Blank Page Syndrome

I have Blog posts to write, I have newsletters to write, I have client “stuff” (technical term that covers just about anything) to write and marketing ideas to generate.

The problem is, when I face that blank piece of paper, or computer screen, my mind also goes blank. Duh. I can stare at the screen for an hour, just meditating on whiteness.

From time to time I am inspired to haul out my watercolor paint box and a nice white piece of watercolor paper. The same thing happens. Whatever it was that inspired me to get my art tools out has suddenly disappeared. The idea is gone, and again I meditate on whiteness.

I know from talking to hundreds of writers, photographers and artists that I am not the only one with the Blank Page Syndrome!

Over the years I have come up with ways to keep the idea pipeline full.  What works best for ME may not work for you. So though I will give you my technique for fighting the blank page syndrome, I encourage you to contribute your ideas and techniques.

My blank page syndrome pops into being when I put myself on the spot. The fact that I have created a deadline somehow leads to the diagnosis, “brain dead.”

At other times I have an endless stream of ideas.  My clients can’t shut me up. I don’t have enough time to implement all the ideas I have for my blogs and newsletters.

My solution is to capture my ideas when there is no deadline looming. It took me over a year to develop a system for capturing the ideas in a way that is easy, fast. elegant and ultimately useful given MY working style.

If I am in front of my own computer, it is easy. I use an online program called Backpack to capture my ideas in the form of notes or lists.  I can track my ideas by creating pages, or tags.  For example, if I had an idea for this newsletter … I might put my idea on my “Freelance News Ideas” page or if I put it on another page (for example my “Twitter Info” page … I could tag the page with “FN ideas.”

If I am not at MY computer, but a computer is handy I will send myself an email labelled “Freelance News Ideas.”  Then when I get back to my office, I’ll transfer that to Backpack.

If no compute is in sight, back to a low tech solution. File cards in my purse or briefcase.

I still regularly come up against the Blank Page Syndrome, but now the solution is seconds away. Now there’s another problem! Which one of these thousands of ideas should I choose?

I’d love to hear YOUR solution to the Blank Page Syndrome!

Melanie Rockett
the IDEA Queen … 625,689 ideas and counting!