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We were in the middle of our June webinar on "Writing Content that Connects." Jamie and Lindsay had just asked the live group what their biggest writing challenge was, and the discussion board was all but exploding. Comments about maintaining the church's voice, writing content that was exciting but not cliche and finding a way to focus instead of being distracted by the barrage of every day tasks just barely scratched the surface of the issues our audience was facing. 

The responses were beyond what we were able to address at the time, but now that we've had a moment to regroup - to breathe and to focus - we want to take a minute to talk about the things you might be struggling with as a communications director, as a church administrator, as a pastor ... as anyone who is looking to create great content that connects to your readers. 

Here is the first installment in a series of posts designed to help you find answers to your biggest writing challenges:

The issue:

Making the brain shift from completing tasks to writing content

The solution: 

1. Set aside a specific time 

   By having a consistent time during the day or week designated to writing, you can train your brain to be prepared. This way, your brain kicks into "creative gear" faster, allowing you to be efficient without sacrificing the "fun and friendliness" of your piece. 

2. Find a creative space

   Find a place outside of your office, or wherever you generally get your tasks done, that feels relaxing and refreshing. The further your brain feels from your to-dos, the more space you will have for thinking and writing. Just like having a specific time, having a specific place will trigger your brain to get its writing cap on quicker. 
   

3. Get your head in the game 

   Allow yourself time to detach from your task-oriented brain. Read something that inspires you, watch a short clip that makes you laugh, go for a walk ... whatever it is that gives you a boost of energy and creativity. It's better to spend a little time relaxing than a lot of time being frustrated. 

4. Look to the left 

   But seriously ... looking at the blank space you're trying to fill can be one of the biggest hurdles when it comes to actually getting the content down on the page. Looking to the left (or to the right ... or anywhere but the paper/screen) gives you the freedom to think without that giant white space staring back at you. 
   

5. Just breathe 

   Take a deep breath and just dive in. 

Missed the webinar? Download the on-demand version for free below!