As business owners, we know we should be producing content. But let’s be real…
Sometimes we are not inspired to write. Sometimes we stare at a blank page for hours.
Sometimes we cry.
In 2020, I set a goal of posting two blogs a month…and I made it. Technically, one month I posted three and another month I only posted one, but I am counting it as a win! The twice a month goal continues into 2021. I didn’t make it last month and I am letting it go. Thanks to a little reframing I did in March!
Here are three things that help me write, even when I am uninspired.
1) I give myself permission to word vomit
Very rarely do I write a blog from start to finish in one sitting. Especially if I am uninspired. So, I give myself permission to write only the beginning of a blog, a rough outline, a few ideas on a topic, or a list of “top 7 things” that I will fill in later.
Most of the time I have five or six partially finished blogs in my writing folder. This helps me capture ideas when they are flowing and have a starting point for writing (or editing) when they are not.
Having the ability to keep things moving forward, even if I didn’t have a lot to show for it, has been critical to staying engaged and on target with my goal.
2) I give myself permission to plan more
Instead of my blog writing time only being about writing, I give myself permission to plan.
This is different than the “word vomit” idea above. It is truly about planning. I look ahead to what is coming up in my business, what season we are in, what problems have been coming up for multiple clients etc., and create a list of blog ideas.
Another approach I have taken is to make a list of topics that I use as headers: networking, time-management, personal development, and so on.
Then under each header, I write as many ideas as possible. For example, under networking I added things like how to network, how to follow-up after a networking meeting, listening skills for networking, networking is not just about selling, honing your pitch, connecting your network, etc. These are great starting points for when I am feeling inspired to write.
3) I give myself permission to have short blogs
Some topics or ideas lend themselves to longer blog posts. But when I am uninspired and need to get something posted TODAY, I give myself permission to make a short blog post.
To help with this, I will copy something I wrote on LinkedIn that received good interaction, fluff it up a little, and, boom. Blog. Post. Done.
While blog writing can be daunting at times, it has also been a great help in crystallizing my thoughts and sharing ideas with a larger community.
The discipline of getting something out twice a month has helped me to consistently reflect on my business in a way I have grown to appreciate.
Even when I am uninspired.
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Hi, my name is Amy and I am a small business coach with Amy Lynne Coaching. I love to help solos, freelancers and small business owners turn their skill set into a business. While I am located in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, MN, I work with people all over the world thanks to the magic of the internet.
Interested in learning more? Schedule a 30-minute call with me here!
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