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How do you write when you're not in the mood?

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WordyWordpecker
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How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by WordyWordpecker »

I’ve been a writer for about 5 years and sometimes I still have a hard time getting started with a piece of content.

How do other writers get motivated when the words won’t come? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you 🙂
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by SARubin »

For me, one of the best methods to get past writers block is to just start writing. Once I get started it’s easier to keep going.

I guess we could sum it up to Newton’s first law of motion – a.k.a. “the law of inertia”. An object at rest tends to stay at rest, and it’s easier for an object in motion to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

There’s an article in the “copywriting articles” section of this forum showing one technique you might want to try…


The A to Z Method of Eliminating Writers Block
A good marketer knows how to think like a marketer - A great marketer learns how to think like the customer...
SARubin - Direct Response Copywriter / Conversion Flow Expert
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by WordyWordpecker »

Thanks! Your A to Z method is pretty cool, and it actually helped!!!

Any other ways that you know of?
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by Rhonda »

WordyWordpecker wrote: October 15th, 2019, 1:22 pm How do other writers get motivated when the words won’t come? Any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you 🙂
I don’t often get writers block, but when I do it helps if I think about what I want to write, and then take a short break while holding this thought in my mind. I might go outside for a breath of fresh air, or do some light housework for ten minutes. This usually helps me clear the pathway for creativity.

Another thing that helps is to read other articles about the topic I wish to write about. This will sometimes give me a starting point for ideas and inspiration.

The main thing is to not let writers block discourage you. It’s only temporary.

Rhonda –
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by WordyWordpecker »

This is great!!! Thank you!
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by Franklin »

I usually look at trending content on the subject, and that gives me a place to start. Then I try to make my content better than everyone else’s, or at least throw a different spin on it.
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by LuanaSpinetti »

If I’m stuck because I can’t find the voice or I’m in a bad mood, I use two methods (sequentially, or one of the two according to the situation):

1. Read something in the mood/voice I want to feel/convey. If that’s conversational, witty copy, then that’s exactly what I’m going to read! And there are tons of blogs and papers out there on the Web to serve the purpose.

2. Start my copy with a very personal “Dear Reader…” that puts me in the mood of writing a letter to a friend, empathy and all that jazz.

Both work, in my experience.
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by dfarrimond »

Rhonda wrote: October 20th, 2019, 11:54 am I don’t often get writers block, but when I do
Rhonda,

I couldn’t help but want to throw up that meme featuring the Dos Equis actor, Jonathon Goldsmith. ☺️

Instead — perhaps we could have one featuring you and your ‘I don’t often get writer’s block’ quote!

Well played my new friend…🤣

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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by dfarrimond »

Wordy…

It’s gotta be one of the worst feelings when you’re stuck and can’t find one word to get past that blank page with the flashing cursor!

One of my personal favorite ways to break free from writers block is to start off writing by hand. Freeform writing isn’t about writing perfectly crafted prose.

The idea is that you just put pen to paper and begin to write, not editing any of what you put down, just allow your thoughts to flow from brain to fingertips to pencil to paper.

Here’s a great article on how it works and why. Though it’s an article that seems to be geared towards writers of fiction. I promise it’s a fantastic technique for us copywriters as well 🙂

https://writingcooperative.com/the-bene ... d7a5940e34

(forgive me if you have to copy/paste that link—I’m new to the forum and still figure it all out🤔)

Best of luck…hope this helps!

Debra
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by MikeyWrites »

One thing I do is start writing absolute stream of consciousness. Use an open like in Leaving Las Vegas or something…

“We were somewhere out past the county line when we saw the body.” or similar and just write gibberish that doesn’t have to make a story, create a real paragraph or anything else. It just lubes up the vocabulary machine and gets the synapses firing.

Also, just google something related to what you’re planning to write and you’ll find a ton of ways to start the open, even if you change it later.

You can read the stuff you’ve done that you’ve liked the best over again, several pieces, to get your brain in that mode again.
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by WordyWordpecker »

Thanks guys!!!

All of your help is very much appreciated 😆
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Re: How do you write when you're not in the mood?

Post by Rhonda »

dfarrimond wrote: December 10th, 2019, 11:27 pm Rhonda,

I couldn’t help but want to throw up that meme featuring the Dos Equis actor, Jonathon Goldsmith. ☺️

Instead — perhaps we could have one featuring you and your ‘I don’t often get writer’s block’ quote!

Well played my new friend…🤣

Debra
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