A blank page is scary until you remember it’s the only time nothing’s gone wrong yet.

An empty page is the only moment when nothing has gone wrong yet, which is why it is terrifying rather than restful. As long as it is blank the work is still perfect in your head, and the first mark ends that, and some part of you would rather keep the perfect version. That is the actual fear in most blank page dread. Not inability, just the loss of an imaginary good draft.

Make the first mark badly on purpose this week. Write the worst opening sentence you can and keep going from there.