Overcoming Writer’s Block as a Busy Entrepreneur
Even the most creative and word-savvy entrepreneurs face writer’s block. Staring at the blank page assured that every topic worth talking about has already been written. Leaning back in your chair and asking the universe to strike you with a lightning bolt of creativity, please. Sending your husband another Reel of puppies training to be rescue dogs in the mountains and asking if it’s too late to switch careers. Oh wait, maybe that’s just me.
I have my B.A. in Creative Writing and M.A. in English so suffice it to say, I have had a lot of practice writing. And you don’t study the written word for seven years if you just kinda like it. But even those of us who turn to writing as therapy or a fun pastime, struggle with writing for our businesses.
Why? Well, for starters, you want to provide content that is both informative and engaging. But you also want to include elements of yourself in the work. After all, as entrepreneurs, our identities are often (for better or worse) tied to our businesses. And although ChatGPT can help, it’s only as good as the content you put into it. So even if it gives you twenty-five different topics to write about, none may come to fruition because you just aren’t motivated by the dozens of suggestions it has given you. So, from one busy entrepreneur to another, here are my tips on cracking through that writer’s block.
Create an Effective Writing Environment
Sitting at the same desk where you review invoices or take your Zoom calls is probably not going to spark any creativity. For me, I have always had an additional chair in my office so I can sit somewhere else with my laptop and peck away at the keyboard. I also try to write first thing in the morning, before I look at any emails or even open my inbox. I learned this additional tip from our Creative Manager, Chandler. She keeps most of her apps closed when working on a project so that she isn’t distracted by notifications. For me, that is sometimes further demonstrated in my need to set my phone on silent or even Airplane Mode if I really, really need to focus.
Think about what works best for you. When do you feel most creative? Where do you feel most creative? Do you need music or absolute quiet? Do you need to burn incense? Toss holy water across the keyboard? Do fifty jumping jacks to get your blood flowing? Whatever you need to do - do it, then block time in your calendar (just like any other meeting) and don’t move it for anybody.
Know the Goal of Your Writing
This probably seems obvious, but it’s easy to forget. If you don’t know why you are writing or who you are writing for - how are you ever going to know that you’ve completed the task? Below is a quick checklist of the different types of writing you may encounter on a weekly basis:
Journaling → Audience: Myself → Goal: Stress relief!
Blogs → Audience: My network → Goal: Educate or Inform
Social Media → Audience: My network → Goal: Keep my brand top of mind
Of course, each of these comes with its own set of subgoals such as keeping track of my mental health or driving traffic to my website. But on the surface, if you know that a piece of writing is meant for a specific audience and its goal is limited to one target - it makes it that much easier to craft ideas from the beginning and stay on track.
Keep a Bank of Ideas
In my notes app on my phone, I have a running list of ideas for the books, blogs and poems I have yet to write. I also keep links to articles that I have read (or what to read) about topics that I may want to pontificate about later. Often, the best ideas never happen when you are at your desk - ready to write. They happen in the shower, when you’re traveling, or going for a walk with the dog. By keeping a central place for those ideas, you give your future self a wealth of starting places the next time you are ready to write.
Start Small
Sometimes, we (ahem, me) believe that every piece of content we put out into the world needs to be earth-shattering or change an industry for the better. But the more pressure we put on ourselves, the less likely we are to actually complete a piece of writing. Every writer you have ever heard of has written a lot of stuff that you will never remember - or likely even see. That’s because it takes practice, like strengthening a muscle at the gym. The more practice you put into your writing - and publishing it - the better you will become at the process. Try starting with a short quote or musing. Audiences love this bite-sized peek into your mind (One of Reddit’s most popular channels is /ShowerThoughts with over 30M followers). Later, one of those “small thoughts” might grow into a larger piece.
Remember: Done is Better than Perfect (Yes, it really is).
I learned about this rabbit hole when I was teaching at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte. Students were always welcome to come into my office and talk about their end-of-semester papers. But I had a few students who came in nearly every afternoon I was there. They would have their paper, with minimal edits, and a worried expression that they were just “not there yet.” At this point, nearly all of them had a great paper that was worth turning in… three or four drafts ago. They were now spinning their wheels, overanalyzing paragraphs and word choices and metaphorically digging themselves into a grave.
After giving one of my students very little feedback, she asked, “Ok, but what do I do next?”
“You hit print,” I replied. (This was back when students handed in hard copies).
“But what else do I need to change?” she asked again.
“That’s your call,” I said to her increasingly panicked expression, “But sooner or later, you’re going to have to turn it in.’”
We all do this. We second guess, we struggle to accept that something is ready for a “final” review. The reality is there is always something to tweak, to enhance, to make “better,” but in my experience - and those of my former students - when you catch yourself in a downward spiral of never-ending updates and changes - it’s time to post it, print it, send it out into the universe.
For more tips (from writers better than me), check out one or more of the following resources:
The Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday
One Question a Day by Aimee Chase