How to Prepare to Write Your Next Post

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“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
― Abraham Lincoln

One of the things that scares new writers the most is the idea that they will have to sit down and face the dreaded blank page. They know they have to write an article (more on that later), but they just don’t know what to write. Writer’s block sets in.

The truth is that there is no reason to let writing stress you out. They trick is to prepare long before you actually sit down. Here are a few tips…

Who Are You Writing For?

The first thing to think about is who exactly you are writing for. The style and tone you take is dependent on your audience. Obviously an article intended for college professors will have a different “feel” than one written for, say, single moms.

Why is what you are saying important… to them?

Next you should consider why what you want to write about is important to your reader. What’s in it for them? Is this article reviewing a product? Is it designed to promote a particular product or service? Or is your intention merely to provide quality information in order to build trust (i.e. no affiliate links)?

What Else is Already Out There?

Once you have a rough idea in mind for a topic, do a quick Google search. See what else is already out there. As the old saying goes, there is nothing new under the sun, so chances are you will find other articles out there on the same topic or at least something similar. What do they say about it? Do you agree or disagree? Why? How can you put your own unique spin on it?

Write It Down

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I always have with me a notebook, a digital recorder, or my cell phone – and often all three. This allows me to write down a thought or idea quickly before it gets away.

You can probably think of a time when you came up with a “great” idea but relied on your memory instead of recording it. And what happened later when you tried to remember? Yep… it was gone forever. Don’t let that happen.

Let It Marinate

It is important that you start the writing process early, sometimes even days before you plan on actually writing a particular article. After you have developed an idea and collected material, it’s time to just get away for a bit. Save it to your computer or in a journal (see previous tip), but forget about it for a while. This allows your subconscious to roll ideas around and develop into something uniquely your own.

Change Your Environment

When it is time to write, look for an inviting environment. This is different for everybody. For example, when my wire writes, she usually needs to be locked away in a room where it is quiet and there are no distractions.

I actually prefer sitting in a Starbucks or the park with my laptop where I can pick up the energy of what is going on around me. Experiment with different locations and find what works best for you.

It’s All About Attitude

One thing that can really block your writing is this idea that you absolutely must write an article right now. But that kind of attitude can kill creativity. Instead, change your mindset. Many years ago, I was in a Tony Robbins seminar where he stated, “Life isn’t a have to, it’s a get to.”

The same goes for writing. Don’t see it as something you have to do, but rather enjoy it as something you get to do. You get to share your passion with others and connect with people that you might have otherwise never met. This sharing of interests is quite powerful.

Write Fast (NO editing!)

When it is finally time to sit down and write, get it down as fast as you can. Just let the words flow and, even if you make a “mistake”, keep going. You can always go back later and edit – and you should – but for now just get that first ugly draft done. As I always say, you have to get it “write” before you can get it “right”.

So, there you go. Some of my favorite tips for preparing to write your next post. This process is one that allows me to be extremely productive when it comes to writing. At any given moment, I may have as many as two or three articles marinating in my subconscious at the same time. By the time I get ready to write, my mind is excited at the opportunity to get it all down on paper.

If you have any preparation tips you would like to share, please feel free to drop a comment below :-)

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Recent Comments

108

Great post and yes it is important to write an idea down when your thinking of it instead of trying to remember what you were thinking about earlier . thanks for the post . Thomas

Thank you.

Great article and many great tips. I'll review them again. I've done most if not all of those myself and need to do them again.

Thanks again for the great post and the inspiration.

Thanks.

Great tips..for me also writing is usually a few days process...not typing it upp but the research. I will do the keywords and research. A few days later i will start putting thoughts down usually in word as i dont always have internnet handy or even notes on my phone.
That way when i do sit down and actually write or copy from my notes or word docs it takes no time at all to hit the publish button.

Awesome. Sounds like a similar process. Thanks for sharing :-)

Yep very similar and so much less stressful than staring at a blank screen.☺

Most definitely :-)

Awesome recommendations!

Thanks a lot!

Wish you great success!

Bob

Thanks, Bob. You, too.

Interesting about writing in different environments. Gives me some writing ideas.

Thanks. Sometimes even a change of scenery can make all the difference :-)

Makes think by the pool, a lot of my articles can be written on a word doc before being transferred to WP WA. No internet required.

I actually do this a lot. Great tip. Thanks :-)

Great tips, I can definitely use some more organization to my writing process. My problem is most of my ideas coming while I am at work and don’t have anything to make notes.

I get it. That's why I tend to carry multiple "tools". If I can't record it, at least I can jot it down real quick. Worst case scenario, send yourself an email or text. In the old days I was not above calling myself and leaving a message on my answering machine. lol

Great tips! Thanks.

Thank you.

I really need a folder just for your posts, always such good and relevant tips. I've managed to have a pencil and a scrap of paper on me but do plan on getting a voice recorder, soon. I've just finished going through 30 days of Mr.Robbins, again, probably for the third time. Always something that you've forgotten.
I need to find an approach that doesn't come under the heading of 'Winging it'. Every week, every post, seems to take on a different slant. I've just finished a post, which ended up being way longer than I anticipated, which was nice but all the while I was eager to get onto another post waiting in the wings. When I did drop onto it, it didn't 'feel' right. As you have recommended, I have walked away and it is sloshing around in the background. This writing lark is constantly evolving, it's a bit like ivy, going every which way, I need to put in place a framework for it to follow.
Always a great read Aj. Thank you.

“Winging it,” cracked me up, that seems like my approach too.

Thank you. It's weird because it almost seems counterintuitive, but I have found the walking away part to be the most productive part of the process. Allowing ideas to kick around for a bit really makes things come together, at least for me. :-)

I just saw your reply pop up on my emails and thought "Oh no, I've called Anita 'Aj' thinking I'd mixed up the posts,somehow, who knows. Anyway, I think this months SAC concentrates on the keyword and title preparation and it's just not what I do. The idea of having twelve titles lined up and ready to go is alien. I suppose that is how we learn to be better, drop down a couple rungs of a different ladder, one that goes higher,maybe.

I am struggling with that part, I have ideas for about 4 posts. I usually can’t come up with stuff too far in advance. When I am writing a post I usually come up with ideas for other posts but I do like to let the posts sit for a day or so before I publish them.

Not weird. This next article I was keen to get on, I wrote it out by hand and it was turning into dissertation. A day later I have an idea of how to reduce, without losing the gist and still ending up where I need to be.

Ooo, that's a 'challenge' sitting on a post before publishing. Boy, that would test me. I might have to try it, just to see if I implode.

Great article! Great suggestions!
Thank you for sharing!
Michael Inman

Thank you.

Super tips, thanks!
C & P

Thank you.

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