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3 Lessons From A Marketing Superstar
I was just rereading Jeffrey J. Fox's marvelous book, How To
Become A Marketing Superstar this week, and had to start jotting
down some notes to pass along. Fox has a wonderful knack for
distilling his hard-won wisdom into two or three page...
Getting people to part with their money, the old-fashioned way.
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor the rising cost of postage can keep a well-written sales letter from persuading readers to send money directly to its writer or organization. And many of the techniques successful direct mail writers have been...
How to Write the Web Site That Sells
Your Web site has a single motive:
To 'ignite' your visitors to take action.
This prime motive is behind every element of your Web site design and content. Start with the idea that you have one chance to reach your customers. They will never...
"Knowing Copywriting Basics - How To Get Ahead In Your Copy Writing Business"
In order to get ahead in your copy writing business, you need to know copywriting basics. There are several things that all business owners need to know, and here, we will touch on just a few. In order to succeed, learn all you can about copy...
Published but NOT Paid! Part I - Start Right To Avoid Problems
It's an unfortunate fact of a freelance writer's life that sooner or later you will inevitably fall foul of a bad payer. Hopefully this will be nothing more than a reluctance to hand over the cash, but you should be prepared for worse. Most...
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Writer's Block Begone
Back when I was in college, I belonged to one of those professional associations for the video industry. (I was a student member.) The monthly newsletter had a column called "Writer's Block." Although called Writer's Block, no one ever wrote about this mysterious and debilitating condition. So, finally, one day I decided to tackle the subject.
I don't remember much about the article except it seemed to be about eating chocolate, taking walks and not doing much writing (it was supposed to be tongue in cheek). I don't think it turned out as successful as I had hoped.
Anyway, my point is this -- while I still eat lots of chocolate and take lots of walks, I've also been forced to wrestle with that particular nightmare many a time. And in those wrestling matches, I've learned a few moves that might help you in your own struggles.
First, I've come to view writer's block as a friend more than an enemy. Okay, maybe friend is too strong. An ally. (Okay, maybe he's a really mean ally, but an ally all the same.)
Writer's block isn't about the writing. Writer's block isn't telling you you can't write or you'll never write again or you'll never have another idea again. Writer's block is telling you something else is wrong, and you need to deal with that something before you can get down to the business of writing.
Now, when I say writer's block, what I'm talking about is the inability to write. You have no idea where to start, no idea where the project is going, or maybe you have no ideas at all. That's true writer's block, not to be confused with writer's procrastination. Writer's procrastination is when you know what you want to be writing (or should be writing) yet you've somehow lost the ability to sit in a chair and type. Oh, but you can still check e-mail. And surf the Web. And lots of other tasks that have nothing to do with the writing project you should be doing. But try and start that project -- you'll just fall right off that chair.
I've had more than my share of encounters with that particular fellow as well, and I'm planning to share tips on beating writer's procrastination in future issues. (Trust me, you need to beat writer's procrastination. He is the enemy and he's evil.)
But writer's block is different. Writer's block says there's a problem. Writer's block says you haven't researched this project enough or you haven't thought this through enough or you're missing crucial information. Maybe your approach is all wrong. Maybe you should be writing a Web site and not a brochure for your business. Maybe you're trying to force a book-sized idea into an article-sized container and it just doesn't fit.
If your ideas have suddenly dried up, maybe writer's block is telling you to take it easy. You've been working too hard -- you need to take time and
Two Deaths: A Poet And A Beetle
Poet Wislawa Szymborska had an eye for the smallest, the gentlest, the hard-to-notice creatures on Earth and this week she bid them all adieu. Krulwich remembers Wislawa Szymborska.
20 Million Years Later, Russians Work To Drill Into Lake
Russian researchers in Antarctica are on the verge of piercing a hole through two miles of ice into an ancient lake, untouched by the light of day for some 20 million years. But it'll be a delicate process to break through without disturbing the pristine waters. Guest host David Green speaks with Antarctic researcher John Priscu about the process.
recharge your creative batteries. Or maybe you haven't dealt with some old hurt or anger and you need to take some time and deal with that block.
Writer's block also might be telling you the project is all wrong for you. (Although be careful with the last one -- writer's procrastination is a wonderful mimic and he might be trying to slip something past you.)
When I'm stuck, the first thing I do is get away from the computer. I take a walk, jump in the shower (I get a lot of great ideas in the shower) or eat some chocolate. (Some things never change.) I think about the project. I review my notes. I analyze what I'm doing. And I ask myself questions. Do I have all the information I need? Should I do more research? Is my approach right? Have I thought this project through enough?
Sometimes I can spot the problem in a few minutes. Sometimes it takes a few days. But always, without fail, I've discovered writer's block was right. There WAS a serious problem with the project. A fatal flaw in the foundation -- a weakness in the structure. Eventually, it would have collapsed.
And by stepping in, your writer's block stopped that from happening.
Creativity Exercises -- Make friends with writer's block
I realize this might be a scary exercise for some of you, especially if you're in the throes of writer's block (and I've been there -- I know how terrifying it is) but that's all the more reason to do this.
Now, when I say make friends with your writer's block, I'm not talking about inviting it to move in and existing in a permanent blocked state. What I'm talking about is a way to put writer's block in its rightful place -- where it uses its talents to help and not harm you.
Take a few moments and thank your writer's block. Thank it for all the times it blocked you. Tell it you know it was trying to help you and you appreciate it.
Whatever you do, DON’T fear your writer's block. You give it too much power if you fear it. Power corrupts. You don't want to corrupt your writer's block, you want it to do its job -- helping you craft the best writing pieces you can.
If you're in the middle of a bad case of writer's block, try asking your writer's block what the problem is. Why won't it let you start that project or what happened to your ideas? Do it as a journaling exercise or a meditation. You may be amazed at what it tells you.
About the Author
Michele Pariza Wacek owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency. She offers two free e-newsletters that help subscribers combine their creativity with hard-hitting marketing and copywriting principles to become more successful at attracting new clients, selling products and services and boosting business. She can be reached at http://www.writingusa.com
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