How to slog your way through a boring assignment
Back when I started freelancing in the mid ’90s, I was lucky to get an ongoing gig with a tech magazine that paid me over $1 a word. I didn’t even have to pitch. My editor would call, give me the topic, suggest a couple sources, and I was off. Dream job, eh? Well the flip side was that most of the topics put me to sleep. I consider myself TechLite in the real world — I like playing around with HTML and PHP because I can relate to it as a blogger, and Apple iPhones are damn cool — but stuff like mainframe programming and C++? Yecch. Every month I’d have to interview software folks about these topics and then come up with 750 dazzling words about job prospects for programmers.
I’m the type of writer who can find something fascinating about any subject, but these articles really tested my skills. Here, some tips for getting through an assignment that numbs you:
- Take some risks with your writing. For example, when I was doing those boooooring 750-word job outlook stories, I started adding a little humor to the pieces. Not much, but enough so that I kept myself entertained during the writing. Bonus point: my editor appreciated the lighter touch.
- Take it one step further and get risqué with your writing. Throw in some naughty jokes or start a sentence with, “If you’re still reading this …” (Just make sure you take those bon mots out in the final draft you send to your editor!)
- Write your article in an e-mail message. I do this a lot – there’s something comforting about a new message pane. I pretend I’m writing a letter to my friend in California, then when I’m done, I just lop off the first few paragraphs, paste the rest in a word processing doc, and I’m good to edit.
- If you’re really struggling with boredom, free-write your first draft. I do this when I can’t think of a thing to say. I simply open a file and begin typing stuff like, “Oh my God, this is the most boring topic in the world. Who really cares about clean room safety? I don’t. What’s the big deal? Is that a fly buzzing in the corner? What happens when insects get into clean room?” Let it rip. Eventually you’ll get sick of your pixelated whining and start writing interesting stuff you can expand upon later.
- Get boring stories done now rather than later. I write well under pressure, which is why I tend to finish stories they day they’re due. I’ve found, though, this habit doesn’t work to my advantage with less scintillating stories. All the pressure in the world won’t help me turn hunks of coal into sparkly diamonds, so right after I finish my interviews, I dig into the writing while the quotes are fresh and my interest in the subject is at its peak.
- Promise yourself a serious reward for getting the job done — I mean serious. The bigger the boring project, the bigger the bling. With smaller projects, I’ll tell myself, “Ok, Burrell — you finish this by noon, you can stop by Starbucks and get extra caramel on that macchiato.” Bigger projects: I’ve been known to promise myself trips to long weekends in London when I cross the finish line. Hey, whatever works.
How do you motivate yourself when you’re stuck with a snoozer of a project? Add your comments below. [db]
Perfect timing advice for me. Just what I need to give myself a kick up the backside. I am struggling with the most boring of assignments. You’re right. I will have to resort to a free write for the first draught. I’d promise myself a reward but I know I would be lying.
I’m pleased to find I do many of these things, but the most helpful tip here is the “don’t procrastinate” one. Been there, done that, ate the lump of coal for late night dinner.
[...] How to slog your way through a boring assignment [...]
Great tips. I make use of tips 4 – 6 on a regular basis, and they work (especially free writing.) It’s hard to turn off my internal editor. But once I do, the ideas start to flow and I’m able to complete a rough draft in record time. Editing is the easy part.
I write a lot of web content, so I can definitely commiserate. I actually tend to do my best thinking while at the gym (apparently distracting myself with the perks of a backhoe loader is even better than looking down at how much time is left on the elliptical), and when I return to the computer I’m refreshed and ready to get cracking. Otherwise, a leisurely walk along the seawall helps me. Getting away from the boring work helps me to get back into it full-steam.
That must have been a really good skill-honing job! One trick I’ve used when I can’t get started on a dull (to me) topic, is to think of someone (a real person, someone I know) who *would* find it genuinely interesting, and imagine that I’m telling her/him about it as I write. Sounds hokey, but it can get me as far as a draft and then I’ve got something to work with.
I endorse the use of humor to liven up a boring article. I just did a lead for my retirement-community newsletter that invoked the image of Willy Wonka and the Oompah Loompahs to illustrate a group who cranks out PB&J sandwiches for a soup kitchen. Even if the editors don’t leave it in (and, since the movie was 37 years ago, you’d think that even the seniors would get the reference), at least I amused myself.
Actually, as Diana says above, editors always appreciate the funny and lighthearted leads, even if they have to cut them later.
What a great list of suggestions. I’m fighting with a very sad story right now (lifelong nonsmoking 34 y/o mom of 3 young children goes to the doctor thinking she has pneumonia, and finds out she has Stage 4 lung cancer!). I think Tip #3 is going to kick me into gear. I’ve already sent out a couple of emails about this story to friends to alert them to the donation fund that has been set up for the family, and -of course- in those messages I had to tell this woman’s story.
This is yet another RW post I’ll be pasting into Word for printing and tacking up on my bulletin board. Thanks, Diana!
Another thought – you might want to re-title this post as “How to slog your way through a boring/difficult/challenging/Gosh-this-is-harder-than-I-thought-it-was-going-to-be assignment.”
What a useful article–especially for copywriters.
Yep, my fellow copywriters understand what I mean.:P
Wow, this is great advice! I’m in the middle – er, actually haven’t quite made it to the middle yet – of an article I thought I was ‘passionate’ about. Come to find out, I wasn’t as ‘passionate’ as I thought. I’m glad I found this post!
*goes off to open a new message pane…*
Oh, and a little – or a lot! – of chocolate won’t hurt either, once I’m all done with this ‘boring’ topic I got myself into.
*smiles*
Michele
Thank you for the photo. That made my day to see that someone else struggles to stay alert too!
Geez, can I relate to this one. Not only am I writing about a snoozefest of a topic right now, I have to complete 300 pages of scintillating narrative for a certification self-study guide on said topic in less than 6 weeks! That’s just plain sadistic.
Who agrees that my “reward” should be a round-the-world trip after this id done??
[...] How to Slog Your Way Through a Boring Assignment: Get through your most boring assignments with the help of this post. [...]
Where was this article a month ago?? Oh, well, it was here- but I wasn’t. I procrastinated on 20 health product articles and I let time fritter away until I had only 3 days left during which they had to be completed. I wanted to DIE while writing them. Luckily, the editor loves my sarcastic touch- and trust me, by day three, those babies were drenched in sarcasm.
[...] How to Slog Your Way Through a Boring Assignment: Get through your most boring assignments with the help of this post. [...]
[...] How to Slog Your Way Through a Boring Assignment: Get through your most boring assignments with the help of this post. [...]
I find humour works very well when your brain switches off, I’m a software tester so writing bugs has to be one of the most boring parts of the job. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve put a snarky comment or two on the bug
I usually remove them later but some get by, depending on how cleverly sneaky it is.
It helps a lot though to remember the person on the other side of the bug report (i.e the Developer) is likely to appreciate a little bit of humour here and there.
Sometimes though, when I’m really stuck, I’ll pull up the old mspaint program and do some doodling – it works wonders to kick the old creative brain into gear, without it complaining too much after the bug writing!
Lisa
[...] author / Diana Burrell; author Love – Leads, trade news, career advice, writing tips Read – “How to Slog Your Way Through a Boring Assignment” by D. [...]
“All the pressure in the world won’t help me turn hunks of coal into sparkly diamonds…” Technically, yes it will. :B