Here’s what happens to me when I am approached by an editor or a company wanting me to write a blog post on a particular topic. Let’s say the topic is how to assess students’ work in Computing, or how to go about pitching an article to a magazine. I go through the following stages:

1. Blind panic. I am completely unsuited to this task. I have no knowledge of this topic whatsoever, despite having run training courses/practised it myself/written about it for years. This is where, after all this time, I get “found out”.

2. A good talking to. I remind myself of all the times I’ve run training courses/practised it myself/written about this topic. Yes, I am the right person for the job!

3. Excitement. I start to think of the things I might include.

4. Panic (again). I will never be able to fit in all my knowledge of this topic into 500 words. Maybe I should suggest a series….

5. More panic. Why did I ever agree to such a ridiculous deadline?

6. Thinking. Not about the topic, but about the title of the article, and the first sentence. I absolutely must have the title and the opening sentence before I can write a damn thing.

7. Writing. At last I have a great title, and a real hook of an opening sentence. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”? Don’t make me laugh, Jane. “ It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”? Stand aside, Chas. Now this is what I call a killer first line…. OK, I am exaggerating somewhat, but all I am saying is that by this stage I am feeling fairly confident that I’ve got this taped.

Now here’s the strange part. The time it takes for me to go from Stage 1 to Stage 7 is often just a few minutes. I’ve learned to expect this sequence — but that doesn’t make the initial stages any easier!