How to Start Writing
So I’m asking, What is the change I’m trying to make? And, Who’s it for and what’s it for? And then I ask things like, What’s the medium that will help it get there? Is it a blog post, or a talk? Or is it a book? What box does it fit in? Once I’ve tried to answer those questions then I jump in. Starting a new project is like jumping into a swimming
... See moreSeth Godin • Seth Godin Hates Being Organized
If you want to start a writing habit, don’t start with essays. Write paragraphs. Shaping and editing essays from a cold start is quite hard. Instead, practice riffing paragraphs over a huge range of ideas. Publish them all somewhere, but don’t blast them.
And this is where I’m supposed to say, “Getting started is easy!” But I can’t do that to you. It’s not easy at all. Getting started is the hardest part. As you begin, you’ll find every excuse to wait and every reason to delay. You’ll stop to reflect on what to write about. You’ll come up with reasons why it’s not time yet, why you’re not ready. And
... See moreJeff Goins • You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)
Start by noting down your writing goal. Put into words what you want to achieve. At this stage, don’t worry about making it specific – that will come. Instead look for the feeling of anticipation when you have an exciting challenge ahead of you.
Bec Evans, Chris Smith, • Written
I’ve found this a remarkably useful practice in the early stages of drafting, because it reverses the usual order of things. Instead of holding back from writing until you know what you want to say – which leads to a vicious circle of stopping, deleting, and rewriting everything a hundred times – the commitment to keeping moving means you just writ... See more