As someone who likes to sew, choosing fabrics online or in a fabric shop is a real treat.
It’s an adventure in colours, patterns and textures.
Once you’ve picked something, you need to prewash it to avoid shrinkage down the track.
And then the fun bit – proceed with whatever project you had in mind when you bought the fabric.
But at this stage, doubt can creep in.
Through my dreamy eyes, two metres of Pebble Wash linen looks like a future jacket.
To most other people, it probably just appears like a pile of folded fabric.
At this crucial point, my brain starts to calculate just how much time and effort will be involved.
And I’ll weigh up how much I will enjoy creating it, multiplied by the likely number of wears.
Is it worth committing to this project?
Do I really have the required skills?
Now, when I consider – or perhaps overthink it – can I really make it work the way I pictured the project in my head?
Of course, when my client is… well, me, the project scope and expectations may not always be reasonable!
The trouble with getting started
So, where am I going with this, and what on earth does this have to do with writing?
Sewing and writing happen to have one important thing in common.
And it’s not the suffix at the end.
It’s the starting point.
Like the artist who is embarking on a masterpiece with a blank canvas, whether it’s creating a garment from scratch or drafting an article, starting a project can be a real struggle.
With no pieces cut out to sew, there can be no jacket.
Similarly, with no words on the page to edit, there can be no finished story.
Getting started with a creative project requires courage and a clear path to your destination.
But this first step can be sabotaged by fear (such as cutting into expensive fabric) or doubt because what if the finished story is dull or no one reads it?
When fear takes over, it can be tricky to get going.
Tackling the blank page
Even with meticulous research and extensive preparation, getting started means facing the blank page and writing down some words or sentences − no matter how good or bad.
When you write, you begin with an idea. Either a vague or a concrete one.
This article started with a rough idea about how to tackle the writer’s blank page and drawing encouragement and motivation from starting a sewing project.
Both endeavours need focus and determination to get – and keep − going.
When I’m stuck at the starting line of a project, I think about other times I’ve been daunted by the task ahead of me.
I look around for inspiration – such as creating something with fabric rather than words – and think about the journey to transform a piece of fabric into something wearable.
Did I know what the finished piece was going to look like when I sat down to write this article? Nope.
I could see a link between two things I enjoy, but wasn’t sure how I was going to turn that into an engaging piece, particularly for readers who don’t sew or those who struggle to turn ideas into words.
Techniques to get going
Wander around the internet for long enough and you will find all sorts of quotes about writers’ fears and ideas to conquer them.
There are lots of different techniques to help you make a start.
You might prefer to jot down the headings first and write one key point or focus under each one.
Or maybe you work best using a timer or technique, such as the Pomodoro Technique, helping you to break down the work into intervals.
You set the timer for short periods (e.g. 25 minutes) and write as much as you can in short, focussed sessions.
Another method is to use dot points to write down the main idea/s.
Then go through and flesh out each dot point by creating a sentence. Then turn the sentences into paragraphs, and the piece starts to take shape.
You might be the kind of writer who has the knack for putting the pieces together in your head and visualising the structure before you even sit down to write.
Having a clear goal certainly helps to create valuable content, as you know where you want to end up.
Personally, I find having a plan or skeleton structure is useful.
I allow myself thinking time to see where my ideas go and give them space to grow or move into new directions. And then jot down a detailed structure.
However you do it, you have to start somewhere.
Small steps to get you there
Anne Lamott, in her bestselling book Bird by Bird, talks about writing in short assignments.
That is, focusing on a “one-inch piece of the story to tell, one small scene, one memory, one exchange.”
The title of the book is based on advice to her brother when he was young and trying to write a report on birds.
It was due the next day.
Seeing that he was immobilised by the hugeness of the task, her father told him simply, “Just take it bird by bird.”
She shares this story to make a dent in the tremendous sense of being overwhelmed, and explains how she approaches each section of her work in small assignments – no matter how small or seemingly casual – for her own novels.
These are the series of steps I find useful to start my sewing projects:
1. Have a clear objective
What type of garment do I want to make?
And what do I want it to look like at the end?
Once I cut out the pieces from my beloved fabric, I can’t change my mind.
2. Old wins offer inspiration
I keep things in perspective by recalling other times I was starting out.
To create a garment took persistence and hard work, through the first steps and the tedious ones along the way.
3. Create a draft
A toile is a test garment.
It’s a draft version or practice run in cheaper fabric so you can see how it will look and test it.
It adds extra time to create, but gives you a valuable preview of the look and fit.
It also creates the ideal opportunity to make adjustments.
4. Batch tasks
Batching sewing tasks might involve overlocking seams or pressing open all seams.
These monotonous steps are important to achieve a professional finish.
And grouping the repeatable actions in one go creates greater project efficiency.
You might have something that you’ve been thinking about right now.
So how does this apply to writing?
A plan of action (for sewing and writing)
A sewing pattern comes with a detailed set of instructions (thank you!), and may include a glossary of terms to help navigate the steps.
In addition, many popular digital patterns offer in-depth sew-alongs, pattern hacks and video tutorials.
In contrast, a project brief for a writer can be detailed, or offer brief instructions such as the topic and word limit.
This is useful, but the writer needs to find the right way to get there, by turning a concept into an engaging written piece.
Here are some effective strategies you can try when getting started:
1. Have a clear goal
Do you have a clearly defined objective for the piece?
Consider who are you writing for, and what you want them to do.
For example: you want to describe a new business service.
The objective is to tell your target audience what it is and how it solves their needs.
The piece should describe the service features, with testimonials to show the advantages and benefits.
2. Do the research
What do you need to find out in advance that will help with the writing?
Are there facts, statistics, interview quotes, etc., that need to be collected?
As you go through these, they may start to form a sequence, such as leading with data and following with supporting quotes.
3. Create a plan
Look at creating a skeleton draft, with subheadings or a list of the key points you’d like to make.
Then work to fill in the gaps under each point to address your project goals.
4. Write first, edit later
Fill your page with words.
Even if they seem dull or boring. Words make sentences. Which lead to paragraphs.
Then decide later what stays and what goes.
Don’t edit as you write and risk breaking the flow of words and ideas.
As things start to take shape, the direction will become clearer.
And then you begin to see if the right pieces are in the right places, and what editing is needed so the copy serves your readers and your objectives.
Converting an idea into a jacket
Last October, I bought two metres of Pebble Wash linen with a specific jacket pattern in mind.
What started as fabric on a bolt is now a long-sleeve, fully lined jacket.
I changed my plan along the way and added a full rather than partial lining because I thought it would feel nicer to wear and have better drape.
It does… and I’m so happy I had enough fabric and took the chance.
I also tested the length and fit by making a toile.
I’m glad I did, because once I had stitched up my draft, I decided I wanted a slightly longer jacket.
To make this happen, I modified the pattern pieces.
Without making a draft garment, I may have missed the chance to do this, even though it lengthened the process.
But it saved me from spending time making something I may have avoided wearing if it always felt ‘too short’.
To the world it is simply an item of clothing, but to me, it’s a comfortable jacket and a reminder of what is possible with faith and hard work.
Final thoughts…
Back to Anne again, because her book is full of wonderful stories:
“You clear a space for the writing voice, hacking away at the others with machetes, and you begin to compose sentences.
You begin to string words together like beads to tell a story.
You are desperate to communicate, to edify or entertain, to preserve moments of grace or joy or transcendence, to make real or imagined events come alive.
But you cannot will this to happen.
It is a matter of persistence and faith and hard work.
So you might as well just go ahead and get started.”
Are you about to embark on a project but you’re held back by the blank page?
Well, it’s time to just go ahead and get started.