The Procrastination Dilemma

When it’s time to embark on a new writing project, I frequently become distracted by a multitude of minor tasks—tidying my workspace, replying to lingering emails, or getting lost in the vast expanse of online research. These serve as mere diversions from the intimidating endeavor of starting a first draft.

For me, procrastination stems less from laziness and more from a struggle with fear. The anxiety that the words may not flow, that I might hit a roadblock, or that my output will not meet expectations creates a relentless cycle of self-doubt, which hampers my creative process.

My Unique Four-Step Drafting Process

To address this challenge, I’ve developed an unconventional four-step approach to crafting first drafts that has proven to be quite effective:

1. Begin Each Paragraph with a Distinct Symbol: I utilize a tilde (~) to indicate the start of a new paragraph.
2. Use Lowercase for Sentence Starters: Avoiding capitalization at the beginning of sentences helps maintain a casual and unrefined tone.
3. Skip Ending Punctuation: Instead of a period, I use two forward slashes (//) to conclude sentences, which allows my thoughts to flow freely without the constraint of traditional punctuation.
4. Embrace Imperfect Formatting: The draft remains intentionally disorganized, resembling a stream of consciousness rather than a polished article.

Why This Strategy Works

The essence of this method lies in creating a draft that appears provisional. The unconventional formatting tricks my mind into perceiving the text as incomplete, which alleviates my attachment to specific sentences or paragraphs. When the writing looks unfinished, it becomes easier to continue, as I know I’m merely molding raw ideas rather than crafting a final product.

This technique liberates me from the perfectionism that typically hinders my progress. Rather than fixating on each word, I can write more freely, confident that I’ll refine and enhance the draft later.

Final Touches

Once the draft is finished, I put it aside until the day before submission. At that point, I focus on correcting formatting, capitalizing letters, adding appropriate punctuation, and fine-tuning the language. By this stage, the core content is already established, allowing me to concentrate on perfecting the details.

Can This Method Work for You?

While this approach is certainly atypical, I cannot promise it will resonate with everyone. It’s a personal technique honed over years of experimentation, tailored to my unique quirks and writing habits. However, if you struggle with the paralysis of starting a first draft as I do, this method might be worth a try. You may discover that this unconventional trick is the key to unlocking your writing potential.

If you have a distinct writing strategy or choose to experiment with this one, I would love to hear about it! Writing is an intensely personal journey, and we all possess diverse methods that resonate with us. Sharing these techniques could assist others in discovering their own path to success.

Clive Thompson is a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine, a columnist for Wired and Smithsonian magazines, and the author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World. Follow him on Medium for additional writing insights and strategies.