Writer’s Block or Procrastination? Be Honest
May 29, 2008
Most of us struggle with it. We’ve got a writing project due soon, but we just can’t think of anything to write or how to intelligently write what thoughts we do have.
While our brains could be freezing up on us, barring us from the creative ability to write something worth turning in, I think it’s more likely we’re being lazy–or, at least, we were lazy when we first got the assignment and we procrastinated so long that with the deadline almost here, we either don’t have enough material to work with or we haven’t allowed enough time to comfortably finish the project before it’s due.
And now we don’t feel like dealing with the mess we’ve created.
There’s only really two ways to combat this, I think.
Take a break
Take a walk outside, lie back and watch a movie, or go out for a couple drinks for a couple hours. Forget about the project and just relax with activities that don‘t tax our minds. The key is to take a break for a set amount of time to relax and refresh and then to come back and knock out the project. The excursion should provide energy, and possibly, ideas.
Get to work
Usually, when we complain about writer’s block preventing us from finishing (or beginning) a project that’s due soon, we’re being irresponsible. We agreed to do the project by a certain time; we need to get it done. Don’t wait for inspiration or even motivation–with a paycheck and your reputation on the line, you should be motivated enough.
Here’s some great advice from Robert Ringer:
“What separates professional writers from amateurs is that they take action and start putting words on the computer regardless of whether or not they are motivated. In my experience, after I force myself to start writing, a seamless transition takes place and I become motivated.
When you force yourself to write, it stimulates your brain and body cells and gets your creative juices flowing. And that, in turn, revs up your motivation. It’s the only way I know to combat procrastination. Writing is not about the future. Writing is about putting your hands on the keyboard now.” [bold emphasis mine]
Getting Honest and Real
I’ve found that to be true–often, I’ll have a deadline looming, but very little interest in my subject or desire to do the hard work of creating. But…once I simply sit down and start writing, usually, that “seamless transition” that Ringer speaks of occurs. I begin to pick up steam and rather enjoy writing the piece.
When we have a project due, it’s time to do the hard work of writing regardless of how we feel. Just begin writing and stick to it, and often, good things will happen.
In upcoming posts, I’ll share some of the things that help me to create the energy and focus necessary to forge through difficult, time-consuming projects.
Five Ways To Promote Your Blog Or Website With Robust Writing
May 28, 2008
One of the great things about the blog medium is the personal interaction.
By commenting regularly, readers of a blog can become known and extend their own blog’s reach.
By leaving thought-provoking comments that interact with a post, the readers and the author can all help each other by raising points that may have been missed or not fully fleshed out in the post.
With the move to a WordPress blog comes several new features that enable you (the readers of Robust Writing) to become more actively involved here as well as promote your own blog or website.
1. CommentLuv: whenever you leave a comment to one of my posts, you can check the box for CommentLuv, which will run the title of your latest blog post at the bottom of your comment. So, leave an interesting comment, and your fellow Robust Writing readers may be prompted to click over to your blog, especially if the headline for your latest post was an eye-catching one.
2. Top 10 Commentors: on the sidebar is a list of the 10 readers who comment the most on Robust Writing. Comment regularly and you’ll likely be in the top 10 list, ensuring that your name (and blog or website link) will be running on Robust Writing non-stop.
3. Recent Comments: also running on the sidebar are the five most recent comments on Robust Writing. If you comment regularly, especially to each new post, your name will be displaying on the sidebar as well.
Those three things are free and simple ways to advertise your blog or website. Just comment regularly with interesting thoughts and your name will become known to the readership here.
A couple more ways–they cost some money, but they’re worth it.
4. Advertise: I’ve got four 125 X 125 boxes for ads. Contact me to advertise your site or product for an entire month, right at the top of the Robust Writing sidebar. Prices are very reasonable.
5. Hire me: you can hire me to do some robust writing for your own blog or website or for any other writing needs you may have. You can even hire me for some blog writing consultations, where we’ll work together to sharpen your writing and shape it to meet your blog’s needs. Read more about me and check out my portfolio.
There you have it–five ways you can use Robust Writing to promote your blog or website.
Have fun.
Should You Really Use That Great Quote?
May 26, 2008
A couple of weeks ago, Copyblogger ran a helpful post on using quotations to effectively increase engagement and authority in your writing. It’s a good read–check it out.
Brian led off his post with a quote from Alfred North Whitehead, which reminded me of another quote of Whitehead’s that I’d saved in one of my quotation files–if you’re a writer, you really should keep a file of interesting and unique quotes that you can easily update and access. As Brian noted, the right quote can enhance your argument and credibility.
Quoting A Mathematician and Philosopher
The quote I’m referring to is:
“I have suffered a great deal from writers who have quoted this or that sentence of mine either out of its context or in juxtaposition to some incongruous matter which quite distorted my meaning, or destroyed it altogether.”–Alfred North Whitehead (1861 - 1947)
While using a quote from someone else is a necessary tool of good writing, it’s also necessary to make sure we quote accurately, truly representing the author’s meaning.
Why It Matters A Great Deal
Before you decide to insert a quote, make sure that it really does fit in with everything else you’re saying, because using a quote of context can have at least three harmful consequences:
- You misrepresent another person’s thoughts
- You confuse your readers by making your argument less clear
- You lose credibility, both as a writer and for your current argument
Like anything else, take some time to get it right before you put it out there.
You can quote me on that.
It’s Time For Change
May 23, 2008
Change is the buzzword here in the United States as the 2008 Presidential campaign rolls on. Barack Obama and his supporters are forever using the word.
To borrow the phrase from the rock star Democratic candidate, “It’s time for change” for me as well. My original blog, Vigorous Writing, was a great learning experience into the world of blogging.
Previously
I wrote almost exclusively about improving your writing skills, often in long, thousand-word posts.
I used Google’s free blogging platform, Blogger, and, along the way, learned plenty of things that hopefully have made me a better blogger overall.
A New Day
Today marks the first post on my new blog, Robust Writing, and in addition to changing platforms (this runs on Wordpress), I’ve decided to change the way I blog–somewhat. As of yesterday, I had 337 readers subscribed to my original blog, so there are people who enjoyed my blogging; thus, I’m not instituting radical changes.
Just tweaks, adaptations correlating to the most haunting and profound blogging advice I’ve picked up on. I’ll be writing much shorter posts (although occasionally I’ll bang out a long one–when the topic merits it), and writing with a more, suggestive, persuasive, helpful tone rather than making commanding, God-like pronouncements. The blogosphere has enough of that.
I’ll be writing more for the blog genre–laser-like, short, to-the-point posts on some subject related to writing.
The Future?
For an idea of what I’m aiming for, check out these two blogs, which (to me) really nail the blog format, by providing useful, original information in short spaces:
and
I plan on exploring how to write clearly and profitably (in every sense of the word) on this blog in roughly 250 words or less. Anything writing related is fair game here.
Although, I admit, I’m beyond tired of blogging about blogging; I much prefer to write about writing. So, the focus here will be much more on the craft of writing than about “how to build a better blog”–helpful and sometimes necessary, but almost always boring.
Of course, I’m sure this blog will evolve as time goes on. Let’s see what we create here.