One of the reasons why we sometimes get stuck in our writing is that we see how much there is left to do.

Let’s say you’re writing a 750-word blog post. You would typically write this in sections—an introduction, two or three main points, and a call to action. So really, this is a collection of pieces that are somewhere between 100-200 words each.

You would normally outline the piece, then start writing a first draft at the introduction, progressing through until you write the call to action.

You can have trouble getting motivated when you see how much there is left to do. One way to break this cycle is to start at the end and work your way backward. Write the call to action first, then the main points from last to first, then the introduction. If you have outlined the material ahead of time, this shouldn’t be a problem.

When you write backward, so to speak, you interrupt your normal writing pattern and feel a new sense of creative energy. You don’t have a clear sense of how much you have left, and it reduces your tendency to feel distracted.

For example, I usually produce these podcast episodes in batches of one or two weeks at a time. Most of the time, I will write the last one first, then work backward until I have the first one finished.

It’s a simple way to give yourself a different writing pattern and add new energy to the process. In other words, going backward can help you go forward.

Today’s Challenge: Give the “writing backward” strategy a try on your next piece of writing.

The post The Productive Writer: Write Backward appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

Today’s perspective is that almost everything is a draft. Here’s what I mean: one of the reasons we get creatively hung up is that we want everything we do to be perfect. We’re afraid of judgment, of what people will think.

So, we get stuck in this endless cycle of always starting things but never finishing and publishing them because of this idea that everything we create is the final version of that thing.

I believe the opposite: almost everything you create is just a draft, a work-in-progress, of a more final version later on.

Books are really the only thing that should exist in some type of “final” form because it’s impossible to go back and change print books. But even those are not necessarily “final” because you can always update the ebook and audiobook versions, or you can release a new edition of a book.

I consider almost everything I create to be a draft. Podcast episodes, newsletters, email, social media posts, teaching sessions in my Daily Writer Club… I work to make all of those as good as I can, but I will change and update that material for other formats. The book is the format that needs to have the highest level of editing and excellence.

So don’t get hung up on the things you’re creating. Just do your best, reach for excellence, then hit publish and move on.

Question: Do you get hung up on trying to be a perfectionist?

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Why don’t people finish goals that are important them?

There are probably many answers to that question, but an obvious reason is that they simply get tired and don’t see a lot of discernible progress toward the goal. Take writing a book, for example. If you tend to be a perfectionist, writing a book can take a very long time because you’re trying to both write and edit as you go. It’s easy to get discouraged and just quit.

I know because it’s happened to me. Once I spent a couple of years working on a book, compiled literally 150 pages of notes . . . yet never finished the book. It’s very easy to do when you’re trying to make it perfect.

Instead, we should take John Steinbeck’s advice about first drafts. He said, “Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on.”

Once you have outlined your book, try to get the first draft done as fast as possible. This will give you incredible momentum because it’s easier to work on a book that is complete. You will have a sense of accomplishment and motivation because you have something whole you can work with, and you can see the big picture of the book.

Daily Question: Thinking about your current book project, how fast could you get it done if you really pushed yourself?

The post This Will Give You Incredible Momentum appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

One of the reasons why we sometimes get stuck in our writing is that we see how much there is left to do.

Let’s say you’re writing a 750-word blog post. You would typically write this in sections—an introduction, two or three main points, and a conclusion or call to action. So really, this is a collection of pieces that are somewhere between 100-200 words each.

You would normally outline the piece, then start writing a first draft at the introduction, progressing through until you write the conclusion or call to action.

You can have trouble getting motivated when you see how much there is left to do. One way to break this cycle is to start at the end and work your way backward. Write the conclusion first, then the main points from last to first, then the introduction. If you have outlined the material ahead of time, this shouldn’t be a problem.

When you write backward, so to speak, you interrupt your normal writing pattern and feel a new sense of creative energy. You don’t have a clear sense of how much you have left, and it reduces your tendency to feel distracted.

For example, I usually produce these podcast episodes in batches of one or two weeks at a time. Many times, I will write the last one first, then work backwards until I have the first one finished. It’s a simple way to give yourself a different writing pattern and add a new energy to the process. In other words, going backward can help you go forward.

Daily Question: How could writing backward help you get your new writing piece done faster?

The post Go Backward to Go Forward appeared first on Daily Writer | Essential Habits for Impact & Influence.

One of the most important lessons we can ever learn as writers is that good writing happens in stages. Whenever you read a great book chapter, blog post, screenplay, or speech, it did not begin that way.

It was most likely outlined, drafted, revised, and edited—probably several times—before it took its final shape. This is the way almost all good writing, as well as all good art, is created.

Take the Beatles, for example. In the years since the Beatles made their original recordings in the 1960s, there have been lots of behind-the-scenes albums released that show how their songs progressed in stages.

The 2018 re-release of “The White Album” included the legendary Esher Demos, which were recorded at George Harrison’s house in Esher, about a half hour’s drive southwest of London.

During these sessions, the Beatles recorded an early version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” It’s quite a bit faster and much more stripped down than the final version that was included on the album. But through the process of rewriting, arranging, and perfecting the song over time, it eventually became something truly majestic.

This is a pattern all great creatives seem to follow. The great William Faulkner spoke to the truth when he said, “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it’s the only way you can do anything really good.”

We’d be hard-pressed to say any of the Beatles’ early demos were bad, but they were definitely improved by the continual process of revision. The same process holds true for all artists, including writers. The first version is not the final version. You’ve got to just get down a first draft and then keep working on it from there.

It has been said that 10% of good writing is inspiration, while 90% is perspiration. That sounds about right. Just get the words down and keep working on it. You’ll get better and faster over time.

If you want to be good, you have to first be willing to be bad.

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