What are you writing about? Whether it’s a short story or business document, what is it that you’re trying to communicate? What is your point? What is your story?
In some ways these should be easy questions to answer. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. You may have a general concept or feeling in your head…but little in the way of specifics. For instance, a family gathering triggered an emotion, something you recognize as having felt many times earlier, and you want to write about that. Or you just got back from a tremendous vacation in a country you’ve never been to before, and you want to explore what that felt like.
Sit down with your laptop, though, and you quickly realize you’re not entirely clear what it is–exactly and precisely–you’re trying to say.
First off, it’s OK to be unclear at this stage of the game. When you’re starting out on a writing project, whether you’re a novice or have years of experience, I find it’s best to hold off on any judgement. And since the person we most often judge against is ourselves, it’s time to go easy here. You want to avoid any mental roadblocks at this point, you want allow the words to flow as freely as possible. Remember the rules of brainstorming? It’s a safe zone, anyone can speak up, and there are no bad ideas.
I find that, once you set aside expectations and get some actual words onto paper, that’s when you begin to get a clearer sense of purpose–that whole ‘what I want to say’ business. It sounds hippy-dippy, but really, let the words guide you, even if it’s just one word at a time.
Think of it as putting one foot in front of the other, and seeing where that leads. It’s like you’re out on a walk, unsure of where exactly you want to go, knowing only that you need to get out of the house and spend some time outside. You start for the park, and then wham, suddenly an hour later you’re all the way across town, sitting outside at a cafe with an iced cappuccino. And damn if it doesn’t feel right.
You didn’t set out on your walk expecting to wind up at that cafe. You weren’t thinking about coffee. And you hadn’t expected to spend more than 10 or 15 minutes on that walk. But here you are.
Writing can be like that. One word in front of the other, one small step at a time, and before you know it, you are on your way into a story. You’re having dinner at that cafe, or meeting a friend for a movie after, or deciding spur of the moment to take that weekend road trip to New Hampshire you’ve been thinking about for months. And it’s all thanks to those simple small steps, and letting yourself take that journey–no expectations, no judgement, moving just one word at a time.