Roy Murphy | Creative Director

Louis Halpern, my-co author on personal reputation management writes about not getting any sleep and the writing process here. I know how he feels. The writing process is a well worth it in the long run. But by the lord harry, isn’t it painful when you are in the middle of it. I’ve found it easer running through treacle (not recommended outside of vivid, nightmarish dreams) and probably one of the hardest creative tasks I undertake, or at least it feels that way until a new brief comes in…

Personally I have no trouble starting writing, it seems to flow quite easily, and I never have any issues with getting what’s on my mind down on paper. Where I run into problems is second, third and fourth draft. That’s where it all slooooooooooows down for me. I can happily leave a piece that I started and never touch it again for ages, well forever actually.

This is how I try to deal with the dreaded second draft

1. Try not to finish any work that’s flowing in one session, much easier to come back to something when you have a fair idea of how it’s going to end to get you started again.

2. Don’t write any passages out in full, use frameworks, keywords etc.. To keep the mind flowing and not focussing on any one subject too much (the old look at it by not looking at it trick – works wonders for me)

3. Write on paper first, I used to do this all the time, preferring to lay out everything in front of me and piece the ideas together. It’s quite a natural process when you think about it, similar to laying out the plans for a building or website before diving straight in.

4. Distraction. I find distracting myself quite easy at the best of times. When I’m writing I find making tea, reading the newspaper, and not doing any writing quite motivating. It might sound a little odd but the thought of a looming deadline and a possible repeat of countdown can do wonders for your get up and go

5. Never write after 10pm. This is the one I find hardest to stick to, being a bit of a natural night owl, however, anytime I write after 10 my eyes start bulging, sweat starts pouring down my face and the veins in my forehead start trying to meet in the middle – sure signs that I should stop writing, and perhaps go easy on the chilli sauce.

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