I took a break from business writing the other day and walked my dog, Carly, around the neighborhood. As I turned a corner, I was delighted to see pink flowers cascading from a balcony. And just as quickly, I felt disappointment—even disdain—when I realized they were plastic. The color was bright, the flowers looked (almost) real, and yet I felt duped.

And that’s how I feel about all the outsourced blogs and articles people send out today. To me (and I would bet many readers), their submissions seem plastic compared to a passionate comment or a personal reflection.

In my work as a writing coach, I often meet people who have deep-seated fears of writing. I know these are real issues, but I wonder if, when they outsource their writing, they’re doing themselves any favors with prefab postings.

They’re not, according to marketing expert Marcia Yudkin. “Don’t outsource writing. People want to read articles with personality as well as content,” she writes. “Readers respond to your unique set of attitudes and information, which rarely comes across from a hired writer. And definitely don’t post lousy articles that are little more than keywords strung together in minimally interesting sentences. This just clogs the Internet with junk and wastes everyone’s time.” (Read her entire article here.)

Instead of all that plastic writing, I love to see people blossom into their own style and fresh voice. And here’s the irony: When people do take time to craft a personal blog or article, they stand out. And isn’t that what those blogs and articles are all about in the first place?

If this scenario sounds familiar, here are some tips to help you overcome any lingering fears of writing, speed up your writing process, and most importantly, tap into your own amazing creativity:

1. Write your first draft fast. Super fast. Set a timer for just 10 minutes; you’ll be amazed at what you create. That’s a key word—create—because when you write fast, you also tap into more creativity. Now if you’re pressed for time, turn this draft over to someone to fine-tune. Your stamp is on it, your thoughts are captured. The piece will be yours.
2. Quit worrying about the quality of your first draft. Almost everyone writes terrible first drafts. That’s just part of the writing process.
3. Brainstorm every chance you get. Not only when a writing project looms but when you need a boost or want to create something new. Whether you use free-writing, mind-mapping, or list-making, mine your mind to discover the gold just beneath the surface.
4. Stop looking over your shoulder. Write like you and sound like you. Sure, it’s good to improve, and we learn by observing others. But that can paralyze you too. Just be you. It’s a wonderful thing to be.

What makes you want to job out business writing projects? Why have a blog if it’s really not yours?

Need a writing tune-up? Here’s a great opportunity for you and everyone in your office to refresh your GPS: grammar, punctuation, and style. I’ll be teaching two 90-minute webinars for People-OnTheGo. These are lively and informative webinars at a special price–only $19.95 for both sessions. Check out more about the webinar and then register with the special price. I hope to see you there!

The busiest time in the workplace? The eleventh hour. No matter what time of day, it rolls around just before business writing projects are due.

Many of my business writing coaching clients work at the eleventh hour. They tell me they wish they could change that. They know that writing at the last minute is a bad idea, but they say it’s a lifelong habit.

Well, I remind them, lots of people have quit smoking, and I don’t think writing at, say, the eighth hour—or, hey, even the second hour—is anywhere near as difficult as that. The key is to start, even mechanically—set a timer, write fast for 10 minutes, reward yourself with a break afterwards; use whatever trick of the trade works for you.

Look at it this way: If you went to physical therapy because you had trouble walking, you’d start with awkward, mechanical steps. Eventually, though, you’d get good at it and might even start running. Same with writing. Start mechanically, break the bond of inertia (a body at rest stays at rest), and get to work. Pretty soon you’ll enjoy the boost of inertia (a body in motion stays in motion), and you’re off and running.

Of course, not starting writing projects has more bad juju than just procrastination. There’s the boogeyman of nothing to say. (Not true. More on that in a minute.) Or a lack of confidence. (More next time.) These are real issues that plague writers. If I could, I’d tell every parent, teacher, and boss to knock off the criticisms, already. Harsh comments seem to damage people for life. Sure, show them how to make something more concise or clear up punctuation and grammar errors, but do it in a way that encourages, not excoriates.

As for what to do when you’re stumped about what to write (or when you’ve got spaghetti head, i.e., too many ideas), try brainstorming. Set a timer (it quiets your ornery editor) and write and write. There, you’ve got a terrible first draft (which is what 99 percent of us write, anyway). Now you’ve started, tricking the body-at-rest inertia into becoming body-in-motion inertia. Speedwriting not your style? Try a different brainstorming technique—mind-mapping, listing, devil’s advocate, who-what-why-where-when-how, to name a few.

Just do it. Just start.

What’s keeping you from starting before the eleventh hour? What helps you get started sooner?

Need to kick-start your writing? We’ve got lots of ways to help: 1. Brainstorming Grab ‘N’ Go Webinar 2. Award-winning Words at Work 3. The Writer’s Companion e-book 4. Creativity @ Work e-book and 5. Membership newsletters and support to get you off to a good start and keep you moving forward.

Recently, while doing research on the Internet, I came across this request:

Hello, I want to find an expert who can create my business writing such as mission statement, primary aim, and strategic objective.

As a business writing coach, I hear a lot of excuses why people can’t or won’t write, and sometimes they even make sense. But this one has me flummoxed. The reasons for starting a business are so intimate to the creator, I can’t imagine how the task of writing these messages could be successfully passed on to a stranger. No one is “expert” enough to craft these messages. Sure, maybe someone could tidy up the final draft, but the originals need to come from the heart of the founder. They must be steeped in the passion that went into founding the business. No one else can capture that.

My guess is this person (for some reason I think it’s a man) is overworked and looking for help. I empathize, but hire an accountant or a virtual assistant—not a writer.

Or maybe he’s carrying around an old fear of writing. Lots of people do. And my advice to these clients (and this person, if he’s reading this blog): Just make yourself write.

How?

Set a timer. The fearful part of our brain and the part that puts off unpleasant tasks love timers. Somehow timers are soothing. “Oh this will last only 10 minutes. I can handle that,” they seem to think.

Set a timer and write for 10 minutes. Pour out your heart. Let ideas and feelings out that you wouldn’t want to say in public. Don’t worry; this is just for you (at least this incarnation). Let it rip.

Next, go back and find the good stuff, the real feelings about why you started your company, why you’re making a difference in the world, how you’ve got the solution to those painful problems that keep your customers awake night.

Now, sleep on it, literally and figuratively. Walk away and go back to your day-to-day work. If something new comes to mind during the day, jot it down. Those ideas are precious—and ephemeral. You’ve awakened your creativity. You’ve honored it by allowing it to flow, and it will pay you back with innovative ideas that just pop into your head. Give them the respect they deserve. Capture them. Add them to your rough draft.

Finally, literally sleep on it. Check it in the morning. Ah, more ideas and better syntax. That’s how the brain works. Edit a few more times.  Wait a week or more. Let the ideas flow.

Now ask a writing expert to review your ideas, to make them compelling and correct. Your passion and personality are emblazoned on the words. It’s safe to share them.

Try this method anytime you face a writing task you don’t feel up to. Large or small, prosaic or ponderous, the type of project doesn’t matter. This technique will take your business writing to the next level and increase your confidence about what you can accomplish.

Who needs an expert? You’ve got one inside that marvelous brain of yours just waiting to be tapped.

“I’m too busy.”

I get awfully tired of this modern mantra. I hear it a lot when I urge people to pay more attention to the quality of their business writing.

“I’m too busy to answer e-mails.”
“I’m too busy to say hello and/or say good-bye in e-mails.”
“I’m too busy to write effective business letters,” and so on.

This “too busy” attitude still surprises me, especially in the electronic age where writing is our primary means for introducing ourselves. Today, we use e-mail and texting for everything from quick updates to important client communications. We develop Web sites and write blog posts so people can “meet” us. Our words offer a snapshot of who we are, which means our “typos and clunky phrases are like greasy hair and spinach between our incisors.” (Words at Work, page 16.)

Even worse, when we slip into slap-dash writing, we cut short the creative process, which is like oxygen for our economic system. (No wonder it’s on life support!)  Writing is the portal to our thoughts and deserves time for pondering, percolating, and processing.

How’s your business writing? If you still think you’re too busy to write effectively, consider this: A client at a Fortune 100 company told me she turned down a good concept because the proposal was so poorly written.

She explained that the prospect’s confusing proposal not only shortchanged his idea, it reflected what it would be like to work with him. She assessed him with the clues she had—his words—and didn’t like what she saw.

He might have gotten that contract if he’d organized his proposal more carefully. I find the Inverted Pyramid a great tool for that. Just picture a triangle standing on its point. The most important information is stacked at the top. State your main point, elaborate on it as you gradually add supportive details (and work your way down the pyramid), then wind it all up (at the pyramid’s point) with a strong ending, ideally one that ties everything together.

Try it with your letters, reports, proposals, white papers (whatever you write at work) to help your readers follow your great ideas to their natural conclusion—hiring you and/or implementing your project.