Need Some Help

[SarahS]

Hi

I'm relatively new here, I've been here for almost a year but only posted 4 articles none of which have sold.

I am now struggling to write another article. I look at the requested content list but nothing ever jumps out and says 'You can do this one!'. I keep looking for inspiration but I feel completely stuck. I don't have the drive necessary to get started or maybe it is something else but I just don't know what to do.

Does anyone have any advice as to what I should do to get started again?

Thanks
Sarah

[Lysis]

My moods control my ability to write, too, so don't feel bad. I have to be in a mood for CC, because sometimes, that rejection is just another nail in the coffin of my already depressed state. lol I know that sounds pathetic, but it's true. I try to write in places where it's easy to pass like AC, Suite or Helium when I'm in that mood.

If I really want to get a CC article out but I'm in that crappy mood, I'll write something that I know off the top of my head. Everyone knows SOMETHING. Try starting off with something that doesn't take too much thought for you. Public requests are cool for ideas. Sometimes, I'll write something for the customer, and then spin off something else from the research.

Also, think about some of the stuff you've done for the week. You'd be surprised at the little things you do during the week that can be turned into an article. Even subjects on some of my TV shows can turn into an article. A lot of ideas can come just from grocery shopping, going to the store, taking the dog to the vet, fixing a broken computer...stuff like that.

[Amy W]

I do the exact opposite of Lysis - whenever I'm stuck for inspiration, I research a topic I've always wanted to learn about. Since it's a topic I'm interested in, I enjoy doing the research, and I find that learning about something new kickstarts my brain, making it easier to write. A year or so ago, I was completely stumped and didn't want to write anything. So I researched green technologies - wind turbines, solar panels, carbon offsets. I wrote quite a few green articles, and most of them have sold.

When all else fails, sit down at the computer and just write anything - write out the words to song lyrics, even. Just the act of sitting down and typing words will kickstart your brain. Fortunately, starting an article is the hardest part - it gets easier with every word you type.

[Celeste Stewart]

I started out here writing about whatever I happened to have done recently. If I went to see a movie, I wrote a review. If I was planning a toddler's play group activity, I wrote about how to plan that particular type of playgroup activity. If my washing machine broke, I wrote about comparison shopping for washing machines. It was fun and easy.

[jadedragon]

I wrote a long blog post on writer's block which I'm not going to try to repeat here. Hopefully you are inspired.

[SarahS]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I guess at the moment I'm feeling unqualified to write anything. I feel like I couldn't write anything that anyone would want to read.

Obviously going through a pessimistic stage!

[CRDonovan]

[quote="SarahS"

I guess at the moment I'm feeling unqualified to write anything. I feel like I couldn't write anything that anyone would want to read.
[/quote]

The market here is wide and varied - all kinds of articles are being successfully marketed and sold. Try browsing through articles for sale. Spend an hour or so clicking through and reading what other people have submitted. You'll find there are many kinds of writers selling work here. You might find yourself feeling extremely impressed with the quality of some work; or you might read articles that you feel you could have written. You might even read articles that you feel you could improve upon. You may be motivated to try something yourself.

Another suggestion: break the writing process into several components. Make one day's task simply brainstorming possible ideas. Another day, choose a topic and outline your possible article. If you are having trouble digging in, assign yourself the opening paragraph. Breaking any project into small manageable pieces makes it less intimidating. And starting is often the hardest part.

[JoyRCalderwood]

write things you know about