Writer’s Block? Reply to Emails
A few observations:
“Writer’s Block” usually only happens at the very start of the writing process. Getting past it is the goal. That’s when the words start to flow.
Freezing up at the start is not uncommon. See it all the time, regardless of the complexity or simplicity of the writing task at hand. Even needing to write a relatively quick and short blog post can bring this on.
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Lots of tips and techniques out there on how to overcome this problem. Here’s another, based on this observation: I’ve seen chronic writer’s block sufferers have no problem whatsoever replying to emails. From short messages and replies to longer anecdotes, even whole stories, folks can pump out those replies — click! — just like that.
So why not pretend to be replying to an email when you’re writng that article, or report, or book, or whatever?
That’s all there is to this technique, really.
I, in fact, take it a bit further: I email messages to myself, each a “writing prompt” for an article, blog post, etc. After I “receive” them, I just plunk them into an ideas folder. When I’m ready to write, I just pick out an email and “reply” to it.
Instead of straight statements, you may want to phrase these emailed idea prompts in question form — just like normal emails would be phrased when you get them from real people trying to get an answer from you. I don’t do that myself (i.e., “Technique to fight writer’s block: reply to emails”), but that’s me. You may do better if the prompt is as close to a real world email message as possible (i.e., “When writing, would pretending to reply to an email help with Writer’s Block?” or something like that).
Whatever works for you. Try it.
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Great little article. I find often that I censor and edit myself much when I’m e-mailing. Everything just flows usually. When I’m “WRITING”, I’m much more self-critical. I’m usually more ready to get to my projects after I’ve gone through and answered all my e-mails.
Thanks!
The content of some email, responses to “how/what …?” questions, for example, can themselves serve as blog posts, with some editing, possibly.
Will
Hello Evie. I assume you meant that you don’t “censor and edit” yourself in emails. Yes, that’d be an effect from the informality of the process, good point. The comfort level just makes things flow better.
Nice blog, btw. Arlington, Va., huh? Whereabouts? (Guess where I live and work.)
Hi William. Absolutely. That makes me curious, actually, of Wordpress’s “email post” feature. Never tried it; never had to. Someday I will, most probably.
ees
There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in Features also.