Do You Get Stuck When Writing Emails and Proposals?

Whether it's a proposal, Web site copy, or an important email, most soloists experience writer's block at some point. For this week's Working Solo Minute, I asked writer and marketing consultant Kathy Magrino, president of The Write Way, to share some tips on overcoming writer's block. I now turn it over to Kathy...

At some point in time, we all get “writer’s block” -- especially when we’re working solo. Whether your writing project is big or small, you might find the following tips helpful for overcoming writer’s block. These ideas have worked for me over the years:

1. Change your setting or environment.
Sometimes I tote my laptop over to the local Barnes & Noble or Starbucks (my "satellite offices," as I refer to both locations). Or, I head to the beach with pencil and paper in tow. A change in your setting can inspire you to write.

2. Take a break.
Walking away from your writing project and your workspace physically gives you distance between you and your writing deadlines. Just be sure to schedule your break. For example, take a 30-minute break and commit to returning to your writing project when the break is over.

3. Do something productive, yet totally unrelated.
If you work from a home office, do your laundry (this always works for me). Or pick up the phone and make the doctor’s appointment you’ve been meaning to make for weeks. Being productive seems to snowball into more productivity, so you’ll be more likely to get moving with your writing.

4. Do something unproductive.
Watch a TV show, take a few minutes to sit outside in the fresh air, or take a nap. (But don’t forget to set the alarm clock!) Sometimes the most unproductive activities can be refreshing for a change, and can inspire you to take action and write.

5. Make a To-Do list.
Things you “have to do,” whether these tasks are related to work or your personal time, may be weighing you down and causing your writer’s block. The act of writing something -- anything -- can sometimes trigger the writing process and “unblock” you.

As the people at Nike would say, “Just do it!” I say, “Just write!”

Thanks for sharing these tips, Kathy. For more on Kathy's work as a writer and marketing consultant, visit her company, The Write Way, or follow her on Twitter (@kathymagrino).

-- Terri Lonier
Founder, WorkingSolo.com

P.S. This weekend I'll be joining hundreds of WordPress-loving bloggers and developers at WordCamp NYC 2009. Details here. If you go, I hope we connect.

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Why I Keep an Acorn on My Desk