What To Do When You Don't Know What To Write

Dear Writerly Woman,

"I don't know what to write."

This is the first sentence I write almost every time I write anything - a post, a blog, a story, a novel, anything.

When I'm looking at a blank page I often don't know what say, but I do know the only way to get past that is to admit it.

I write, "I don't know what to write." 

Then I write some things about my feelings and my day. I write truths. I write about the view out my window or the funny thing a friend told me, and then eventually I find myself writing something I actually want to write.

All the truths are like little rocks on a path I follow until one brings me to a place I want to be, and then a real writing piece emerges. I always delete the beginning stuff, but with gratitude for where it brought me.

I think not knowing what to write is one of the biggest challenges of writing. You might have an idea, but when the blank page stares at you it's hard to think of anything to say.

This is my suggestion, write the simplest truth at hand. "I don't know what to write." Then write another simple, obvious truth. Keep writing them, one after another, until you stumble upon the truth you want to pick up and make into something more.

Love,

Emma