Writer's Block

Oh no!! This is a terrible question! What do I do, what do I specifically do? First answer, I have no clue at all! Then again, I am writing this essay, and I have been thinking about it for a few minutes I must have some kind of process. So in the end, there are a few things, depending on the type of paper, that I like to do before starting, while writing and finally while revising a paper.
First off, in preparation I like to read something that has the same feel for what I am going to be writing about. For example, if I am trying to write something witty, I will read something brilliantly droll. If I want to write something serious, I will read something that is more academic or possibly sad. Just reading the different types of writing gets me in the right mood. Although reading always helps me before writing a paper it is not always feasible due to time constraints or honestly…laziness. If this is the case, I like to start by making an outline for my paper. I never used to do this; I used to think that it was tedious and unnecessary. However, my outlines help me get the paper started. I have a better focus for my paper, and my outline will usually just write itself, because as I am writing, I tend to just make sentences, which leads to a written out paper. This start makes it easier to sit down at a computer and start to do the work for writing.
When I have reached this stage of writing, I already feel a little relieved. I first put on a little background noise that matches the paper’s subject. For example, if it something I feel adamantly about and it is supposed to be serious I’ll listen to something like Rage Against the Machine, but if I am about to start a more relaxed paper I’ll turn on something more mellow. Next, I give myself a target hour and just combine all of the points I started on my outline. By giving myself a deadline, I am able to push through instead of just watching the minutes go by in the corner of my screen. Now at this point, my paper does not have to be that good, and it usually isn’t. However, it starts my next process: revision.
This stage of writing is by far my least favorite. My main problem is that I cannot just read the paper off the screen, so I have to keep printing the paper over and over. Despite this, I know it will be worth it in the long run. So, I print my paper and just start by reading it. During this first revision, I have to mark down whether or not I have transitions in my paper. This has always been my biggest problem with writing. Transitions never come easy, so I usually have to talk it over with a friend. Although I do not take exactly what he/she says it is helpful to get my mind started in the right direction. After my transitions and basic sentence structures are fixed, I have to go make the changes and start the next stage of revision; backward reading. I print the paper again, and read it sentence by sentence backwards. I have found this to be the most helpful part of the paper writing process. When I continuously have to read the same paper I just get bored. By reading it backwards I am able to catch small things that I would normally ignore. Again I go back on the computer and make the changes. This is usually my last step before I am about to turn it in. Then again, I will usually read it just before turning it in and it never fails that there will be some kind of mistake that I want to change. Unfortunately, at that point I can’t do anything about it. So I have to turn it in, and hope the teacher doesn’t find the same mistake.
Thus even though I did not think I have a process; I do. I am now over the limit for words required for this post, and I started this not thinking I had anything to say. Although these are not tips per say, these are the different steps I have to take in order to write a good paper. This does vary based on the type of paper I am writing but this general format can be followed for most papers, except papers about myself, which I hate writing. After all that being said I would say the most important tip for writing is not to wait until the last moment. All of these processes take time and patience, and a person can’t wait until the last second.