What a life-story coach knows about how to start writing (while beating overwhelm and procrastination)
First published February 22, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.
One question I hear time and again from new writers working on a first draft is: “I can’t seem to get anything done! I am constantly agonising over each sentence and self-editing as I write.”
Indeed sitting down to write an autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project can be a painful thing for a lot of people.
They are so self-critical that they are paralysed to jot more than a few sentences during the writing phase.
Certainly, I know I was like this when I first started my cadetship at a daily newspaper.
But over time I developed a system to get my first draft out of my head quickly and in a way that’s actually fun!
So keep reading for ideas to write that first draft without torturing yourself.
Fire off a quick first draft
Firstly, one of the best ways to start writing a first draft is to take the fire-hose approach.
This is where you dump as many words and writing into your notebook or computer as quickly as you can.
Of course you need a rough idea about the angle and topic you are writing about but the key word here is speed.
I like the analogy of aiming a fire hose at a wall.
For example, set yourself a time limit like 30 minutes and just write anything.
Let words gush out of you and onto the page.
In addition the ‘rule’ is not to reread what you have written until you finish.
Yes, I know this can totally go against the grain for many people (myself a perfectionist included!) but give it a go for your first draft.
For instance, many have heard the saying: “Dance like no one is watching.”
Well, I like to think we can ‘write like no one is reading’ too!
Therefore by eliminating that feeling of writing or performing for others (or our internal self-critic) we free our minds and let the stories flow.
Certainly, no one has to see this first draft except you.
Next, once you have a story or a few pages down, spend a bit of time going back and giving everything a good read, polish and tighten phrases etc.
Indeed more often than not you will be pleasantly surprised and proud of what you have written in a single sitting!
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Coal under pressure becomes diamonds
Secondly, nothing gets a first-draft writer moving like a fixed deadline.
I have met many reporters who wait to just before deadline to start writing their stories.
Certainly it sounds crazy but the fear or adrenaline of writing to a fixed deadline helps them focus their minds and smash out their copy.
Put it down to our flight-or-fight mechanism but this ‘sprint to the finish’ approach can really work.
So give it a try yourself by setting the alarm on your phone or use an eggtimer.
Most importantly first draft words and sentences don’t have to be perfect but you will be amazed by the amount of detail you can get down this way.
Related article – Surefire tips to end feeling overwhelmed about writing your life story
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‘Mate, you’ll never guess what happened…’
Thirdly, the first-draft writing process will be disjointed if you are agonising over each sentence and rearranging your paragraphs as you write.
Above all there will be little to no flow.
Therefore, a good trick is to pretend you are meeting with a friend (at the beach, at a barbecue, at the pub, wherever).
Next, imagine telling the story you are trying to write to your friend.
How would you start the conversation, what key bits of info would you mention first, what sort of language or style would you use?
Indeed we all do this constantly in our day-to-day lives.
Importantly we tell stories to each other and make them entertaining and informative without even thinking.
So by stepping back and taking a more conversational and relaxed approach to your first draft you will find that the stories will almost write themselves.
Related article – Tell the truth: The surefire way to out skeletons in the family closet
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Final say: First draft
In conclusion, every writer – especially a new writer – has a tough time getting words down on the page for a first draft.
Certainly, self doubt and criticism are massive challenges but there are simple methods you can use to overcome these problems and get your life story written.
So help the first draft writing flow along by: using the get-it-down fire-hose approach, racing the clock with a fixed deadline, or taking a more relaxed conversational approach to storytelling.
Most importantly these tricks will help make your writing sessions more productive and fun!
So the more you do them, the faster you will get and the sooner you will be able to share your autobiography with your friends, family and generations to come.
Happy writing!
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A great way to get your writing off to a super start is to plan a basic chapter outline. I show you step-by-step how to do this in my free Structure Success video training. So sign up here or fill in the form below.
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This article first appeared on the website Forever Young Autobiographies.com.