How to write your website copy even when you are scared.
Something new this week! A guest post from Lisa Townsend, of Change Your Badge where she helps women entrepreneurs with their focus, planning and overwhelm.
When I set up my business I had no idea how difficult writing website copy was going to be. I thought it would feel exciting but every time I tried to organise and make sense of my ideas I would break into a sweat.
I desperately wanted to get it right and write something clear, concise and powerful.
The truth was I was afraid to write it all down. For me, it meant my idea to start and run a business was transforming from a dream into reality. The stakes felt high, I had invested time, money and an enormous amount of energy into bringing it to life and I didn’t want to mess it up! The worry stopped me from thinking clearly and it got in the way of writing my website copy.
Nowadays I see the same thing happening with my own clients when they get stuck. Unable to think clearly they tell me they have lost their focus and direction. As they start to plan out their ideas I can see the fear start to creep in and self-doubt takes over. They worry about being professional and this makes them doubt the way they talk, write and present themselves.
Sound familiar? Not a good place to be if you are trying to write interesting and engaging web content!
If you are going round and round in circles trying to write your own website copy right now, then checking in with your own worries and fear might in fact help you get the job done. One thing I’ve learnt about fear is that it can start small but when left unattended it can grow - making everything feel impossible. Tackling those seeds of doubt first can help clear the way for writing that website copy.
So what can you do? Here are my go-to tools for getting a job done even when I’m scared.
Shift your energy - Go for a walk, take a break, dance, sing, exercise or whatever else gets your energy boat floating. Once you get some fresh energy flowing around your body you’ll be much better placed to return to writing your website copy with a fresh perspective and clear mind. Keep noticing when the self-doubt creeps back in and alternate between working on your copy and shifting your energy as many times as you need to get the job done.
Break it all down - if you are stuck and frustrated with your writing then the chances are your thoughts, feelings and worries are all smushed together in one hard lump. Unsmushing enables you to take a look at what’s important to focus on right now and then make a plan for that. So grab a pen and paper and put down all the ideas, thoughts and feelings that are coming up for you right now. What do you notice? My clients find this tool super effective and if you would like some help working through the full process then grab this worksheet here.
Get support - maybe your fear is from holding on to a belief that you should be able to do this really hard thing all on your own, without any help. After all fear loves the lost and lonely. Being truthful about the support you need could be the deal breaker in getting your website copy finished. Get connected with a friend, have an honest chat with your web designer about where you are stuck, or find a tool to get you on your way. The writing is hard enough, make the rest easy.
Whatever technique you choose to try, tackling that block of fear first will put you in a stronger position to finish your website copy. And let’s face it, the challenges come thick and fast for entrepreneurs so now you have a technique you can use again and again when you get stuck in self-doubt.
Lisa Townsend, Change Your Badge helps women entrepreneurs with their focus, planning and overwhelm. She lives in a tiny village on the wilds of the Cornish moorland with her family and dog Berty. One of her favourite ways to shift a fear is by dancing in her kitchen.
www.changeyourbadge.com | Instagram @changeurbadge | Facebook @changeyourbadge