How many people find writing easy? Probably not that many. Those who do find it easy have simply adopted various techniques to make writing feel more manageable. The following five tips share some of those techniques to help make any writing task feel more achievable.
Tip 1 — Habits Beat Motivation
Jim Ryun, former Olympic track and field athlete, is widely credited with the observation that motivation is what gets you started, while habit is what keeps you going. If enthusiasm for a project has faded quickly in the past, the habit supporting it was probably not well designed.
Motivation alone will not get a report or website copy written — but a well-designed habit will. Writing is the output of a habit. The focus needs to be on the inputs so that the writing becomes an inevitable result. Inputs include things such as:
- Being realistic about the time of day you write best
- Being realistic about how long you can write for in one session
- Adding time blocks to your calendar, marking out the periods you will spend writing and setting your intention to write
Quality inputs equal quality outputs. Adopting this approach will make everything start to feel more manageable.
Tip 2 — Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan
Norman Vincent Peale's advice to plan your work carefully and then work to that plan is as relevant for writers as it is for anyone else. Begin by writing down all the actions you need to complete to reach the end of your writing project. A typical approach could include:
- Establishing the message
- Defining who the audience is and any call to action you want the reader to take
- Researching ideas — looking for existing angles you can build on, thinking critically, and considering what challenges your own thoughts and ideas
- Outlining the beginning, middle, and end
- Editing and proofreading
Then divide your time across those tasks, being realistic about how long you will spend on each one — in line with the habit principles in Tip 1.
Tip 3 — Show Up and Start
Do not underestimate the importance of simply sitting down at your desk or writing area. Most people do not even make it that far. Once you are there, start writing.
If you look at your plan of action and your mind goes blank, write absolutely anything that comes into your mind. It does not have to make sense. This type of writing warms up the mind and body to writing and will, perhaps surprisingly, lead quite naturally into the writing task you have set yourself for the day.
When you get into a more focused writing draft, write freely and more quickly than feels comfortable. Leave in spelling mistakes or sentences that do not quite make sense — they give you something to work on the next time you come back to your desk.
Tip 4 — Remove Distractions
Having your phone nearby or multiple windows open on your computer screen can pull your attention away from writing. Each time you feel the temptation to be distracted — and it will happen frequently at the start — ask yourself: what do you want to see happen next? The answer is, of course, writing.
Taking a moment to remove the thought of picking up your phone or making a cup of tea, and replacing it with thinking about writing, is as useful as writing itself and will steer you back on track.
Tip 5 — Do Not Aim for Perfection
Sport psychologist Robert Kriegel has found that aiming for around 90% perfection is a more productive approach than striving for the absolute ideal. In research involving athletes, those who were tense and tight during practice runs improved their performance when they were encouraged to work at a slightly reduced intensity. The same principle applies to writing — aiming for perfection will set you up to fail. Allowing yourself to produce something imperfect first, and then refine it, will produce better results.
How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey
Writing skills — from report writing and copywriting to structured business communication — are developed and assessed throughout Professional Academy's qualifications. Assignments and case studies form the core of the assessment approach across CIM, ISP, and CMI programmes, giving learners the opportunity to practise and refine their writing in a professional context.
Whether you are considering a CIM marketing qualification, a sales qualification, or a management qualification, Professional Academy offers a supportive learning environment with over 27 years of experience in professional training.
To find out more, explore the full range of professional qualifications or book an advice call at a time to suit you.
