Daphne Gray-Grant knows writing. As a Publications Coach she works with corporate writers who want to do their work faster and better. So we know she’s faced writer’s block.

If you’re a blogger, a business owner, or a writer of any type, I don’t have to explain to you what writer’s block is. You’ve almost certainly had it. I know I have. And Daphne’s suggestions have helped me work through the blocks when they come.

Daphne’s not blogging yet and so she’s graciously allowed me to reprint her article, Twenty Best Ways To Beat Writer’s Block, which went out on her newsletter the past couple of weeks. Both of us hope you gain from it. Enjoy

Twenty Best Ways To Beat Writer’s Block

1. Write something else. Most of us who write professionally have a hierarchy of horribleness. That is, we know which projects are going to be a little bit awful and which ones will be tremendously awful. My advice? Start with a less awful one. Procrastination, yes, but it’s productive procrastination. (You’ll be happier to face the Project of Doom once you have a bit of good writing under your belt.).
2. Ask a series of questions. Stuck? Instead of writing your article or report in the “normal” way, brainstorm a list of questions your readers are most likely to wonder about. Then answer them. This may take only minor editing to turn into the “real” report or article.
3. Write an email. This is a variant on the old trick of pretending to write to a friend. But verisimilitude is important. To maintain the “this isn’t really work” illusion, you must write your piece in the body of an email. (Just use “move block” to copy it into a word processing document when you’re done.)
4. Change your setting. We all get bored and stuck in ruts. You may be dreading writing because you’re dreading your office. So move to another room. Try the kitchen table or the cafeteria. Or decamp to a coffee shop. It worked for J.K. Rowling.
5. Go for a walk or run. There’s lots of evidence that we think better when we’re moving, so take your writing on the road. Just be sure you have a way of capturing your thoughts. A small digital recorder does the trick very nicely.
6. Do a brain dump. Sometimes you just need to get all the information out of your head and onto paper. Mindmapping, which I’ve written about many times before, can be very useful for this. Take a blank piece of paper, turn it sideways and write your topic in the middle. Draw a circle around it. now draw some lines radiating out of the circle (like spokes on a wheel) and write down all the other words that come into your head. Draw circles around them, too, and join them to the spokes. Keep going until your head is empty or until you feel, “aha! Now I know what I want to say.”
7. Write the headline or title. A headline or title is a bit like a poem. It must distill your big idea into a very few words. It must also be catchy. When you write the headline first, the entire direction of your piece is likely to become more clear. This will make writing substantially easier.
8. Find your best time for writing. We all have our own biorhythms. I used to be a night owl. It was my best, most productive time for writing. In recent years, I’ve turned into a morning lark. Now I do my best writing at 6 am or earlier. But I’m a disaster by 11:30 am because my blood sugar is crashing and I’m starving. As Socrates said: Know thyself. Identify your predictably “good” times and use them. Don’t try to write during your bad ones.
9. Tell yourself you have to write for only five minutes. This is the trick they teach to runners. Okay, so you don’t feel like exercising today. Well, pull on your sneakers and tell yourself you have to run for only five minutes and then you can quit. Many times you’ll discover that the simple act of starting will give you enough momentum to continue. It works for writing, too.
10. Stretch. Even if you’re not blocked, you should do this. Stand up. Reach your hands to the ceiling. Now, clasp your hands behind your back. Straighten your shoulders pushing back against your shoulder blades almost as if you were trying to get them to touch each other. Those of us who work at computers all day tend to spend a lot of time hunched forward. This kind of stretch is not only good for your back, it’s also invigorating. Breathe deeply a few times, too. Oxygen stimulates the brain.
11. Give yourself permission to write badly — really badly. Many times we’re blocked as writers because we’ve raised the stakes too high. “This report will make or break my career,” we tell ourselves. “My income depends on this sales letter,” we fret. Those thoughts may be true, but set them aside while you’re writing. If you simply must beat yourself up, do it when you’re editing.
12. Ask yourself, “have I done enough research?” People often worry about over-researching as a form of procrastination. This does happen, but, interestingly, I find the problem is more typically the reverse. People often try to write before they have the raw materials to do the job properly. This inevitably leads to much staring at a blank computer screen. Before you begin to write ask yourself: “If a friend, partner or colleague grilled me on this topic, could I answer most of their questions easily and in plain English?” If not, continue your research without feeling guilty. (Hint: Make sure your research includes more than facts and figures. You need stories, anecdotes and colour. These are what will make your writing come alive.)
13. “Speak” your writing. Most of us have no difficulty talking. So go with the flow and dictate your words into a tape or digital recorder or even your voicemail. If all else fails, ask a friend to interview you.
14. Prevent interruptions. Okay, I don’t need to tell you this, but turn off your email and shut down your browser. No pings. No “control + m.” No peeking. Email, blogs, checking online forums and surfing the web will keep you busy — and unproductive. Instead, use these interruptions to “reward” yourself when you’ve finished your writing. To avoid non-digital disturbances, I also like popping on a pair of noise-cancelling headphones (these are also excellent for keeping children at bay if you work from home.)
15. Break your writing job into a number of smaller tasks. This is the oldest time-management trick in the book — use it because it works. Do many small jobs rather than one big job and the work will feel less onerous. Here’s how you can divvy up your writing work: print out research from Google; go through your research with a highlighter or sticky notes; interview people; make a mind-map; write a rough draft; rewrite an early draft; copy edit.
16. Reward yourself. If you’ve worked hard on a piece of writing, give yourself a prize. I don’t recommend double fudge brownies for obvious reasons, but there are lots of other options. Allow yourself 15 minutes reading blogs. Call a friend. Play some music. Buy a Moleskin notebook. Get a cappuccino.
17. Turn off your screen so you can’t see what you’ve just written. This tip does depend on your ability to touch type, but if you have that skill, it’s the single best way to stop yourself from endlessly editing your work when you ought to be writing.
18. Limit your writing time. Work expands to fill available time (Parkinson’s Law.) Writing thrives under constraint. (Daphne’s Law.) I know this sounds counterintuitive but we often give ourselves too much time to write. Don’t set aside a day for that report. Tell yourself you have to do it in two hours. Remember how productive you can be just before going on holiday? Create the feeling artificially by limiting your writing time.
19. Pretend you’ve phoned a friend and said, “Guess what?” Then continue the conversation by explaining the key elements of the topic you’re writing about. What makes this technique so effective is that it follows a natural progression. Because you’re telling a story, you’ll start with the most interesting material, give detail where it belongs and end by reinforcing the point you want to make.
20. Read a short but good piece of writing that’s similar to the kind of piece you need to complete. Get yourself a folder for essays and brief magazine pieces you can dip into for inspiration. If you write sales letters, you probably already have a “swipe file.” That works too. For extra reinforcement, you can even re-read some of your own writing. This is often a welcome reminder that while writing can be awful, having written is the most wonderful feeling in the world.

I’ve used a number of these myself. And many, such as 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14 & 18 are part of my blogging routine – especially when I’m stuck.

Pretty good tips, huh? And practical. That’s what I love so much about Daphne’s newsletter.

If these tips were helpful, subscribe to her newsletter, Power Writing, where weekly she publishes practical tips for improving your writing – and the speed of which you do it. It’s one of the few newsletters I still subscribe too myself.

So how do you deal with writer’s block? I know you get it… Have you had success with any of Daphne’s suggestions?

Most of you know that I’m now a regular contributor on eMoms at Home.

Well, we’ve just published my first post, 12 Things My Three Year-Old Has Taught Me About Building Relationships.

In essence, I share how watching my three year-old daughter, A’esha, make and play with friends has given me insights to creating deeper, more rewarding and mutually beneficial relationships with both friends and clients.

Here’s four of the twelve…

1. Be nice: Mainly, there’s just few reasons not to be.
2. Be honest: You’ll both know something’s off if you’re not.
3. Be open: Sometimes people will surprise you with what they have to teach you.
4. Be creative: There really is more than one way.
5. ….(read on at eMoms at Home).

Enjoy.

Blogging is addicting, huh?

If it’s not the huge traffic increases or the comments, it’s the potential that your next post will create a huge buzz that will increase your business.

I’ll admit it, like Daniel Scocco, Maria Langer, Pieter Vangils, and Mi I’m addicted to blogging. I think of blogging all the time. I think of how I can write about events in my life or in my business on my blog. And I think about all the great relationships I’ve been fortunate to create with all of you (thanks, btw).

So when I started seeing this quiz, How Addicted To Blogging Are You, I had to take a look. The quiz is short (14 questions). The questions are easy. And the results are staggering…

71%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

It appears I’m a 71% blog addict. The question is…what does it mean? Perhaps that’s where I can use your help.

And I am thankful I never started the coffee habit.

No, really! I’m going to be writing for eMoms at Home. That’s right. Wendy has asked me if I’d share my insights and open coversations around being a work-at-home eDad. Of course I said, “yes!”

Most of you know already that I’m married and have two young kids – with a third on the way. And if you’ve been reading a while, you’ll may remember that my ultimate goal is:

To aid people, from every walk of life and every faith, to open the door to the truth of their existence. Not to my beliefs or existence, but to find it within themselves and authentically live their truth in their daily life. (read full post)

Sometimes I get into deeper issues here like the deeper wisdom behind things, our life’s perspective or your contribution to the world. But mainly we discuss social media, web-based business development, website design and marketing. And I definitely hope I’ve helped you.

Rarely, however, do I write about being a solopreneur eDad, who has to deal with all the ups and downs of working from a home office. There are times, like the story of my three-year-old daughter helping me with a coding bug. But those have been few and far between.

Now, with eMoms, I’m going to have the opportunity not only to share more of my business knowledge, but also write and discuss what it’s like to be a work-from-home dad parent. On eMoms, I hope to help eParents live a slightly better, richer and more rewarding life – in any way I can.

I’m quite excited about this opportunity. And I hope you join in the conversations over at eMoms. It ought to be fun and, hopefully, informative.

And no worries. I’ll still be writing here, at dmiracle.com, as often, or even more, then before. I love my blog. And I love all of you who read and join in the conversations here. Thanks.

We all know the expression, “the glass is half…”

But how would you finish it? What do you see when you look inside the glass?

Some see abundance which overflowth. While others see the glass as having room for more. And so began the Starbucker Meme, with Terry and his half-full, clear shot glass.

The Starbucker Meme brought out some creative answers like my dear friend Carolyn Manning who keeps two glasses – one full to the brim and the other symbolically empty. Tim Johnson, on the other hand goes back and forth between overflowing and 50% full.

The answer I was waiting most for was Liz Strauss and her hand-painted French champagne flute filled to the lip with sparkly French champagne. No surprise for me, and deeply fitting. Or Chris Cree who said his cup is bottomless – of course he said with coffee, but I know he meant a bit more.

My other two favorites were from Mike Sansone and Adam Kayce. Both, like me, took the idea of ‘what’s in the glass’ to a different level. Mike sees things from a different perspective through his glass bottom boat. While Adam sees his life overflowing through his looking glass.

So I know what you’re thinking…”what does Dawud see when he looks through his glass?” So let me get right into the Starbucker Meme:

1. How full is your glass?
   It’s ever expanding and only limited by my trust, belief and willingness to change.
2. What kind of glass is it?
   Blown glass
3. What’s in the glass?
   All the possibilities you can dream of.
4. Reasons for #1, #2, and #3
   Read on…

I’ve always loved blown glass. Not only is it stunningly beautiful. It also illustrates the great potential each of us have inside. Think about it. You take this hunk of glass and put it on a stick. Pretty uninspiring, huh?

Then, you place the hunk of glass into a raging fire to heat it up and burn off impurities. Once it’s purified enough, you remove it from the fire and begin forming it into miraculous, endless shapes. Look at the image to right…

Aren’t we just like that?

And Kammie, there’s the answer to your question about high vibe practices. I spend each day trying to stretch myself, my heart and my consciousness just a little bit. Stretching a taking the time to look at where I could be living who I am and what I believe a little bit more. Those are my high vibe practices.

So I’m wondering what you see when you look inside your glass? I’m going to tag David, David, Gayla, Edward, Chris, Mark, Dave, Katie, Rory, Randa, Mike, Kammie, one more Dave and Lisa. AND, I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

Believe it or not, I’ve actually said this to a few clients – that conversational blogging is like a conga line. I know it’s sounds funny, but it’s true.

Think about it.

• When do we conga? Usually at a party. Well, isn’t conversational blogging is like a party?
• Someone has to start the conga, of course. Who’s that? It’s me! (or you, if it’s your blog)
• Da-da-da-da-daaa…DA! – enough said!
• You know you want to join in, but you’re afraid of looking like a fool. Sounds like commenting.
• Some conga lines just go on forever.

You thought I was kidding, didn’t you? But I wasn’t. Conversational blogging is really like the conga. And to participate, you’ve gotta join in.

Of course, I wouldn’t have thought to share my blogging metaphor if it wasn’t for Char’s How Do You Explain Blogging to Your Mom? You’ve gotta take a read – she does a great job comparing blogging to a farmer’s market. Lara even picked up on the theme.

Liz also inspired me by beginning her Group Writing Project: What’s Your Blog’s Metaphor. Mine, is the conga. There are others. But this is the one I want to share right now. Perhaps more will come out later.

Other’s have picked up the writing project with some great entries. Karin thinks of blogging as Business Network International while Des sees blogging as a cocktail party. Kathy makes a nice relationship between blogging and exercise.

Off of Ian’s Messy Desk comes the idea of blogging being like Forrest Gump’s “life is like a box of chocolates”. Just so happens that I’m a big Gump fan myself. Forrest would have been a great blogger…“stupid is as stupid does”. Or…“from that day forward, if I was goin’ somewhere, I was runnin’!”

Lots of people see blogging related to food. Juggling Frogs compares blogging to a smorgasbord yet Word Sell sees it as The Salad Bar. The most interesting food comparison, though, comes from Mike – who sees blogging as Feeding on Plankton.

So how do you see blogging? What’s your blogging metaphor?

You know I have to tag a few people. So I’d love to hear from Adam Kayce, David Airey, Chris Cree, Kammie Kobyleski, Kent Blumberg, Barry Zweibel, Sean Rox, thepaperbull, Mark Goodyear, Randa Clay and the Purple Wren.

That’s a lot of folks, huh? And I still want to ask you…what’s your blogging metaphor? And, tell me how you see blogging to be like a conga line.

Koala photo from FunnyZoo.

UPDATE: Be sure to let Liz know about your blogging metaphor post so that she can give you all a little link love.Â

with my blog.

I spent a bit of time over the night upgrading to WordPress 2.2 (from 2.0.3). I’m already loving the upgrade. Why?

• The speed optimizations. This version is really quite faster than the previous one I was using – both on the browser side and admin.
• I love being able to scan back through all my comments (previous version only allowed me to see last 20 comments)
• I like the admin tab enhancements. It’s great that Comments now has its own tab.
• It’s great to be able to deactivate all plugins at once.
• Did I mention it’s faster?

I’m quite happy with the upgrade. I have a couple of small hiccups and found a plugin that I couldn’t get to work. Luckily it was a minor plugin. Otherwise, no problems with the upgrade.

And I know that with all computer upgrades there could be some hiccups. So, please, if you find anything that’s not functioning correctly on my site, would you let me know in the comment box?

Thanks, in advance.

And if you’re the do-it-yourselfer, there’s a number of tutorials on how to make the jump to 2.2, including in the WordPress Codex. And if you’re using version 2.1.x, this is considered a mandatory upgrade.