Lawrence Medina

Silence is often what meets you when you begin to write. Sometimes, you have an idea of what you want to say, but the moment—the exact moment you find the page it when it all leaves you.

It is frightening, especially when a deadline looms over head. What can you do… when the words are just stuck in your head? What tactics can you employ to ensure that you can meet that deadline and exceed expectations?

Walk away.

That’s the simple answer, just walk away from the page… Don’t think about it. Do something else. It will come back to you.

Your muse is just out for a small break, surely, they will return and bring song back into your keys or pen and make the page sing sweetly.

This is wrong.

Never walk away when you are met with the silence of the page. You must grab that idea that has hidden itself and bring it to life on the page before you. Even if it is screaming and fighting you the whole time.

Do not walk away from the page, if you do, you’ll lose the motivation you attempted to muster. That project or piece you need or want to create will become a rushed mess.

However… It is difficult to write when nothing seems to come to you. What can you do to make sure that you can complete the task at hand?

Just Write

Take a random page or open up a document and just start writing. It can be anything at all. Sometimes—often, damn near all the time, when you stop writing it will be harder to write again. If it has been some time since you last wrote, then that project will only be more daunting.

You have to chisel off the rust.

Do that by writing a few words—those few words can be about anything at all or even just riffing what is on the top of your head. Maybe you can choose a random topic and just start writing what you think about it.

Once you start working away that rust, you’ll begin to see the luster that lies just beneath.

Research

Chances are when you cannot some up with anything to say about the topic or project at hand, it is because… well, you simply don’t know enough.

You write because you have something to say.

If nothing is coming to you about a specific topic… well, then you don’t know enough about that topic.

This is the only instance in which you should walk away from the page. Research is the core of writing. If you are only writing about your opinions on a subject with no base or knowledge, then you will be doing nothing but wasting the readers time.

If you have nothing to say, research and dig deep into your subject. Take notes. Find related posts. Ask questions of professionals and strangers. You everything and anything to create the base.

Once you have the base readied you will find that the page is much less daunting. Because you know have a message to work with. An angle to take on the project from.

When writing intent is often what drives the post, article, ad, or campaign.

Free Yourself from Digital Connections

Don’t procrastinate. This is increasingly difficult. You have all the world’s entertainment in your pocket and its siren call is… alluring to say the least.

Attempt to separate yourself from everything digital when you sit down to write. As the moment you log into anything that can take your attention, suddenly hours will have been drained… And that deadline will be breathing down your neck.

Get yourself into the mood. Throw on music you can simply zone out to, turn off your notifications, and take a seat at your desk or in your writing space.

The separation can be pretty alarming, as you may find yourself instinctually reaching for your phone or loading up a YouTube video to entertain yourself. This will do nothing but sink your time.

The project before you demands your attention. That idea resting in your head has to come out, whether it’s for a personal project or for your client.

Write. Write. Write.

Do not let a block stop you form completing your tasks and goals.