9 Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Writing
“Ugh, I have to write blog posts?”
When I’m working with new clients, one of the recommendations I often make in their plan is to start writing! Start writing emails, blog posts, newsletters. But just making this suggestion can instill a huge amount of fear and anguish in people.
“I can’t think of anything to write about?”
“I’m boring. No one wants to read my stuff.”
“I can’t come up with things to write about every week! There is just no way”.
“Why do we need a blog? We have a website!”
“I am a terrible writer!”
These are actual comments from some of my clients over the years. Do you recognize your own voice?
Most of them come from their fear of writing.
“How do I overcome the fear of writing?”
The first step in overcoming your fear is to understand why writing is so important. Even if you suck at it.
I’ve been a marketer for a very very long time. And there is one thing that has always remained constant – people buy from people. Not brands. They want to hear YOUR voice. Something that they can relate to. I’ve been preaching this for years to anyone who will listen.
People buy from people.
If you really want to hire a copywriter, I suggest you hire them to write the other stuff on your website – your sales page, your ‘about you’ page etc.
But I insist you write your own blog posts. It gives your readers a peek into your world and can establish you as a thought leader. It is a place to share your opinion and knowledge, and can also be very therapeutic! Let people get to know you, trust you and like you so they’ll be more inclined to buy from you.
So now we know why it’s important for you to write some of your own content, let’s work on overcoming the fear!
9 Tips for Overcoming Your Fear of Writing:
- Create a simple outline of the topic and what you want to say
Before you start writing, outline what you want the content to focus on. The topic, a headline, and what you want the reader to take away with them. What will they learn from the piece? (I call this the ‘What’s in it for me?’ focus. The reader is going to invest their time in reading your content, so what’s in it for them?)
- Don’t worry about what other people will think!
It is so easy for us to use this as an excuse not to write. But when it comes down to it, people aren’t going to critique your writing skills. And let’s say they do – who cares? You’re not doing this to please everyone, but to share your knowledge and opinion with people who ARE interested. Ignore the rest. You probably won’t want to work with them anyway.
- Remove all distractions
It is so easy to become distracted. Client calls, emails, Facebook! It is even easier when you have angst about writing. I find it best to remove all other distractions by shutting down all browser windows, closing my email, and turning my phone upside down (so I can’t see the screen). And just write…
- Don’t try to edit it as you’re writing it
If you try to edit your writing as you write, it can block your creative flow. So take the time to get it all out of your head, and then go back and polish it up.
- Know who the content is for
If you understand your audience, then your content should fit into their audience (or customer) journey. How will it help your specific audience answer their questions, solve their problems or enhance their lives in some way? Speak to them, in the language they will understand. Leave the jargon and ‘corporate speak’ out of it.
- Focus on the future, not the now
When fear creeps in and starts to interrupt your creative flow, focus on the end result of your content writing. How it will look when its finished. How exciting it is to share with your audience and the relief you got it done!.
- Don’t try to perfect it
This is one of my own issues and fears. I am a perfectionist and had to learn how to just let it be. It is ok if it isn’t perfect. As long as it is accurate and true, then the little errors I might make in spelling or grammar are not important. Learn to be ‘ok’ with imperfection.
- Get into a schedule
If you schedule your writing time and commit to it, then it will be much easier for you to make it happen. Block of time every week to create your blog posts, newsletters and emails. Just block off however long it takes for you to write your content. Make it happen.
- What’s the worst that can happen?
One of my favorite mantra’s is “What’s the worst that can happen”? If you use a little care, a good editing tool (like Grammarly or Hemmingway) and just start writing, what IS the worst that can happen? Just do it. See what happens!
Sonya Schweitzer
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!