That’s a great way to do it Christine! I do something similar, by inserting the headline and sections right away. If I’m really stuck, it’s literally:
TITLE
[STORY]
[POINT 1]
[POINT 2]
[POINT 3]
[CONCLUSION]

But usually, I can come up with a generic headline/title that at least tells me what I’m writing about.

Then I usually do a quick Google search and copy in some URLs that looked handy. Then I simply save and close the file. At that point, I find the info I just looked at starts to marinate and when it comes time to write, I can do it. If I’m really up against a deadline, I’ll still save & close the file and do something non-work related like check Facebook, read the latest sports news, etc. When I come back to that file, the info has still been churning away in the background and I’m able to come up with something.

This was just a brilliant article.

I love the line “What would the guy under that hat want to know?” and I am already using it mentally when I write.

Such a simple yet genius way to keep you focused on what the reader needs to hear.

Absolutely inspired by this post!

Thank you,
Nan

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Not only does it help me identify the particular piece for tracking and filing, but it avoids facing a blank page. For some reason, it helps me get started.

Thanks for all the info you share Steve!