This blog post is seven weeks in the making. I would love to say, it’s been tough to make the time to just sit down and write, but the truth is I’ve been prioritizing other things over writing and quite frankly, procrastinating. It feels so much more beneficial, albeit selfish, to read other people’s articles, tips, tricks and how to’s. But the reality is that there’s give and take from the community and if you’re taking, you need to give back too.
So what better way to kick off the writing process than to select the topic that got me here in the first place….overcoming the roadblocks to writing – even the ones we set up ourselves.
So what better way to kick off the writing process than to select the topic that got me here in the first place….overcoming the roadblocks to writing – even the ones we set up ourselves.
1. Make a list with tasks in order of priority, then move ‘writing’ to the top
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Let’s face it, you can always justify that something besides writing content is more important to get done. There are dozens of excuses, “I don’t know what to write about”, “No one cares what I have to say”, “There’s too much content out there”, etc., but instead of making excuses, I took a few minutes and jotted down all my to-do’s, just everything I had to get done. I included things for the day, and even the rest of this week. Then I took writing and put it at the very top of my list. Turns out this is referred to as “eating the frog” – basically that thing you need to do, but don’t want to do? Yeah, do that first.
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Aside from the ‘eat the frog’ methodology, this tactic really plays to the way I work. I typically make my way down a list every day, so if writing is at the top, I’m not going to get past it until it’s done. Maybe not completely done, but even just a little progress can justify crossing it off the list for the day.
2. Focus using productivity techniques
I’ve been using the Pomodoro Technique lately to make sure I spend some concentrated time on tasks, but also take short breaks in between. This kind of interval approach to working has helped me focus and not try to multi-task all day long, something I haven’t fully mastered yet, but we’re getting there. The short 5-minute or longer 15-minute breaks in between the 25-minute working periods, give me a chance to refresh or check what’s happening on social media or whatever else I need to do. So during the time I’m working I’m [trying to] not worrying about missing anything on Facebook, Twitter, or my Inbox.
Using the Pomodoro desktop app, the process has been easy to manage. And the Pomodoro Technique isn’t your only option. There are plenty of methods out there that can help you be productive, Getting Things Done, Don’t Break the Chain, or even a custom personal method are three alternatives.
Using the Pomodoro desktop app, the process has been easy to manage. And the Pomodoro Technique isn’t your only option. There are plenty of methods out there that can help you be productive, Getting Things Done, Don’t Break the Chain, or even a custom personal method are three alternatives.
3. Brainstorm a list of blog topics and build a content library
My resistance to write is perpetuated when I can’t think of a topic I’m passionate about. I typically write down titles as they come to me, so I can add them to my content library document. Writing things down in the moment makes it so when you’re looking for topics, it doesn’t feel like an enormous challenge. At the end of the day you might find you have scraps of paper with title options that could keep your blog fresh for weeks. You can also use note-taking apps so you can access and add titles on your mobile device. Evernote is great for this and even the native Notes app on iOS works well.
If you struggle in general with coming up with things to write about, I’d suggest usingHubspot’s Blog Topic Generator. Some of the output will need editing, but it sure beats starting from scratch.
If you struggle in general with coming up with things to write about, I’d suggest usingHubspot’s Blog Topic Generator. Some of the output will need editing, but it sure beats starting from scratch.
4. Repurpose existing content
If you’ve put in the time once before, you should be able to repurpose and share your content in different forms. If you have a text article consider making it an infographic, maybe even a video if you have the skills to make a low budget version, or a high quality version if you've got the dollars to spend.
5. Evergreen content will take you further
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Evergreen content is just content that doesn’t expire. It comes in many forms and basically stands the test of time, outlasts fads and trends, and it also helps boost your SEO. Wordstream has a great article about Evergreen content on their blog: What is Evergreen Content? Your Guide to Long-Lasting Content That Boosts SEO. And coincidentally that blog post about evergreen content was published over three years ago and is still relevant!
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Hopefully you have some content already lying around and if it’s evergreen, then it sounds like you may have already “written” your article.
The truth is that writing just takes some time and creativity, but setting up some structure to your process and writing great content that’s evergreen and relevant to your audience can go a long way to getting you to a complete article.
The truth is that writing just takes some time and creativity, but setting up some structure to your process and writing great content that’s evergreen and relevant to your audience can go a long way to getting you to a complete article.
