Overcoming the Blank Page: My Three-Step Writing Ritual
| A structured approach to beating writer's block and generating consistent, quality content.
The Myth of Inspiration
Many people wait for a bolt of inspiration before they write. Professional writers know that inspiration is a visitor, and you need to be at your desk when it arrives. I use a simple, repeatable ritual to force creativity on demand.
Step 1: The Brain Dump (10 Minutes)
I start by typing everything—and I mean everything—related to the topic without censoring or editing. This is raw thought, bullet points, half-sentences, and tangents. The goal is to evacuate the scattered ideas from my mind and onto the screen, freeing up mental RAM.
Step 2: The Structural Skeleton (5 Minutes)
I then take the brain dump and organize it into a simple, logical outline. I use three core headings: Introduction/Hook, Main Points (2-3), and Conclusion/Call to Action. This gives the chaotic thoughts a visible roadmap.
Step 3: Write Fast, Edit Slow (The Deep Work Block)
With the structure in place, I write the first draft quickly, ignoring typos, grammar, and sentence elegance. The goal of Draft 1 is to capture the idea. The goal of Draft 2 (which happens later, sometimes the next day) is to clean up the language. Separating these two modes—Creation and Critique—is the key to continuous output.