Get Unstuck With Your Writing or Why EVERY Teacher Oughta Be a Writer
You’re a teacher, right? A great communicator, yes? Of course you are.So, then, why aren’t you picking up a little something on the side with your communication skills?
Specifically, why aren’t you putting your thoughts on paper and then selling them?
The most often heard reason (excuse?) I get is that somehow, even though you’ve got the chats in the classroom, you get stuck when it comes to putting those same thoughts onto paper.
Wanna get unstuck?
A technique that works for me when I’m stuck for words (writers call it writer’s block) is to make a list of something that relates to my topic at hand.
For instance, if I’m writing a business proposal that I have to present at an upcoming meeting, and I just can’t get moving, I’ll make a list of the 10 things that might happen after I’ve made the presentation.
Making the list is easy. Think about your topic, then jot down things as they come into your head. However, and this is the important part, don’t overthink it. Just write your list, without editing.
Inevitably, in the list-making process, ideas will come and you’ll find yourself writing about the project at hand.
Works for me… every single time.
Say you’ve been doing a lot of thinking recently about how you’d like to find a dream job. If you’re stuck about where you’d like to spend the rest of your work life, use the list-making technique.
Don’t worry about job requirements, education, contacts or experience; just write down the names of jobs or professions that you could see yourself doing in another lifetime or if you were 18 years old and starting all over again.
Take it into the world of education? Here are three things you could probably write before breakfast tomorrow morning:
- 10 Ways to Get a Shy Child to Contribute in the Classroom
- 7 Ways to Bring Current Events into Your Class
- 5 Ways to Deal with Difficult Parents
So, start making lists of everything that interests you.
Once you have your lists, make more lists — and then take action on the items in your list.
List – action – list. It’ll get you going in the right direction.
Michael Werner is the CEO of InfoSource, Inc., an elearning company, and the publisher of Dream Jobs Dialog, dedicated to helping life seekers and those searching for their dream jobs.
