Pushing through writer’s block

The word "writer" used to conjure up images of a creative person happily tapping away, words flowing and ideas gushing even faster. Yet while most writers are born with an innate talent for words, even the very best writers follow a process. And as with most things in life, that process doesn’t always come easily.

I have found three main things that impact with my creative flow:
• Fear
• Focus
• Planning

Let’s look at each one and how you can work through them.

Fear
In poetry, a blank page or screen is a canvas for our thoughts. In reality, it is an unyielding tyrant demanding attention. I’ve often heard people say, “Once I’ve started I’m okay. I just have trouble starting.” Why do we so dread the blank page? Well, perhaps we set our expectations too high.

We want a final draft when we haven’t even got a headline. We want to be a Simon Reynolds (advertising guru) or a Tim Winton (award-winning Australian author) or a Paul Kelly (musician whose lyrics are now studied in high schools).

When our first sentence doesn’t measure up, we don’t measure up. We see only visions of our third grade teacher berating our early writing efforts. Fear consumes us. “It’s not going to be any good. No one will read it. Even if they do read it they won’t buy my product.”

If that’s the worst that can happen isn’t anything else a bonus? So what if you write something no one reads? At least you’ll know what doesn’t work. And that, by the way, is as important as knowing what does work. Sure you probably don’t have the patience of Thomas Edison who reputedly tried 999 ways to make a light bulb that worked before hitting on the final draft.

Professional copywriters edit, edit and edit. It is never right the first time. So relax and have some fun.

Focus
Writing is a mental activity. You need to have what I call ‘brain space’. Put simply, that means there isn’t anything else distracting you.

You can do this by giving yourself a space of time that you are going to devote to writing. You might think copywriters write all day. We don’t. There are emails to send, bills to pay, invoices to create, clients to meet, briefs to take, research to be done; oh, and if there’s time, a bit of client writing.

One technique I use is to prioritise my things to do in terms of my peace of mind as well as their urgency. Put simply, if one activity is taking up my ‘brain space’, it will go to the top of the list even though it may not be urgent. In fact, it may be something totally trivial that I know I’ll forget to do if I’m focused on writing.

You can also choose not to open emails or answer the phone during your writing time. Give your writing project your undivided attention; even if you can only do that for 15 minutes. You’ll be amazed how much you can achieve – and how quickly the time will fly.

One very important activity that I’ve found helps my focus enormously is exercise. It’s a rare day when I don’t find time to exercise. Why? Because it clears my mind, keeps me healthy and makes me feel good about myself. It also means that when I’m writing I need to be focused because I’ve got to fit that exercise time in.

Since your brain doesn’t shut off when you exercise this is an excellent time to organize your thoughts and do some mental planning.

Planning
Often times we sit down to write and expect ideas to magically flow. When it doesn’t happen we’re disappointed. This seems proof that we aren’t good writers. Actually it’s proof that we’re not good planners.

Before I start writing in earnest, I prepare. This means reading any client information, researching any competitors they’ve listed, reviewing their current promotional materials and generally ‘getting a feel’ for their business’s unique personality.

I might jot down a couple of ideas; yet I won’t start writing. Unless the deadline prohibits, I’ll generally do what I call ‘incubate’. I’ll absorb all the information and then let my mind work on it while I do something else. When I sit down to write, the first thing I’ll write is not a headline, nor the first paragraph. The first thing I’ll write is a plan.

A writing plan shows you what information you want to use and where you’re going to use it. For example, if you’re writing a website, plan the main message for each page. Decide what other information you’ll also include. If you’re writing a sales letter, list out the main points you want to make. Then try to put them in the order that you’ll write about them in the letter.

Knowing what to say
Now, I can almost hear some of you saying, “But that’s exactly where I fall down. I just don’t know what to say.” And the solution is so easy it’s scary. Modern copywriting is very much like having a conversation with your potential customer.

So if you’ve got a sales team, ask them what they say to potential customers. Use their words in your letter, website or advertisement.

If you don’t have a sales team, ask yourself what you say to potential customers. This is a great way to test your copy because you can see their facial expressions, gauge their reaction. You can also get a list of what’s important to them by noting down the questions they ask.

If you’re just starting out and haven’t yet snagged your first customer, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and ask the questions you’d want answered.

As crazy as it might sound, simply start a conversation. If you can’t write or type as fast as you can talk, record the conversation and transpose it later. Sure it will take a while, yet you’ll be surprised at how much easier the process becomes the more you do it.

And suddenly . . . that threatening white page is suddenly filled with little black figures . . . could it be that you’re off writing?

What would you sacrifice to make someone else a hero?

At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question:

"When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?"

The audience was stilled by the query.

The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes, in the way other people treat that child."  Then he told the following story:

Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps.

Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning."

Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat.

At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball.

However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher.

The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game.

Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled.

Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!"
Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home.

All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay"

The opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third". As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team.

That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world.

Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day!

Saying to Soar by

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.

G.K. Chesterton

Email: mandy@talkingturkey.com.au
Web: www.talkingturkey.com.au

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