some call it). How old is this person? Where does she live, what’s his name? Build out a real person in your head, or even on paper.
Now, what are her fears? What are his dreams? What questions does she have? Once you have a good feel for those, switch back into your own voice, and talk to your reader about those things.
Tip #2: Keep It Real
Wait, didn’t we just say you have to pretend? Sure — to get a sense of who you’re talking to, and what to write about. But once you nail that down, you should say what you have to say about those things. Don’t write anything you don’t believe in, and don’t try to go for an overly impressive style. People spot these things and tune them out. Just be you.
Tip #3: Get to the Point
Don’t go for a minimum word count; keep your intro snappy, and your sentences brief. Shakespeare said brevity is the soul of wit — but more to the point, when it comes to the Web, people just don’t read.
This is more of an editing tip, really: When you first write, go ahead and spill everything you have to say on the screen. Then go through and trim things down until your text is crisp and punchy.
Tip #4: This Is Not Your Masterpiece
Whatever piece of writing you’re struggling with now is not the constitution, nor is it a sacred text. That’s a good thing. It doesn’t have to be perfect. I’m not talking about typos or grammar errors, which you should definitely avoid whenever possible. But if your language is correct enough, and your ideas are genuine (see #2 above), that’s good enough. Ship it — go ahead and send that newsletter, publish that post. You’ll get to write another one soon enough, which may be even better.
Your Turn
Do these tips work for you? Did I miss a crucial tip that helps you when it’s crunch time and writer’s block sets in? Share your thoughts below.