Now that you know what to write, what next?
Many people think that having a topic to write about is the most important thing for a writer or a blogger. You believe that as long as you have a topic, then what to write will come naturally to you. But that’s not how it works all the time. There are times when even after you have everything perfectly laid out in your head, you’re gonna sit in front of your computer screen and still have no idea how to punch in the first word.
This is a situation I find myself in sometimes, or dare I say many times. I have a cache of topics, a book that acts like a bank where I jot down topics I feel might interest me to write about. This is to ensure that I’ll always have something to say. And yet, despite it all, I’d still be hit by writer’s block.
This doesn’t happen only in blogging, it also happens when I’m writing stories. I could know the next couple of chapters and all I have to do is write them down, but for some reason, I just won’t be able to. However, I eventually realized that there was a pattern to it and I didn’t always have to be stumped every time.
And like every other problem, there’s always a way to go around it. I do these by asking myself three questions and I’ve found that by the time I answer them, it’ll be easier for me to start writing because they’ll provide a focus that I was lacking previously. And I’ll make sure I keep up the energy until I’m done writing.
So, what are the questions?
1. Who Am I Writing To?
This is your intended audience. This is very important to answer because it would help greatly in the crafting of your message. If your target is children, you won’t write it the way you would for teenagers or full-grown adults. It would also be different if you were writing it for the entire family.
Also, the community you’re writing for matters as well, and this should show in your use of vocabulary. If you’re writing towards gamers, target the post specifically towards them, if it’s a fitness community, then target the write-up to them. This will give you pinpoint accuracy when thinking and help you formulate your words better.
If you don’t know who you’re writing to, maybe you just want to put it out there for the world to see. In this case, I suggest you write it in a way that the entire family can read and enjoy it. This is especially for messages that you believe will be beneficial to everyone, not just a select group of people.
Knowing your intended audience is very important, and once you have that down pat, you can ask yourself the next question.
2. What Theme Am I Trying To Set?
This can be based on the topic you’re writing on. But then, you can choose to be creative and decide how you want your message to be received. Do you want it serious? Do you want it easy or funny? Also, it could be a mix of both.
This is also determined by the kind of audience you’re writing to. You’d know what interests them better and use that to your advantage. But do this in a way that will not seem forced.
Some people tell tragic stories in a comedic way and those who will tell simple stories in a way that will seem intense and fast-paced, whereas there will be no stakes in it. All this has to do with the themes you choose to go with. Your decision will help streamline your writing and subsequently help you set up the theme.
Don’t forget this, your theme is very important!
3. How Do I Pass This Message?
This is very important as well because if the theme and the message clash or are in parallel, it would be received poorly and you might only get complaints from your readers. Deciding your theme is one thing, crafting your message to suit that theme is something else entirely. And this is something that you do with every word you pen down.
It can be easy to achieve if the topic and the theme you choose are kind of similar. But when they’re different, you know you have your work cut out for you. You might have a DIY tutorial on how to fix your car, which should be a serious thing. But then, you want it easy-going and comedic, so you’ll add some jokes and light comedies along the way. You could even use memes and gifs. If you want it serious, you’ll simply pass your message and use only pictures.
The point is that the message and the theme must blend. If not, one will be lacking and the dominant one might not be the one you intended which could also serve to warp your message. I don’t think any of us would like that.
In Conclusion
Once you can answer these three questions, I’m sure you’ll have a better idea of how to write down your first word. Once that’s done, you write your first sentence, and go on to pursue your first paragraph! Steady steady, wins the race.
As I said at the start of this post, all these questions are only asked when you have the topic you want to write about. But then, if you can answer the questions without a topic at hand, it could also lead you to a good topic to write about. Nothing is impossible in the world of writing.
So, my dear friends, I hope that this helps you out. Let me know if there are other questions you ask yourself, or if there are some other ways you get yourself into the mood for writing. We all learn every day.
