When it comes to writing, starting is often the hardest part.
Just the idea of sitting down to stare at that terrifying blank page can cause stomach cramps, extreme fatigue, and a sudden need to watch back-to-back episodes of The West Wing. And even when you finally drag your excuse-riddled self into a chair to start writing, a strange, invisible force field seems to beam mind-melting lazers into your brain, making it impossible for you to come up one coherent sentence.
Or maybe you make it past this force field, jump in, and start writing. But 10-15 minutes in, your inner editor shows up, wearing dark glasses and smoking a smelly cigar as he pokes you in the ribs and shouts, “What are you thinking? That last paragraph sucks! You’re going to bore your readers to tears…” until you stop writing, crumple up your last 3 pages and throw them across the room.
But if you’re ever going to finish that blog post or sales page or series of emails, you have to start. You have to find a way to ease on past that initial resistance, slam the door on your inner critic (he shouldn’t be smoking inside anyway) and get those first words on paper.
So, today I’m giving you one of my favorite, tried-and true ways to start writing, keeping writing, and find your flow. I call it …
The Start Easy Method
Before I share this method, I need to tell you that it’s inspired by and developed from a number of different processes I’ve used over the years. From Mark Levy’s process in his book, Accidental Genius, to Peter Elbow’s many helpful techniques in Writing Without Teachers to Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. The Start Easy Method was created out of my own experience in using the suggestions and processes by all of these great teachers, as well as my own creative guidance.
Here’s how it works.
Do Nothing
First, do nothing. Sit down with your paper and pen (or keyboard and screen) and some kind of timer. Get comfy, and for a few minutes, do absolutely nothing. Just sit and breathe and let yourself come fully into the moment. Just be. Just sit. You may be thinking of a million different things. You may be wondering, “What the heck am I going to write about? How should I start?” Just watch the thoughts do their skittery little dance through your mind without getting invested in any of them.
Start Easy
After you’ve done nothing for a few minutes, open your eyes and set your timer for 20 minutes. Then, pick up your pen and start to write whatever comes to mind, in a relaxed, easy way. Don’t try to make a bold statement or a strong start to your piece. Don’t even try to make sense at this point. Just let words flow easily onto the page… as if you were doodling.
The idea is to let go of “trying” to write anything brilliant or even usable, and instead let your hand move easily across the page or let your fingers tap gently against the keyboard, without any attachment to what you’re writing.
These first “start-easy” words will never be in your final draft. They’re just warm-up words. Kind of like writing jumping jacks. Something to get the creative heart pumping and the momentum flowing.
Write Without Stopping
Once you’ve got your hand creating words on paper, gently direct your thoughts to whatever topic you want to write about. If you don’t know what you want to write about, let yourself follow whatever pops into your mind as you keep writing. The most important thing is to keep writing, non-stop, until your timer goes off. Don’t stop for anything! Just. Keep. Writing.
If you blank out and no more words come, use this prompt: “What I really mean to say is…” and see what comes after. Or you can keep writing the words, “Keep writing, keep writing, keep writing,” until your next thought appears.
When your timer goes off, stop, and take a break. A short one. 5 minutes or less. Then set your timer for another 20 minutes and start in again. You can either “start easy” or simply pick up where you left off when your timer went off.
When I was writing my eBook, 12 Tweaks to Quickly Transform Your Message From Dull to Dazzling, I used this Start Easy Method to write the entire book. Every time I started a new chapter, I’d “start easy,” and write non-stop in 40-minute segments. On certain Saturdays, I would do a writing marathon where I’d do timed writing in 50-minute segments for 6 hours straight, taking 10 minutes at the top of every hour to shake out my hands, stand up, jump around or lie down. Oh, and a 30-minute lunch break as well, because hey, a girl has to eat!
One More Additional Tip: Settle Into a Pleasurable Pace
I used to write fast and furiously. As if I were going to be rewarded a million dollar prize if I got 2000 words written in under 5 minutes. My hand would rush across the page, my fingers would cramp from holding the pen too tightly, and my body buzzed with this panicky, hurry-up energy. This fast and furious writing pace came from my deluded desire to write as fast as my mind could think.
Yeah, that’s never going to happen.
But years and years of writing has taught me this: your writing will not only feel better but it will be better if you write at a pace that is physically pleasurable for you. Not just comfortable for you, but pleasurable.
So, as you start easy and keep writing, let yourself settle into a pace, a rhythm, that feels good to you. Slow down and let yourself enjoy the sensation of your hand as it glides across the page. Lighten or deepen the pressure you put on your pen according to what feels good to you. Adjust how or where you’re sitting so your body is comfy-cozy.
When writing feels good in your body, it’s so much easier to start and continue for hours and hours. Plus, when you find your own pleasurable pace, you may find (as I have) that you’re better able to receive clearer, more creative ideas.
The next time you’ve got something to write, whether it be a blog post, a sales page or a letter to the editor, try the Start Easy Method. Give yourself permission to write for just 20 minutes. Then, see how easy it is to keep writing in additional 20 minute segments. I bet you, once you slide past that initial force field of resistance, you’ll be writing like gang busters for the rest of the day.
Try the Start Easy Method and let me know how it works for you by leaving a comment below! I’d love to hear from you.