Do It Badly

I never used to call myself a writer, even though I’ve written close to 600 articles! Since then, I’ve discovered a way to trick one of my negative inner voices.

When I was young, I loved writing short stories. In school, my favorite class was always English because we got to read and write all the time. Even when I was supposed to be doing math or science, I was often writing one story or essay. I got excellent grades and comments from all my English teachers along with anyone else who read my work.

But after graduating, my writing for pleasure stopped. I began working in law and my writing took on new meaning. Everything I created had to be precise and correct because even a misplaced comma could result in a lawsuit!

Long story short, I learned that I couldn’t write badly. It HAD to be correct!

So when I chose to pick up a pen again outside of a law office, I immediately found myself with writer’s block. I would sit for hours with a blank page in front of me or find anything and everything to do BUT write!

I have now learned a few tricks:

First, I always write the first draft of anything just for me. I know no one else will ever read it, so I never censor it. Second, if I’m really blocked, I will just type, anything. Even the phrase “blah blah blah” because the simple act of writing can get the juices flowing and it literally makes me a writer. Most importantly, in the early stages of writing anything, I give myself complete permission to be wrong.

Action – Where are you blocked by your need to be right? Allow yourself to do it badly to get started again. You can always go back to dot the I’s and cross the T’s later.