It’s true – writing is my great love in life (or rather, it’s how I express my love for life).
AND…
After writing and publishing 11 books, working with 1000’s of authors to birth manuscripts, producing social media content for more than a decade, editing books for high profile leaders like Dr John Demartini, winning awards for a blog, and writing what is probably billions of words so far in my life, I’ve definitely discovered tips that help me to get into the writing FLOW!
In other words, that delicious state where the words “fall out of you” onto the page and your fingers can’t move fast enough to type all the magic that’s present inside your mind.
It’s been critical for me to master this – not just for my calling as a writer, but for my business as a whole.
That state of writing flow is powerful for producing ANYTHING in text: sales copy, articles, social media posts, letters to clients, documents, books, and so much more.
So… here are my five most ‘frequently used’ tips for tuning in to the creative zone where the words are abundant.
1. TIME BLOCKING
Time-blocking is an invaluable productivity hack that I learned back in 2015. Put simply, it means grouping similar tasks together in time blocks e.g. Administration, marketing work, client coaching calls. During that time-block, you only focus on that one type of task and NOTHING else (no distractions).
I use this extensively for any creative project, including my writing. If it’s time-blocked, it gets done. If it’s not, it gets pushed to the side (I learned that lesson fast when I founded my company and life became far busier).
Typically, I time-block at least 1-4 hours at a time for my writing, depending what I’m producing. If I’m writing an article, it takes me under an hour. If I’m writing a sub-chapter for a book, I take the full 4 hours.
If I am creatively ‘stuck’ or simply wanting to make significant headway on a book manuscript, I’ll time block entire days, entire weeks, or entire months (like when I travelled to London for 3.5 weeks in 2018 to focus on Born Great).
Some of my clients time-block 1 hour a day for their books, others time-block a whole weekend.
Regardless of the length of the time-block, scheduling “chunks” of time for writing WORKS in getting the words down on the page.
2. ENVIRONMENT
I engage with and use my environment to aid my writing flow. If I’m uninspired or uncomfortable in my environment, I move – because there’s no sense in struggling against what’s around me when I’m trying to write.
I usually write in cafes, hotel lobbies, and airports (my favourite). I will also write at home. As well as choosing where I am physically, I also pay attention to the smaller aspects of my environment, such as the music I’m listening to, the clothes I’m wearing (gym tights are the best writing companion), the lighting (candlelight often works), and how hot or cold it is.
When these elements are lined up, I slip into the writing zone with far more ease. In other words, use what is around you to access what is WITHIN you.
3. SINGULAR FOCUS
Writing can feel or seem like an overwhelming task. In fact, the most common struggle the authors I work with have is “Where do I begin?”.
This is where the principle of a singular focus (and the power of creating a proper outline for a book) kicks in to high gear.
When I sit down to write, I pick ONE focus for that session. For example: write an article sharing the 5 tips on getting into the writing flow (see what I did there?). Or, produce the first draft of a sub-chapter for my book manuscript.
I don’t jump around or try to write 2 things at once. Instead, I give my full focus, attention, energy and heart to the ONE piece I’m writing.
This not only helps me to get traction (words on paper) but also significantly improves the quality of my writing. This singular focus helps me to dive deeply into what I want to say and discover stories and insights that I didn’t know were in me.
4. SINGULAR READER
It’s far from a new concept, but it’s a powerful one: picking a reader to focus on when you are writing.
When you know who you are talking to and what you want to say, it amplifies the power of your writing. The energy behind your message is enhanced, and you will never run out of content.
Focusing on a single reader when I write enables me to draw on the following questions whenever I get stuck or run into writers block:
— What do I most want to share with this person?
— How else can I explain that to this person?
— What story or wisdom can I write that will help them?
Focusing on the reader also helps me to feel connected with the reader – which makes my writing journey less lonely and my content more profound in the end.
5. FOCUS ON THE MESSAGE
Too many people hesitate in the writing process (or avoid it altogether) because they’re worried about whether their writing is ‘good’. In fact, the first question authors often ask me when we review their manuscripts sounds something like this: “Is my writing terrible?”
But here’s the thing: being overly concerned about whether your grammar and punctuation is perfect WHILE you are writing will only slow you down – and pull you OUT of the writing flow completely.
Yes, grammar and punctuation are important, and the thing to remember as you tap away at your keyboard is that editors and proof-readers exist for a reason! They will help you to polish your words once you’ve written them.
So, instead of over-thinking and criticizing your use of the English language as you write, focus on the MESSAGE you want to share instead.
If you do that – become ONE and deeply present with what you want to say most – then writers block will give way to writers flow. The words will pour out of you with greater ease, and you will enjoy the process of writing so much more.
(I’ve also found that writing produced in an inspired state like this requires less editing and is more enjoyable to read)
SO… let go and let the words flow!!
