Self-Devpt. Nuggets™

It’s not always that one feels like writing. This is a painful fact known to many writers. Indeed, for many of us it can sometimes take major effort to get into the mood to write.

In this post I offer ideas based on my personal experiences and achievements, that you can reliably employ to get your writing juices flowing almost at will.

It should interest you to know that I just chose this title at 6.57a.m – today Saturday 24th November, 2012 – and I’m NOW writing on it, because I woke up NOT feeling like writing anything!

WARNING: To put the ideas in this piece to successful use, you must be prepared to apply yourself. The transformation is unlikely to take place overnight – especially if you are just starting, or you’ve not been writing with any degree of regularity for some time.

This is not some magic formula that will open you brain up and make it automatically channel a coherent stream of words through your fingers into the keyboard

YOU have to drive the entire process, and keep at it until you achieve needed mastery.

1. Choose the Right Topic for YOU

Writing is a task that engages the intellect, requiring you to think…a lot. But thinking is an activity that can be “hard” for many people.

Writers who apply themselves diligently to their trade will however discover that their ability to think and write will improve over time. I say this from personal observation and experience. So that should provide adequate incentive to stick with this formula

The challenge is however deciding what to focus on thinking and writing about. In other words, choosing the right topics or titles is an important step to take. Go for subjects that interest you, and which you know enough about – or can research competently.

Many experts advocate that writers choose to specialize in specific fields. That ensures they can focus on getting writing projects they are most equipped or pr
epared to tackle.

In my case, as a multi-disciplinary writer, I have an interrelated range of fields that I focus on – and which this blog’s publishing schedule is built around. My interest in these fields is however based on the fact that I have gained (and continue to acquire) valuable real world relevant experience in each of those fields or categories.
It’s certainly not that I’m spreading my net in the hope of appealing to as many readers as possible!

That’s why you’ll notice I often have many true stories and anecdotal accounts to share in most of my writing.

Not everyone will like my multi-subject approach. But it works for me. And contrary to potential speculation, I have been writing on these same categories since 2006 (as my over 170 published articles on Ezinarticles.com prove).

So you see, this approach works for me. YOU will need to find what works for you.

Once you do, it will become easier to churn out the content you need. Take it from me: your work will be cut in half once you have this locked down.

Like I explained in my newly released e-book titled "WHY YOU KEEP FAILING TO ACHIEVE YOUR WRITING GOALS!",  you will find it much easier to write when your chosen topic or subject is one that naturally interests or appeals to you.

Read this: Do You Struggle To Get Your Writing Done? Finding Your Magnificent Obsession Can Save You!

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2. Think like a Journalist Needing To Meet a Deadline

I do this a lot. I’m not sure if I’m correct, but I imagine that when a journalist wants to write a piece, she typically does some reading up (i.e. research), and may sometimes contact competent experts she’ll interview based on an outline of questions.

By the time she’s done, there will usually be enough material to mould into a useful news report or editorial that can be published. She will then focus on getting the writing done.

For the purpose of finishing a writing task or project you’re struggling with, think of yourself as a journalist with a looming deadline you cannot afford to miss – and write with a resolve to achieve that goal.

Start by thinking up an outline of points (they could even be in question form). This will help you avoid straying when you begin writing, and you’ll get to the finish line faster.

The above implies you will actually set a specific date or time you want to have your write-up finished and ready to go out (as a blog post, a client’s completed request etc).

What happens when you do the above is that you will create a sense of urgency about completing the task. It’s easy to trick the brain into doing this, if you are willing to try.

Do it long enough and you’ll suddenly discover you’ve acquired an uncanny ability to generate ideas for writing, even when you start out feeling you are not ready!

3. Turn out Acceptable Writing by Focussing On Valued Outcome(s)

It’s tough enough already that you’re trying to write when you don’t feel like it. That state of mind can make you produce (what should be) uncharacteristic errors.

I refer here to the need to (a). eliminate typos and other errors that can sometimes plague a writer. (b). ensure your content is perceived as a useful (and possibly enjoyable) read. All of that makes up the “quality” of your finished work.

Be tough with yourself in setting standards your work has to meet, to merit publication.

This is an area I’ve found myself falling short very recently. That’s been especially due to a strange confluence of unfavourable happenings relating to connectivity and other issues.

But there’s no acceptable excuse for turning out work that fails to meet acceptable standards! No client wants to listen to lame excuses from her PAID writing professional. She wants results!!

Thankfully, I know what is needed to correct the unhealthy trend. In this regard, apart from obvious “proof reading, grammer checks etc, there’s one strategy I’ve found quite effective in producing reasonably well “polished” writing – on a regular basis.

Interestingly, this “solution” is not a writing technique. It is instead a mental attitude.

Basically, you link what you’re writing to the thought of achieving a valued outcome. For instance, if you’re looking to get hired by better paying clients, this should drive you to post well written content that can impress that kind of client.

Makes sense does it not?

Remember: It’s not just about typos, punctuation and grammar. The usefulness of what you write, to the reader, is of utmost importance in making the desired impact.

Final Words

The above rules guide me as I prepare content to add to this blog, and my other websites.

The truth is however that sometimes we fall below our own standards every now and then. But if those instances are kept few and far between, prospective clients will likely accept such slip ups as proof that we are human – and not that we are incompetent!

The “linking to a valued outcome” thinking strategy always helps me keep my work quality up IF I do not “forget” to use it e.g. I tend to be extra diligent when what I’m writing has something to do directlywith another person e.g. a client, or partner.

For instance my Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which appears as a post in the public speaking category on this blog), is published to PROMOTE Burt Dubin’s speaker mentoring products and services to experts working in Africa.

Whenever I’m writing a piece for that publication, all my editorial senses are often at their keenest. This is probably because I unconsciously feel a need to make the best possible impact to get the reader one step closer to considering Burt’s offerings.

This strategy can help any writer who chooses to make conscious use of it. The benefits to be had are obvious, yet some still write as if they are unaware of it – or do not care.

I recommend that you find a way to link the quality of what you write to achievement of an important goal you have your mind set on. This will make you more concerned about doing it well, because you would want to increase your chances of success.

It’s now 9.44a.m and I’ve just finished proof reading and editing this write-up of 1,500 words, even though about 2 and a half hours earlier I did not feel like writing anything.

This method has once again worked for me. Do you think it can work for you?