How to  get started writing unique copy

Sometime your purpose is clear and sometimes it isn’t. This post is about the process of writing an article or blog post when you are not quite sure what to say.

We are all different
Many people need clearly defined goals. Some get anxious when goals are undefined. So how do you find out what you want to write about? How do you find direction?

Your starting point could be anything
It could be a question. For example, “Why should people buy my product?” I like to carry a notebook and jot down ideas as they occur to me. You can’t order yourself to be creative, but you can write well if you give yourself time. Creativity is more of a way at being in the world, of observation than following a recipe. Having said that, here is my process.

Make a mess
First thing is to understand that (unless you are lucky) your first drafts will be horrible. Go easy on yourself. Let your first draft be a mess. Just get words down on paper (all right, virtual paper).

Questions and answers
Ask yourself questions and answer them. Let yourself write nonsense, but don't stop. This gets you loosened up. You are having a conversation on paper. Keep writing.

Test
Next, look at all these disjointed sentences and try to find a theme. You can test a few. Where might these ideas lead? Now that you have a rough draft, try to sum up what your point is in one sentence.

How to end
Use that sentence as an end point. Having a strong one-sentence end point makes your article more memorable. It’s easier to remember the last thing that was said or written. Psychologists call this the Recency Effect.

Get smooth
Now you can form logical transitions between your ideas; and you know where you are going.

Your purpose will reveal itself through the process.