Have you ever had an idea, a thought, or a burst of inspiration that, while it was still in your mind, sounded amazing? But, when you tried to articulate it on screen or paper, or in speech, it didn\u2019t sound nearly so good?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve found that effectively conveying my ideas is not only critical for my blog, but also for writing comedy and creating links on my radio show. One of the biggest challenges for me has been to get the ideas out of my head sounding just as good as they did whilst they were still cocooned in my grey matter.<\/p>\n
The question, then, is how do you become less like Frederick Spindal (Who? Exactly!) and more likeAaron Sorkin\u00a0(we love you Aaron!)?<\/p>\n
It\u2019s easier said than done, but if you look around at most successful bloggers, writers, comedians, and even successful business people, you will find that they\u2019ve mastered this skill, coupled it with passion, and used those ingredients to excel them to the top of their field.<\/p>\n
When your written expression doesn\u2019t emerge as clearly as the initial idea, it can be incredibly frustrating and disheartening but, if you\u2019re ready to take some\u00a0steps\u00a0with me right now, I can help you put an end to those blocks.<\/p>\n
Have you ever seen a stand-up comedian performing on stage? They all have scripted material that they\u2019ve meticulously rehearsed and polished. Most comedians will break their sets and engage with their audience; ask them questions, and very often they come out with hilarious responses to the answers. Those parts weren\u2019t scripted \u2026 so where did they come from?<\/p>\n
They vocalised their thoughts almost instantly. They didn\u2019t question whether what they were about to say was funny or not, they didn\u2019t worry about what people were going to think, they just reacted.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s what your finished article should be. It should almost be a reaction to an idea. Speed is critical. If the idea isn\u2019t acted on instantly, or it becomes tainted with any kind of derogatory self-talk, then it will never come out with the purity with which it was conceived. Editing and polishing only come later, once the core idea has been laid out.<\/p>\n
I also remember hearing a DVD commentary by\u00a0Joss Whedon, who recently co-wrote and directed the box office smash,\u00a0Avengers Assemble<\/em>. He said that when he gets an idea, he uses it instantly and rarely does he deviate from the initial concept.<\/p>\n Any hesitance, and a million-dollar idea may become shelved permanently. Thoughts like, \u201cWhat if people don\u2019t like what I\u2019m about to say; what if it\u2019s wrong, what if people don\u2019t\u00a0agree\u00a0with me?\u201d stop our natural flow of brilliant material.<\/p>\n Over-thinking and perfectionism are two of the biggest culprits in this matter. The good news is there are two wonderful techniques you can employ as a writer (skills transferable in other fields also such as comedy and speaking) which will help you to present the ideas you had as equally clear on paper.<\/p>\n Here are two wonderful techniques that have helped me immensely, which you can utilise to become a more articulate, clear writer.<\/p>\n The first of the two methods is a technique I call\u00a0un-edited thinking, or naked dictation. I think some people also refer to it as \u201cfree-writing.\u201d<\/p>\n The principle is relatively simple. Take a dictation of all the thoughts going on in your head right now. No matter what they are, write everything down. Imagine you\u2019re a secretary and your mind is the boss telling you what to write. Go on, do it. Do this on a regular basis.<\/p>\n The purpose of this exercise is to ignore the blocks you might normally put in place. If you override them, and allow your thoughts to flow, your ideas will also come out\u2014and be expressed\u2014more naturally.<\/p>\n The more you practise this, the easier it becomes to capture the fresh ideas in the way they sounded in your head. Why? Because you\u2019re ignoring all the things you may have done in the past to taint them.<\/p>\nTechnique 1. Un-edited thinking<\/h2>\n
Technique 2. The 30-minute deadline<\/h2>\n