Ask a Writer
Q: It seems like every time I sit down to create some marketing content for my company, I get a nasty case of writer's block. Is there a cure?
-- B.G.
A: Children's author Laurie Halse Anderson says that writer's block is your body's way of telling you to go for a walk. Granted, a walk (or something else that will take your mind off the task at hand) won't necessarily get the creative juices flowing, but it will help you relax - which is Step 1 in taming your fears. Read on for more tips…
Know your subject. Often people complain about writer's block when the real problem is that they aren't sufficiently comfortable with the subject matter. For example, if your job requires that create marketing content about a technology product or solution, don't go near a keyboard until you've played around with the product long enough to understand why a customer would buy it. Remember - you can't write anything unless you know what you want to say.
Lower your expectations. Aiming for perfection is probably the single biggest cause of writer's block. Remind yourself that you're not trying to write the Great Canadian Novel (unless you are - in which case you're on your own). Ignore the critics and your company's official "style" - just write in a loose, easygoing voice, forgetting about spelling, punctuation and all the rest. Once you've finished your first draft, you can go back and correct any mistakes or fill in the holes.
Talk it, don't write it. Business writing is typically most effective when it uses a natural, conversational style. If you're stuck, try sitting down with a friend and talking through the material. When you're done, write down what you said and start editing.
What are you really trying to say? One of my favorite approaches, when I'm at a loss for words, is to imagine myself completing a sentence that begins, "What I'm really trying to say is..." Write down the first thing that comes into your head - and keep going. Then go back and polish.
Have a question for Ross? Send him an email.
Ross Laver is a freelance writer and marketing communications consultant, and the author of Random Excess: The Wild Ride of Michael Cowpland and Corel. He spent 21 years in the national media, writing for Maclean's and The Globe and Mail.
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