I wish I could say that I’m the perfect freelancer who’s always in the mood to write and who can produce top-notch articles on cue. But I’m far from being that. There are times when I sit in front of the computer, ready to type up an article, but nothing comes up. Then there are instances when I can’t seem to come up with anything good. Every sentence I write sucks, so I end up deleting everything and starting from scratch.
Fortunately, I don’t get stuck in these instances that often anymore. Over the years, I’ve identified the things that hinder me from getting some writing done and I’ve found ways to overcome them.
Here are my top reasons for not being able to write. Check them out and see which ones apply to you:
1. Fear – I have the tendency to procrastinate on projects that intimidate me. For instance, if I land a gig that’s bigger than what I’m used to, my fear of not being good enough rears its head and paralyzes me. Kind of like how I’m scared of approaching spiders, I also get scared of tackling big projects.
The fix: There’s no way *around* fear. You just have to charge on through. How? You can remind yourself of how awesome you are. For instance, if you’re procrastinating on a project for a huge client, remind yourself that they already hired you, and they wouldn’t do so if they didn’t think you were good enough.
The consequences of not taking action can also motivate you to write. In my case, I remind myself that I’ll lose the client if I don’t complete the project. And that fear of letting the client down pushes me to get going.
2. You’re trying to perfect your first draft – Nothing you write seems to be good enough, so you end up starting over and rewriting your work again and again. Or, you can’t come up with the perfect introduction so you’re stuck staring at a blank page.
The fix: Just write something. Anything. Don’t know how to begin your article? Then start with the body or even the conclusion, if you know how your post will end.
Write continuously WITHOUT editing. Even if your words suck or even if they don’t make any sense, keep at it and DON’T hit the backspace button. Just let your ideas flow until you come up with a rough draft. Once you’re done, leave it for a day or two, then go back to it with your editor’s cap on to sort, delete, and rearrange the sentences until you come up with a polished piece.
3. You’re physically not in the condition to write – Writing blocks aren’t all psychological. Sometimes, you’re too hungry to focus. Or, you didn’t get enough sleep so you’re having a hard time concentrating. Maybe it’s too hot, cold, or dark so you can’t bring yourself to write.
The fix: Put your body in a condition and environment that’s conducive to writing. If you’re sleepy, take a power nap. If it’s too hot or cold inside your room, write somewhere else. If your stomach’s churning, eat something. (I recommend something healthy and light like fruits and veggies. Stay away from red meat because that can leave you feeling sluggish.)
Your turn. Can you relate to any of these reasons? What other factors are stopping you from writing? Comment below!
Image: “Writer’s Block I” by Drew Coffman on Flickr
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Hey, Francesca! Congrats on your new site. It looks beautiful!
I don’t so much have a problem with writer’s block as I do marketing block. Your new e-Book should help me with that.
When I do get writer’s block, I get up from my desk and go do something else for a bit. I might go outside and pull weeds or just sit on my porch watching the birds and squirrels skitter about their day. Oftentimes, getting out of the confines of my home office and breathing some fresh air is all it takes to get me back on track.
Great to see you here, Shauna. I *sincerely* appreciate all your help and support–you’re amazing!
And I love the term you used–“marketing block”–I think this is something that a lot of freelance writers have. You just gave me a new post/newsletter idea so thanks. 😉
Hi Francesca,
Congratulations! I love your new website. It’s awesome and packed with lots of goodies.
Procrastination and fear are my two biggest enemies. Big projects are my nightmare. I tend to think I’m not good enough to tackle them. But that mindset is wrong. When I stop worrying and go for it, I always do well.
I remember when I wrote my first magazine article many years ago. I didn’t even think I couldn’t do it. I called the editor and pitched an idea I had over the phone. She loved it and commissioned me to write it. I interviewed three couples, did some research and wrote the article. It was published as the feature article of the month.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get paid because the magazine went bust. But at least I got my name in print and a copy of the magazine.
So, I need to remember what I did back then. Just do it and not think about my capabilities. 🙂
Enjoy your weekend.
SO happy to see you here, Junie!
“I tend to think I’m not good enough to tackle them. But that mindset is wrong. When I stop worrying and go for it, I always do well.” –I can relate. And I’m still not immune to self-doubt. But like you said, the key is to just do it. 😉
Thanks for sharing your experience. Looking forward to seeing more of you here!
A lot of times when I’m procrastinating about writing for a project, I do exactly what you said, just write and keep writing. Then go back and put it in a logical order, if it’s out of whack. And, I always keep a piece of paper under my keyboard for when I come up with an idea for a story or article from something I seen on TV or FB.
” I always keep a piece of paper under my keyboard for when I come up with an idea for a story or article from something I seen on TV or FB.” –Good one. I used to do this when I had a desktop PC, but since I do all of my work on my laptop now, I use Evernote to jot down those sudden ideas. 🙂
Congratulations on your new site! Trying to be perfect with my first draft is SO me! I have this nasty habit of editing and revising while I write…but what it does is slow me down. I don’t get much momentum going that way. Funny, until lately, I never really thought of it as perfectionism. The other thing I’d like to point out is that it helps me when I write out an outline. (Got that one from Dana Sitar, who contributed to your e-book.) That has been helping. Best of luck to you!
Thanks Laura, I’m happy to see you here. 🙂
I’m huge fan of writing outlines myself and it’s one of the most useful tools when it comes to organizing my thoughts and speeding up my writing. (And yep, that Dana Sitar is pretty awesome. 😉 )
Hi there,
I have actually covered this topic myself in guest posts on blogs written by a couple of my blogger buddies. “Why I write” and “Why more people don’t write” are a couple of the posts that got me started. I’m new to this blogging and freelance world but I’m learning as I go and I have been paid for a few articles so I guess I’m doing something right (at least some of the time) . Thanks for helping us newbies and giving us valuable advice and information.