You have an assignment, your boss asks you to write and article for the company newsletter, you’re a blogger and you need to come with some content and fast, OR you’re a sportscaster and your fans are asking you to post a weekly column. But… you are suffering from writer’s block. 45 minutes passes and nothing at all comes to mind, and then 10 more minutes and nothing on the paper.
Develop a format and/or formula that works for you using acronyms. Many successful bloggers, vloggers, influencers, and YouTubers have a format and formula(s) that enables them to quickly find topic and produce content. This is not to say that the task is easy and these folks don’t work hard, what I am saying is that these writers have systems makes it possible for them to produce content in timely manner, and in a reasonable amount of time.
Background: Come up with the background information to give your reader the context of your story, please be sure to properly footnote your references.
Your commentary This is easiest part; it is coming from your stream of consciousness. You have been thinking about this issue for the past week or month. Be careful not to make it a rant, no invective, just simply state your reaction to the situation that has been on your mind.
Analysis of your reasoning: This could be a formula, or just a revaluation about how your mind goes about analyzing problems and issues. Relate this situation to other life experiences, your own or others. If your and in a specialized industry, use an acronym and fill out the word pattern. Or make up your own acronym. Say I am a sportswriter and I am writing an article about a famous sports figure who dropped his pads and uniform and walked off the field in somewhere in the meadowlands of New Jersey. I could write, “when I evaluate athletes, I use my acronym DROPS.”
We have been talking about an acronym, but what is it. It is basically the first letter of word or phrase that when combined form a recognizable word. In this example I came up with DROPS.
- D Did the athlete do his/her best in this situation
- R how Reliable is this athlete, notwithstanding injury status
- O is how does the person take to Others on the team and/or coaching staff,
- P is what is quality of Person is the player on and off the field
- S is for Sportsmanship does this person exhibit good sportsmanship
Conclusion: State what you decided about the issue. If have you not made a final conclusion state why, are more facts need to develop your final opinion? Invite comments and respect the responder’s opinion(s). Often your responder’s comments will prompt you to react to another situation and give another opportunity to write about. All my very best!