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Old August 20, 2000, 12:55 PM
Dien Rice
 
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Default Useful writing techniques....

Does anyone have any good writing techniques to share?

Here's a quick technique I've used recently.... I read about it in Edward Nash's book "Direct Marketing." He calls it the "mental dump" method....

The idea is you just write whatever's on your mind. Even crazy things, like "What do I say now?" and "I don't know what to write." Just whatever comes into your mind, write it down....

After a bit of gibberish, often what you are writing starts to make sense. In fact, sometimes it ends up being pretty good....

Then, you go back and delete all the gibberish at the beginning.

I think the reason why this technique works is because often we try to *edit* and *write* at the same time. I think this blocks our creative juices from flowing....

So, if we don't bother about "editing" at all, and just write whatever pops into our minds (no matter how silly or ridiculous it might be), then after a short while something useful can appear....

Then, you go back and edit out the gibberish later....

I hope this little tidbit helps some of you who may sometimes find it hard to find words to say, or who may find writing difficult....

Do you have any other useful writing techniques that you use, or that you've come across? Please let me know.... My writing could use some good advice. :)

Best wishes,

Dien Rice