Overcoming Writing Roadblocks

Estimated Time: 1 hour

Using the writing process, we have separated the text creation step (i.e. drafting) from the planning and structuring steps that come before and the revising and editing steps that come after. Therefore, when drafting, you can "just write".

But writing can be hard at times. When it comes to actually putting "pen to paper", it is common to feel anxious, which can lead to an unwillingness or inability to create text. In this section, we will learn about some of the roadblocks that can get in the way of drafting, starting with an exploration of why we sometimes get anxious when writing.

Understanding Writing Anxiety

📖 Read the following chapter on managing writing anxiety.

Here is a summary of the strategies for overcoming writing anxiety that are presented in the above reading:

  • Just start writing
  • Create smaller tasks and short-term goals
  • Collaborate
  • Embrace reality
  • Seek out experts (and examples)

📖 One common outcome of having writing anxiety is procrastination. Read the following section on managing procrastination when writing.

Understanding and Overcoming Writer's Block

One specific type of writing roadblock that people often experience is called "writer's block". This occurs when you can't put any words on the page. For you to overcome this, it is essential to go into the drafting step with two mindsets:

  1. Think of the draft as a prototype meant for you to see how well your plan works.
  2. Remember that it's ok to do it badly at first. Your first draft doesn't have to be perfect. You will improve your writing during the revising step. However, you can't revise if you don't have any text written down in the first place.

This video should remind you of the Flowers Paradigm.

Drafting Techniques

Now that you have a better understanding of what can cause writing roadblocks, we will close out this section by exploring specific techniques you can use to make your drafting process more effective, efficient, and maybe even enjoyable!

📺 Watch the following video on drafting techniques to kick start your text creation.

Some Final Drafting Tips

Here are some final tips to keep in mind when drafting:

  • Take the path of least resistance
    • You don’t have to write your text “in order”
    • Don’t let a roadblock in one section stop you
    • Begin writing with the part you feel the most confident about
    • Save the part that is giving you the most trouble for later
  • Keep your audience and purpose in mind
    • Before you start drafting, reflect on your purpose and audience so they are in your mind when you are creating text
  • Draft quickly, correct later
    • Write the first draft as quickly as possible
    • Come back later to revise and edit
  • Add some constraints
    • Write in time blocks
    • Know when to stop and get some distance from your writing
    • Use the Pomodoro technique
  • If you get stuck, talk it out
    • If you are finding it hard to turn your thoughts into written word, say them outloud (to yourself or to someone else)
    • Use technology (speech-to-text apps) to capture those words and kickstart your writing

Verbalise Your Thoughts

As mentioned above, if you have trouble getting started with writing, a helpful technique is to turn the thoughts in your mind into concrete words on a page by just saying them aloud. To do this, you can record a voice note using your phone and then transcribe the voice recording manually. Or you can use an application like Otter or even Google Doc's voice typing tool.

You can supercharge this process by using the outcomes of your planning step to create questions that you want your writing to answer. You can then order these questions based on your outline, and then use voice typing, a voice-to-text app, or transcription to record someone interviewing you with the questions so that you can capture your answers as written words. If you don't have someone available to interview you, you can interview yourself. Having these transcribed thoughts is a great starting point for your first draft.

📺 Watch the video to learn how to use Google Doc's in-built voice typing tool.

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References

Davis, Kenneth. (2010). The McGraw-Hill 36-Hour Course: Business Writing and Communication, Second Edition. McGraw Hill.

Gill, CM (2014). Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond. Writer's Digest Books.

University of Minnesota. (2015). Writing for Success. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing.