Sherri May & Co.

Every so often, I’ll come face to face with my archenemy– Writer’s Block. I’ll sit and stare at the blank white page and blinking cursor (its evil side-kicks), desperately seeking inspiration that never comes. But thanks to a recent post on Copyblogger, I finally discovered the ultimate kryptonite to my writer’s block. Here’s what I learned:

Quit Multi-Tasking
In order to battle writer’s block, I’m taking cues from renowned copywriter, Eugene Schwartz. This author and writer produced countless ads and 10 successful books. So what was his secret?

He created a schedule that required intense focus for shorter periods of time, which meant cutting out the multi-tasking. According to the article on Copyblogger, he would sit at his desk with coffee at hand, set his timer for 33.33 minutes and follow these simple rules:

He could drink coffee
He could stare out the window, or at the wall
He could sit and do absolutely nothing for 33.33 minutes
He could write the ad
He could not leave the chair for any reason
He could not do anything else

After 33.33 minutes, he would stop writing, even if he were mid-sentence. He’d take a 10-15 minute break, reset his timer and continue. After following this schedule 3 hours a day, 5 days a week, Schwartz became an acclaimed author and copywriter.

The Experiment Begins
Even though I’m only on the first day of following Schwartz’s Writing Regiment, I’ve already noticed the time I’ve spent staring at a blank page has drastically diminished.

Although, I admit it was a struggle at first. My first attempt to reach the 33.33-minute mark lasted a whopping 6 minutes before I broke a rule by getting up to grab a bagel. My next attempt lasted 16 minutes, but as I finish this blog, I’ve proudly reached the 33-minute mark (twice).

Keep in mind this effective strategy isn’t just for writers; it can be used by anyone who needs to tackle a daunting project. Just sit down, coffee ready, and devote 33.33 minutes of uninterrupted time on your project. Take a quick break. Repeat as necessary. And give the multi-tasking a rest.