Imagine this- You are sitting in front of your computer. You have a great idea for a blog post. You think it could make you and your blog very popular – get links from A-list bloggers and hundreds of retweets.
You cannot control the excitement. You want to start working on the best blog post idea you have ever come up with. But something in your mind doesn’t let you do it.
You say to yourself: “Well, let me tweet for some time and write the post once my mind is free and in the mood to write.”
I’m sorry to disappoint you because that moment, which you are waiting for, is not going to come any sooner.
8 Techniques to Set Your Mind to Write Stunning Articles in 2024
If you decide to tweet for some time, there is only “one thing you should tweet at that moment, and I’ll get to that ‘tweet’ a little later.
Now, back to imagination…
You start tweeting, but you never write the post. What do you do then? Well, there’s always a tomorrow right? At least that’s what your mind says.
Self-talk: “I will surely write the post tomorrow – first thing in the morning. I won’t check my mail, I won’t open Tweetdeck, and I will never play a game until I finish the post.”
The next morning, you get up, and the first thing you probably do is check your mail.
Alright, back to reality, which is probably the same as you imagined (;))
Now, I’m telling you all this because I have been there, and I still experience it occasionally. I’m no productivity expert.
The techniques that you are going to learn in this post are the ones that I use whenever I feel like “I will write tomorrowâ€. ‘
And a little more…
I don’t intend to waste your time. I value time as much as you do. So I’ll tell you about these seven methods straight away. Here they are:
1. Set Up an Egg Timer and Start Writing in the Dark Room
Dark Room (for Windows only) is software, by the way. Check out Write Room for Mac.
Sometimes, you have a small starting problem. On those occasions, this method will work perfectly.
Go to Egg Timer website and set it to 20 minutes. Open the Dark Room software.
Now, start writing the post. And even if you cannot start, do anything but stare at the empty screen for 20 minutes.
You will probably start writing something at least by the 10-minute mark.
This method is so simple, and it works. Both Egg Timer and Dark Room are completely free.
2. Read a Success Story
There are tons of them out there. Read blog posts that teach you how to grow 6500+ subscribers or posts that explain how the author earned $20,683.09 in blog revenue.
These stories inspire you to start blogging. What I do is I bookmark posts like these and read them when I don’t feel like blogging.
I read Success stories whenever I feel like, “I don’t want to start this blog post. I will write it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow or next week or maybe never”
You can also read success stories about blogging in general. Go to Hubspot blog and search for (or use tag browser) keywords like:
1. “How we grew”
2. “We increased”
You will find tons of success stories like these:
This method is different from the first one because instead of getting inspiration and motivation, you read about what others did to succeed.
I use this method sometimes when I get overwhelmed by blogging or feel like giving up.
The best thing about success stories is that they are written by real people who succeeded in blogging, not some fake guru.
3. Read a Previously Received Compliment
You’ve probably received positive comments or compliments from your readers at some point. Go and read them. I’m very sure they will inspire you.
You can use Twitter creatively here. When someone sends a positive comment about you, favourite the tweet by clicking the star icon near that tweet.
This will save it to your favourites. You can read it whenever you want.
This is one way Twitter can help us beat procrastination. I’ll teach you the second way now. (I said there are two ways, right?)
4. Send Out a Tweet That You’ll Publish a Post Today
Remember that I told you you should not start tweeting when you don’t feel like writing unless that tweet is a ‘particular tweet’?
Here it is: “Gotta go and write now. I Will publish a post today.”
You can reword it in whatever way you want as long as you are saying to your followers that you will publish a post today.
This works. Guaranteed. Why?
Because you are actually saying to the world that you will write, you can escape it when you say only in your mind.
But you will feel guilty when you don’t publish a post after saying that you will write one today to all your followers.
They might not ask you about it if you don’t write a post, but they will know.
5. Start Reading Headlines
Some of the top copywriters use this technique. Brian Clark uses it for inspiration. Michael Martine uses it for headlines.
And so do many other bloggers and copywriters.
The best thing about reading headlines is that they not only help you come up with blog post ideas but also help you write.
They trigger your “love for writing.”
I have headline swipe files that I often browse through for inspiration. You should create one, too.
It’s simple and doesn’t cost you a penny. Just save all the stunning headlines that you come across in a file.
6. Write a List Post
List posts are the best way to start blogging when you don’t feel like writing anything.
I know it may sound counterintuitive, but when I started blogging, list posts gave me an opportunity to practice my writing skills even when I didn’t want to write.
I have made list posts as my default posts for months. Why? I don’t know.
I just liked the idea of making a list post every time I didn’t feel like writing anything else.
It helped me to write regularly and come up with ideas that I otherwise couldn’t think about.
7. Watch a Video… An Inspiring One
When I say video, don’t watch just about anything.
There are just too many good videos, which will keep you occupied for a long time and might never allow you to return to writing.
Watch only the inspiring ones. I recommend watching the below Gary Vaynerchuk’s video:
I don’t know why, but every time Gary says “hustle,” my blood pressure pumps up—and you will feel it, too. He is charismatic.
I have it downloaded to a computer’s hard drive so that I don’t need to go to YouTube every time.
Finally…If all this doesn’t help you start writing the post, here’s what:
Okay, not necessarily this post. Go to any blog – your favourite blog – and comment on a blog post.
When you post a comment, you actually break that “I don’t feel like writing” obstacle and dive into the creative zone.
Your brain starts to open up and you will feel the need to quickly write down your thoughts in a paper.
I’m telling you this from experience, and I’m quite sure you have experienced it before when commenting on a blog post.
And, if the blog is your favourite one, you will be giving them something, too.
Give it a try. It works for me every time.
Quick Links:
- Tasks New Bloggers Need To Accomplish Before Writing a Word
- Key Elements of Writing Great Headlines
- Types of Blog Posts People Love To Read
- Ultimate List of Blogging Statistics and Facts
Conclusion: Techniques to Write Stunning Articles in 2024
So…You have a stunning idea for a blog post, and you are struggling to start writing.
It’s all in your mind. Just follow one of the above seven techniques. You’ll be halfway through the next best blog post in no time at all.
How do you stop procrastinating and start writing? Do you have any special techniques?
Please post a comment here or write a whole blog post about it, and let me know.
Please share your views in the comments. I would appreciate it if you could tweet this post and spread the word.