Writing isn’t hard. Most people know the feeling of being in the writing zone, a space where words seem to jump onto the page and ideas flow easily together. No, writing isn’t hard but getting started is. Some people can sit in neutral for hours staring at a blank page hoping inspiration will strike. Staring at this blank page and having no idea where to begin can seem like a roadblock with no detour signs, hopeless. You can spend as long as you want parked and going nowhere, but if you want to move the best solution is to put it in drive and go!
The best way to start writing is by, surprise, writing! Spend some time thinking about your topic then grab a pen and paper and begin jotting down everything that has come to your mind. Don’t be concerned about making it fit a certain format or having half finished sentences, just get down all of your thoughts. Put it in drive and go! Recording these ideas makes sure that no good ones are lost and opens up your mind to new ones. In other words, it will help get the juices flowing and will move you from first gear all the way up to fourth.
Once you’ve finished getting your ideas down take a break and do something else. Come back later with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. Review the things you’ve written, and make connections between them. Pretty soon you’ll be able to get a clear vision of what you are thinking about your topic and a natural order of ideas will appear. Suddenly, you’ve gone zero to sixty and have all the main ideas for your paper without even realizing it. Just like that, the hardest part of the writing process is over.