As an aspiring writer, I always imagined writing to be a magical talent that someone was born into, like Hemingway, Stephen King, JK Rowling, and other famous authors who pump out thousands and thousands of words consistently.
When all you see as a beginner are successful writers, you can’t help but compare to them (which is one of the worst things you can do as a beginner) I’ll talk about that later.
But I’m here to shed some light on what you can do to start your mark on your blank page so you can start your sharing your ideas.
Before we get into the main topic, I want to spend time addressing limiting beliefs, things we believe to be true but are, in reality, not true.
These are things I struggle with when doing something new, in this case, we are writing.
Fear of saying (or rather typing) the wrong things
Fear of no-inspiration to write
Fear of writing to the void
Fear of making grammatical errors
Fear of using less complex words
Here I will share ideas I had when I first wrote my first article. Honestly, I had soooo many “first articles” because I had those limiting beliefs and it stopped me from publishing.
When I say the first article, I mean a “published” article. It doesn’t have to be published in a magazine or a big news site. It just has to be published somewhere where others can “see it”, it can be by social media, your website, email, or friend to read, as long as someone else is reading it.
Now let’s go into how you can break the limiting beliefs that make you go from a blank page to crafting your first meaningful word.
1. Feelings vs. Discipline: The Magic of Consistency
People outside of the writing space think that people who write for a living or are published have a natural talent for the words to say.
But it is far from the reality.
Stephen King in On Writing, said, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” So, writing is a verb. You have to do the writing. He emphasizes the importance of discipline rather than waiting for inspiration to strike before writing your first couple work.
So, to get over this road bump, you have to build your writing habit so you can start writing consistently. Here are a few things you can start with:
Find the best time that you can write. Stick to it. Then magic will happen. For me, it is at 5 am when nobody is awake yet in my house. (The magic of consistency.)
Overcoming excuses like writer’s block, distractions, and procrastination. None of this is real but our minds are a lot stronger in making it real, so go through this stage.
Explore timed techniques like Pomodoro or time-blocking, using writing aids or apps, finding other people for support, etc. so you can work in bursts rather than burning out and quitting altogether.
These are broad general tips but the bottom line is this: You can’t present your ideas to the world if you don’t even start.
So, find what works for you.
2. Creating the Perfect Writing Environment
My next tip for you is to create a writing environment that works for you, so you can work your magic. We have different preferences. You may like a little bit of white noise, bright lights, in a coffee shop, at a desk facing the wall, with headphones playing beta waves, or whatever it is.
When setting up your environment, you have to be ready for distractions that are unavoidable. Include that when designing your physical and digital environment.
Here’s what works for my physical environment:
Create a Clean Space: Make sure your work environment is clean and clutter-free. A chaotic, messy workspace can divert your attention away from writing. Only the necessary tools are on my table like my laptop, water, books, pen, and paper.
Opt for Quiet: Noise can break your concentration and make it harder to focus on writing. Therefore, select a quiet space to work in or use noise-cancelling headphones. You could also consider playing white noise or relaxing instrumental music to drown out any disruptive sounds.
For my digital environment:
Limit Notifications: One of the main sources of distraction while working in a digital environment is the constant flow of notifications. From email alerts to social media updates, these constant interruptions can completely fracture your focus. Use digital tools and setting options to silence or prioritize certain notifications.
Use Full-Screen Mode: Doing this forces you to remove any distractions from the screen, creating a minimalistic workspace.
Use Productivity Tools: These digital solutions, such as time-tracking apps (e.g., Forestapp), website/app blockers (e.g., Freedom, Cold Turkey), notetaking apps (e.g., Google Keep, Evernote), or word processors (e.g., distraction-free writing apps like iA Writer or WriteRoom) can help optimize your writing time and boost your productivity.
Now, you might be thinking, “We have all these beliefs and productivity tips, when are you getting to the good stuff? The actual writing stuff?”
If you noticed why the writing techniques and the how-tos are not yet covered, I think that is the easy part.
The hard part is the act of writing and publishing consistently, and letting others read your thoughts in ink (or screen.) Once you get over your limiting beliefs, then you become unstoppable.
That’s why the last part is devoted to debunking some of the myths about starting to write or trying out something new in general.
3. Debunking the Myths: There are No Perfect First Lines
The point of this part boils down to this: perfectionism is bad.
This is one of the biggest reasons why people don’t want to try something new.
I found this excerpt from Malvina Messler in a LinkIn article that sums up the perfectionism myth and its effect:
Five common myths about perfectionism
- Perfectionism equals excellence: Many people believe that perfectionism is the same as striving for excellence, but this is not true. Perfectionism often involves setting unrealistic standards and being overly critical of oneself and others, which can be harmful.
- Perfectionists are always successful: Perfectionists may achieve a lot, but they are not always successful. Their fear of failure and constant self-criticism can hold them back and cause them to miss opportunities.
- Perfectionists are happier: Some people believe that perfectionists are happier because they achieve more and have higher standards, but the opposite is often true. Perfectionism can cause anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems.
- Perfectionists are detail-oriented: While perfectionists may be detail-oriented, they often get bogged down in minutiae and lose sight of the bigger picture. This can cause them to miss deadlines and fail to achieve their goals.
- Perfectionism is a positive trait: It is actually a personality trait associated with negative outcomes. Perfectionists often struggle with low self-esteem, procrastination, and burnout.
Wow! Heavy stuff, right?
So what do we do about this? Here are what I did to get over me and get rolling:
Change Your Self-Talk: When I started writing, I battled my inner critic about publishing my ideas and not being an expert. This cycle was hard to resolve because in school, we have been conditioned to strive for the highest, perfect score and then we’ll get a Gold Star. By consciously changing this negative self-talk, you can interrupt these unhealthy behaviors, thereby boosting your self-esteem. Once you truly appreciate your efforts and see how progress is the goal, not perfection, you will be free to express your first words on paper.
- Small Steps Become Giant Steps: When I read about writing and self-development, they are so far apart and yet the ideas are so closely related. You don’t just one day get up and become a great writer same as you don’t get one day and get over your perfectionism. I learned that you have to continuously work on yourself. So get to writing your ideas. One. Day. At a. Time.
Conclusion
Writing is like magic. We get to transform and change lives with the power of words.
Don’t let the daunting task of filling a blank page with your imperfect words stop you from saying what you want to say.
Be okay with being imperfect. You will not get it right the first time.
Like a child, keep learning.
So, what is your first word going to be?
