The benefits of having a business blog or eNewsletter are nearly endless — but trying to write and coordinate all that content can be overwhelming. Writer’s block is the kryptonite of content marketing. Sometimes, no matter how great your intentions are to get something on paper, the words just won’t come.

Writer’s block faces anyone who needs to put words to a page, from authors writing books to executives sending emails. Sometimes, a simple thing like a blog post can derail you for hours.

How do you overcome writer’s block? Here are some helpful tips:

1. Take notes. The best place for inspiration for writing about your business is … well, your business. Carry a notebook at work or use a notes application on your phone to jot down little ideas you have over the course of your day. Then when you need a quick idea to jump start a post or article, you have a ready collection.
2. Outline. When you know what you want to write but can’t quite seem to get it on the page, try starting with an outline. Start with general ideas, and then refine them into smaller points. Then all you have to do is turn bullet points into sentences — which is much less daunting than writing a post from scratch!
3. Free write. Sometimes just putting the first few words on the page is the hardest part. Try free writing to lead yourself into the topic. Later, you can go back and cut out any parts that are off-topic, leaving only the concise, valuable text that makes a good article.
4. Allow yourself to draft. American novelist Jane Smiley said, “Every first draft is perfect, because all it has to do is exist.” Many people struggle to write because they expect their first draft to be perfect. You can’t edit until you have some writing to deal with, so don’t be afraid to write something mediocre or even flat-out bad, as long as that means you have a draft to work on and improve later.
5. Come at it from a different angle. If nothing is working and you just can’t start writing a piece, then try starting in a different place. Write the conclusion first, or start with a bulleted list that can go somewhere in the middle. Then you can work backwards to fill in the gaps.

Writer’s block is an extremely common problem, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy fix, or a quick one. Writer’s block can be time consuming and frustrating. It is something many writers spend their whole lives trying to learn how to beat. But you don’t have to waste another second staring at your screen!

Here at Proven Systems, we’ve developed an organized and streamlined method of creating content that is immune to writer’s block. Our team of skilled writers and editors always has something to great to say about our clients. Blog posts go live on a regular schedule and newsletters send on time. So if still you can’t get your keyboard to make magic happen after following these steps, give us a call. We’ll find the words to make your content marketing program stand out.

Having trouble getting your newsletter out on time? Is your blog waiting on posts that may never get written? Proven Systems can get you back on track! Tell us about your biggest content marketing challenges.