Every writer I know usually has something they struggle with when writing. Some despise wrapping up a story. Some love the beginning and end of their project, but get bogged down in the middle. Others can’t stand writing dialogue. Perhaps it’s weaving a theme throughout their narrative.
Me? Filling the blank page with those first few words. For some reason, this part of the process trips me up more than any other. I’m not entirely sure what causes it, but my guess is it comes from the pressure of hooking someone with those first few sentences.
I’ve read too many articles over the years on shortening attention spans, which are only reinforced with every new social media offering. There’s a reason TikTok’s popularity continues to soar and why reels exist in nearly every other platform (Instagram, Facebook, SnapChat).
Those first words carry immense weight. During my journalism career, we were told repeatedly the importance of the first five paragraphs in every news article. It started with the lead, identifying the who, what, when, where, why and how. The nut graf followed by providing additional context to the story. Next came the quotes and finer details, followed by the story’s impact on the readers and the human dimension.
Even with these tools and consistent repetition (my story count between college and my first journalism job is well past the hundreds), I still feel the dread of the blank page when starting a new project. I suppose I could always take the approach of writing fast and editing slow, a common piece of advice I’ve heard over the years. But most of the time, those first words and paragraphs set the tone and drive momentum. If I get those first words out, everything else tends to flow seamlessly.
I’m simplifying this, of course. Some days, the first words arrive effortlessly, and I’ve had times when I stare at the blank page and barely get a paragraph out. All you can do is take each writing day as they come and be kind to yourself. Eventually that blank page starts to fill up.
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