I sit in a square room with 5 other content writers. Would it be fair to call it a writer’s block? Ooooh. Ouch. Bad pun. That one kind of hurt. But, writing like that does have the particular advantage of elucidating an ancient question that, gone unanswered, has plagued writers since the invention of the alphabet.

What does a writer do when their writing just plain sucks?

Most writers have experienced moments when they realize their attempts at witticism have not only missed the mark, but have sailed straight into the heart of Dullsville, U.S.A. But, what can you do when you don’t have time to wait for the writing gods to point you in the right direction?

Here are a few tips for writers tangling with, dare I say it, writers block:

Start with the easy parts. If you start with the parts of your project that come most easily, the rest of your piece might just follow naturally. So, don’t be afraid of starting in the middle or at the end – you may just be stuck under the pressure of writing the perfect lead.

Freewrite. Start writing anything – even if it’s miles of copy away from your goal, you may find that simply getting into the flow will help you get writing in the right direction. (That’s what I did with my pun of dullness.)

Crappy first drafts. Anne Lamott’s book on writing Bird by Bird popularized the method of writing crappy first drafts. If you start writing with the understanding that your first draft is going to be a sloppy mess, it gives you the freedom to get it down on paper and return to it later for a beautifying editing process.

Outline it. If you know the main components of what you’re trying to communicate, start with those. Then continue to sequentially add more specific details. Eventually, you’ll have a healthy outline to draw on during the development of your final piece.

Write it as a letter. Pretend you’re writing a letter to an old friend or family member explaining what you intend to write about. This will take the pressure off and help you get the words down in a conversational style that you can revisit later.

Every writer probably has tricks like these up their sleeves. Care to share your tips for the trade?