Save My Writing: Working The Angles

Question

“I can usually start off fairly strong with a good headline, a premise and then I feel like it fizzles out. Then, somehow I find another way to come at the material and it seems to then work out. But, in the meantime, I have probably spent 2-5 days agonizing and losing sleep over what I want to write. How can I find the other “angle” more quickly?” – Michele

Answer

Michele,

This issue – ‘What’s this piece about?’ – is one of the biggest challenges for writers. Whether we’re writing fiction, blog posts, or e-books, we must understand the core of what we’re trying to express. Sometimes we know the angle before we begin; more often, we’re discovering the true nugget while writing.

Your challenge is to find effective and repeatable methods for ‘working it out’ and preferably, ones that take less time.

The time we need for ideas to develop gives us what I call ‘critical distance’. Whether it’s one day or five days, setting writing aside allows us to return to the material with fresh insights.

To shorten that necessary marinating time, try these methods:

Mindmapping

This is a great way to visually see the idea and its potential pathways. On a blank piece of paper, put the subject of your piece in the center, and draw a circle around it. In circles around the main idea, add your thoughts about the subject. Each thought has its own bubble, with additional bubbles coming off the smaller themes.

Add ideas as they surface. Mindmapping will show many possible angles for the story. Pay attention to your energy when you do this – which bubbles hold the most appealing ideas for you? Which ones seem like a tangent?

The circles that seem most dynamic will hold the true core of the article for you.

Visually mapping your article can help ‘see’ the picture of the concepts you’re trying to convey.


Speak Your Message

Imagine you’re at a podium in front of your audience, who is eagerly listening to you speak on this topic.

You’ve only got two minutes to share what you want to say.

What must they know about this subject that only you can convey?


What’s the one thing you must tell them?

If the thought of speaking in front of a crowd clams you up, imagine instead you’re sharing this with one person, someone who really needs to know what you’re expressing.

Use Your Headline

Your headline should be a pretty strong indicator of what the article is about. If you have the headline first, use that as your compass to keep guiding you back to your core message. I write my headline last. This helps me clarify what the article is really about and convey that in a way that’s enticing to the reader.

Accept Your Cycles

The time required for ideas to develop is a necessary part of the creative process. The more you write, the more quickly the clarity about the angle will come to you.

However long it takes, accept this marinating time rather than fight it.

Consider having several articles going at once, so you’re never sitting around in angst pants waiting for that elusive angle to appear.

Once you’re familiar with your writing cycles, you may be less anxious with this waiting part of the process.

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What resonates with you about this advice? What will you try this week to shorten your writing cycle? Hope this advice has helped!

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Images courtesy of David O’Neill and Alastair McDermott.