I write an average of an article a week, am working on a non-fiction manuscript as well as two novels, and routinely write up blog entries and notes in my journal.
Based on how much I write, you’d probably think that I never procrastinated or feared facing the blank page. If so, you’d be thinking wrong. I hate not only the blank page, but any page whatsoever that I’m supposed to write or fix. Every time I’m tasked with writing or editing anything, I go through a cycle of self-doubt and a ritual of gulping at least one cup of strong coffee and listening to a couple of really high-energy songs (I’m currently really into Kings of Leon).
But after I’ve permitted myself these luxuries, I dive into whatever is in front of me and get that first sentence, that first paragraph written. Once I’m in motion, I follow Newton’s law and remain in motion, but it’s getting into that rhythm that can take a bit of time.
If you, like me, struggle with perfectionism and a taunting inner critic who has an extremely annoying singsong voice, try the following tips. (And if not, who are you and where have you been hiding all this time?)
1. Try freewriting
One of the most effective ways of making that internal editor shut up is timed freewriting. Set an egg timer for about five minutes (or twenty) and write anything that comes to mind. If you’re on assignment, just start writing what you think should be the beginning, middle, or end. Or come up with an outline. While this isn’t something you might want to do regularly for specific projects, it is something that when done on a regular basis, makes you less self-conscious and frees you from the demon that is the fear of the blank page. For years, I wrote 1,000 words in my journal every time I felt blocked. Once I had that momentum, I was good to go on other projects as well.
2. Don’t be a first drafter
Most writers, knowing they’re capable of it, try to get everything perfect and right in the first draft itself. There’s no need to put that kind of pressure on yourself. Aim to be a rewriter. In the first draft you outline, in the second you fill in the blanks, in the third you do the actual writing and only in the final two drafts, do you actually do proper editing and finalizing of content.
3. Get over the fear of judgement
What paralyzes most writers is thinking ahead to the future and fearing what will become of the piece. Which probably explains why I cut it really close to deadline when I’m writing for a major national newspaper or magazine. Will the editor hate it and never hire me again, I think. Will my readers think I’m too boring, too whiny, too self absorbed? Will they all eventually figure out that I’m just a hack and can’t write at all? As my husband will say, you’re a fine writer. Just shut the hell up and get on with it.
Presumably, you’ve done this before and survived? Remember that.
(And if this is your first piece? Go ahead and hyperventilate.)
4. Have some bloody confidence
Another common fear is rejection. It’s easier to simply delay the inevitable, right? What you don’t submit can’t be rejected. This is probably the number one reason for missed deadlines, stalled projects and procrastination at its finest. Look, I’ve been there. I was there ten minutes ago before I started writing this blog post. My only advice? Get over it. Get over yourself. Stop standing in your own way. The more you write, the more you send out, the better you get at it.
5. Write in a journal
Along with the freewriting that I mentioned above, writing in a journal can be a terrific way to free up blocked creative muscles and to have the inner editor (and sometimes even the outer one) shut up. It’s all in the mind. We believe that the journal is for our eyes only and so we tend to let loose. Soemtimes, without intending to, the best nuggests of gold appear in the journal for this reason. If nothing else, journaling often helps you face a blank page regularly and stop fearing it. (One can hope.)
6. Move forward, don’t reread. Let it go
While you’re writing your first draft, you don’t want to keep going back and rereading what you’ve already written. (And yes, this is a case of preaching what I don’t practice. If you must know, I have edited the first 30 pages of my novel about a dozen times and I still hate them. This is what going back does to you, people. Learn from my mistakes.) Some writers find that switching off the monitor helps. If that doesn’t work, try writing with a white font color on a white page so that you can’t actually see what it is that you’re writing.
7. Make little notes in the margin
If you simply can’t help yourself, mark little X’s in the places where you feel you need rewriting or editing or more information. (The TK marker was invented for just this reason. Use it.) Instead of stopping in the middle of your writing to fix it, just mark the place as something that will be fixed later.
8. Write as fast as possible
Make it about the word count and nothing else at all. Your goal is to put a certain number of words on the page. That’s all. Keep those fingers moving until you’ve hit the word count.
9. Don’t leave it to the last minute
Two hours before deadline is when the inner editor is getting drunk and hurling abuses at you because now you’re left with no option but to get the work done and fast and the drunk inner editor is telling you that you suck not only because you’re not going to be able to create a publishable draft but because you’re such a loser to have left it to the last minute anyway. By working on a piece days or weeks in advance, you’ll know you have enough time to play around, make mistakes, and experiment. You won’t feel the pressure to make it right the first time and will free up more, making the writing easier.