Starting is the most difficult place to be when you have the desire to write anything. You have probably heard the term “writer's block” and it hits us all. Most often it is just a matter of settling down with the right mindset to get going. Sometimes it is beyond just settling in. Everything seems to distract you, the bustle of the workplace, family at home, the desire to go out and be in the fresh air, a book you really want to read, plus a host of all kinds of interruptions.
These interruptions need to be minimized, if possible. Find a place to put on the headphones or be in a quieter than normal environment to get started. Most likely it will mean going into work earlier than normal and snatching 30 minutes or more before the rest of the office arrives. Even one half hour will get you well on your way to being a productive writer.
For myself, I get up very early and head for my computer before the family is awake. I manage to write for an hour everyday before I get into the daily routine. Writing, however, does not always flow the way we need it to. Some days are more difficult than others. Thankfully there are ways to get the creative juices flowing.
If you are worried about the creative part, just remember that creativity is part of being a human and everyone can tap into it, if given the right circumstances.
To get the creative juices flowing, you should do some warm-up exercises. Not the jumping jack variety but ones that nimble the fingers and brain. Here are some simple warm-ups that will take under five minutes to complete.
Step one: Think of a problem that you need to resolve at work.
Step two: Write three words that describe the problem
Step three: Using the three words, and timing yourself for five minutes, write a flow of words that describe the problem in detail. Do not correct typing errors (you can do this by writing by hand as well), just keep writing until the three minutes are up.
By warming-up in this way, you are focusing on the subject and the three descriptors. Since you are familiar with the subject matter, the words start to flow. When you go back and read your work, you will be amazed at how well you did. Just remember, this is a first draft and you should never consider a flow the final work. Send it to an editor to put it in final proof format.
If you feel you are not warmed up enough after five minutes, go back and do another set but this time pick a subject at random with three descriptors and see how well you do. This only takes five minutes and you can write a page about anything within that time frame.
Now that you are all warmed-up, you are ready to start writing your pages.
These interruptions need to be minimized, if possible. Find a place to put on the headphones or be in a quieter than normal environment to get started. Most likely it will mean going into work earlier than normal and snatching 30 minutes or more before the rest of the office arrives. Even one half hour will get you well on your way to being a productive writer.
For myself, I get up very early and head for my computer before the family is awake. I manage to write for an hour everyday before I get into the daily routine. Writing, however, does not always flow the way we need it to. Some days are more difficult than others. Thankfully there are ways to get the creative juices flowing.
If you are worried about the creative part, just remember that creativity is part of being a human and everyone can tap into it, if given the right circumstances.
To get the creative juices flowing, you should do some warm-up exercises. Not the jumping jack variety but ones that nimble the fingers and brain. Here are some simple warm-ups that will take under five minutes to complete.
Step one: Think of a problem that you need to resolve at work.
Step two: Write three words that describe the problem
Step three: Using the three words, and timing yourself for five minutes, write a flow of words that describe the problem in detail. Do not correct typing errors (you can do this by writing by hand as well), just keep writing until the three minutes are up.
By warming-up in this way, you are focusing on the subject and the three descriptors. Since you are familiar with the subject matter, the words start to flow. When you go back and read your work, you will be amazed at how well you did. Just remember, this is a first draft and you should never consider a flow the final work. Send it to an editor to put it in final proof format.
If you feel you are not warmed up enough after five minutes, go back and do another set but this time pick a subject at random with three descriptors and see how well you do. This only takes five minutes and you can write a page about anything within that time frame.
Now that you are all warmed-up, you are ready to start writing your pages.
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