Do you have blank page panic?

There are two camps of creatives: 

Those who see the blank page as a positive pool of endless possibilities and they are ready to dive right in.

Those who see the blank page and panic.

There’s no right way to see a blank page. I tend to see the blank page as a fresh start and panic halfway down as I realize I have to also write something good. More on that later…

If you’re someone who panics when facing a blank page, take a deep breath. It’s not you vs. the blank page, it’s you AND a blank page. You can’t do anything wrong–this writing is just for you. 

You wouldn’t hand a little kid a sheet of paper and a crayon and then tell them whatever they draw next isn’t right would you? So don’t do it to yourself, either. 

The blank page is just an opening for your creativity to come out to play. 

When I sit down and don’t know where to start, I set a 10 minute timer and pick a writing prompt or pick a random object on my desk and start describing it. 

For example, I have a pencil cup from Japan – so i’d describe the intricate floral pattern, the plum and red colors, and then maybe think about another life the pen cup could have had if it sat at a teacher’s desk or a doctor’s…let your mind wander! 

Then, when the timer is up, stop. You’ll either feel relief that it’s over or relief that you enjoyed it. 

Either way, embrace the blank page panic. You’ve got this.