Paralysis by Analysis

I was recently asked why I advocate having a predetermined entry point for each writing session. It was pointed out to me that this advice seems to contradict another principle I have championed, that we should “go with our energy” when we are really feeling as if we can get some good writing done on a project or place within a project.

While they may seem to pull writers in opposite directions, these two principles are not antithetical, in fact, they can complement each other well.

One of the factors that gets in the way of a quality writing session, and may often lead to inefficiency or frustration, is having a hard time getting started by over-analyzing where we should begin. We ask ourselves, in the moment that we wish to begin to write, “what is the best place to start? Hurry up, time is ticking!” We subsequently start  to feel anxious or stressed, which contributes to indecision or having a hard time with making a choice.

When we get in the habit of choosing an entry point--an exact page, paragraph and sentence where we should start-- it is far easier to enter our work easily. Not having a clear idea of where to start a session can often lead to a great deal of wasted time. Therefore, picking your entry point the day before--or whenever you last wrote--allows you to begin writing fairly quickly after the end of your writing ritual. Don’t worry about “the best”—pick a place to begin that makes sense: a place you can move forward!

However, while selecting an entry point helps us not spend too much time on counterproductive deliberation, the goals is for this decision to act as a guide for channeling our energy. If we are feeling excited about working on another place in our article, or perhaps our secondary or tertiary writing project, it is often wise to “go with one’s energy” and begin there. The previous entry point can be saved for our next writing session. Wherever we start, we want to get to writing as soon as we can, and not be overcome by “paralysis by analysis.”

So, use your entry point unless your energy pushes you into another clear, actionable direction.