My Favorite Writing Method: Talking with a Friend

When people tell me they want to write, but don’t know what to write about, I share my “talking with a friend” method. Think about that… when you meet a friend for coffee… Every word out of your mouth is a creative selection, forming sentences drawing from creative thoughts, pairing with emotion, telling a story.
 
It’s so simple because we do it every day!
You don’t have to be with a friend to do it…
you can pretend!

 
Here's how it begins:
Grab a cup of coffee, a notebook, and a pen... then identify a simple thought. It can be something from your past, something you've read, something you're working on, a conversation on the phone… anything that triggers a thought.
Then, you have a conversation as though you're talking to a friend.
 
"You know, Sara, I was just thinking about how tough it was when I was suddenly thrown into the role of sole parent and providing income and comfort for my children. I felt like I'd lost my identity, too… I was no longer who I thought I was…”
This "pretend" conversation spiraled into the idea for a blog: “Are You In the Midst of an Identity Crisis? " published in The Startup on Medium. 
 
Here’s another example…
Maybe you just ordered a cappuccino from Starbucks...
“You know Carol, I was just thinking this cappuccino reminds me….
Did you know the first time I had one, I was just 16 and in Italy… traveling with a singing group. Every morning I was there, I’d find the local coffee bar in whatever village I was in and order my cappuccino. To this day it’s such an important part of my feel-good rituals, that I start every day with a cappuccino and an inspirational book. It started me thinking… I should write a blog and share my morning mindset practices."
Ah hah! Now we have a blog about morning mindset practices.
 
Try this method…. It works for developing ideas on social media, blogs, and brainstorming sessions for your next great big idea! Go ahead... what single idea can you develop into a post for LinkedIn?

#blogs #socialmedia #mindset #productivity #linkedin30daysprint