There’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page and wondering when (or if) the perfect words are going to strike you, whether you’re drafting web copy, an article or that e-book you’ve been meaning to write. First of all, don’t beat yourself up; even the pros who write for a living (like me!) battle writer’s block. Here’s what I find works best for me when I’m sweating over words that just won’t come:

JUST DO IT!

(Okay, so I might have borrowed that phrase.)

The point is that your first draft is just that…a draft. If you have a basic idea of what you want to write about, just start writing. Your first sentence might be so terrible that it ends up on the cutting board, but at least you’re getting the creative juices flowing. Nothing is ever set in stone…you can always go back and make changes later. I find that when I sit down to my computer, I often get hit with a vague sense of dread and a wave of questions:

• What if I can’t think of the “right” words?
• What if my writing is somehow “off” today?
• And so on and so on…

But once I start typing, the words tend to find their way onto the page. So if you find yourself sweating over your next writing assignment (whether it’s for a client or yourself), remember those three magic words and just do it!

Bonus tip: Still stuck? Try putting your task aside and writing something just for fun. Add a post to your personal blog (could even be about your frustration over having writer’s block!) or put a pen to paper and jot down some thoughts about something entirely unrelated to work. Sometimes the act of writing itself can unlock your inner muse. Just be sure that you’ve got a fresh Word doc open and ready to catch the thoughts that are sure to start flowing!