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.
Continue reading First draft: Don’t start writing a first draft before reading this!