You have a text to write, a deadline to meet, and a check to cash. You’ve finally found the perfect niche for typing on your keyboard’s keys. The computer is on, you can work. It’s time to write, compose a text worthy of your skills…
… But something turns everything upside down.
Your brain can’t get a word out, you don’t know where to start, you start to get angry, but nothing comes out.
Despite your months or years of experience, he’s back.
The White Page Syndrome.
That sudden block, that loss of creativity, that lack of inspiration ruins your day and stirs up a frustration you know well.
Alone in front of your computer and your blank page, you can feel the fear growing.
Fear of doing a bad job.
Fear of falling behind in your already busy schedule.
The fear of the customer, the teacher who tells you about their dissatisfaction.
Fear of failure, simple as that.
Don’t worry, this doesn’t just happen to you.
Web editors, copywriters, writers, students, bloggers, community managers, singers, journalists…
In summary. Everyone whose job it is to write knows this feeling.
Let me tell you that you can overcome this blank page syndrome…
…that after you put my advice into action, your fingers will become word machines, your keyboard will never be unemployed again, and typing will no longer be a bad time.
I’m going to reveal to you the 7 secrets of those who, like you, have decided not to put themselves in the situation I described to you above…
… Who is tired of being anxious before Word …
…Those who chose to fight! (Ok, I’m going to force things a bit, but that’s the idea).
7 ways to overcome blank page syndrome
Giving advice is cool. It’s even better to use them.
So I decided to put myself in your shoes to write this article.
At each step I will show you how I did it (As I write these words, I am at level 5).
And it all starts with the first step and a blank page.
#1 Brainstorming is your friend
The first thing you should do before typing a single word on your keyboard is get out a piece of paper and a pen and start brainstorming.
For those who don’t know, it consists of starting with a basic idea and relating it to whatever comes to mind when you think about it.
For example, for this article I started from the blank page syndrome that I associated with several words (fear, writing, fear, lack of inspiration, solutions, experiences, organization…).
The aim is to determine the content of your text, what it is about.
You will understand that this article will help people like you who are tired of being blocked in front of their computer.
#2 Get inspiration from others
Attention !
“Being inspired” does not mean copying.
Once you have the topic of your text, look at what your competitors, colleagues, etc. are doing.
The idea is to analyze the mistakes made, the issues or issues that were not addressed. Simple enough to enhance your text.
In my case, I consulted part of the articles on the subject, not to copy or do the same thing, but to approach the subject from a different angle.
Pablo Picasso said: “Good artists copy, great artists steal“.
#3 Write the plan the day before
Third and best advice (the most powerful).
Before you start writing the introduction or a paragraph, you need to think about the outline of the article.
And for two reasons.
First, the next day you know where to go in your text, you just have to fill in each block.
Second, don’t start the next morning with a blank page (You will already have it blacked out with your plan). And that, believe me, changes everything.
There is on my side.
Which brings us directly to the next point.
#4 Always write in the morning
As I write these words, it is 9:27.
Why am I writing at this time and not around 2:30 this afternoon?
Simply because our brain is full of energy in the morning. This is the time of day when we are most productive.
The tasks and missions that make you most strenuous should be completed in the morning.
Going on social media, answering emails (anything that requires little concentration), that’s for the afternoon.
One last detail, in the morning everyone sleeps or works. This reduces the sources of distraction.
#5 First draft technique
That’s it ! It’s finally time to let off steam on your keyboard and show what your pen is worth.
But you don’t have to make nice sentences from the start!
Let the words flow, follow each other, pin each other on your page. It is important that everything is seamlessly linked.
This is called the first design technique.
As with fast walking, you must not stop.
The principle is not to cut off inspiration.
Don’t worry about sentences that don’t mean anything, misspellings… You’ll have time to correct yourself afterwards.
#6 Write regularly
Writing is like exercise.
The more regularly you train, the easier it becomes.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s a network post, an article, a website page, a poem, or a book.
It is important to stimulate creativity.
Personally, I publish a post on LinkedIn and on Instagram every two days. It keeps me active in writing.
#7 Clear your head
Yes, you read it right.
Sometimes it doesn’t come. It is like it is.
It may not be the right day, time or place.
And you know what ? It is in order.
Going out into the fresh air, exercising, playing console games, etc.
Most importantly, don’t force it. Come back later when you have a free head.
Conclude
If you follow these valuable tips, Page syndrome will be a bad memory. By following them to the letter, I was able to write better, more regularly, and faster (2 days for this article). Writing is lonely work.
It’s your turn to black out the paper!
About the author
Lucas Ricard: Freelance copywriter, I help entrepreneurs to be visible on the internet but above all to sell more thanks to the power of words.
Website – LinkedIn – Instagram