You know the feeling. You’re staring at a blank piece of paper and you just don’t know what to write. Even copywriters suffer from the proverbial writer’s block from time to time. So, how do you overcome it and unleash your creativity?
As a professional copywriter, I want to share with you a few strategies that can help to resolve this perennial problem.
Unleash the creative writer
When we sit down to write, it’s often our ‘internal critic’ that’s the problem – an inner demon who is constantly telling us that we need to keep tweaking and editing our words.
One really useful exercise is to sit in a quiet room (with no distraction from TV, phones or the Internet) and to literally write – without any kind of editing or reworking along the way. Ok, your writing will not be perfect and you’ll probably need to go back and make some changes. However, I promise that you’ll be amazed at the results.
Say what you’re thinking
Many of my copywriting clients tell me that they struggle to get their thoughts down on paper. However, when I ask them to tell me what they want to say – they nail it.
My point here is that, if you’re suffering from writer’s block, it’s often helpful to talk through your ideas with a friend or colleague. This is a very useful way to structure your thinking and it can generate some great ideas too! Copywriters often use this approach.
Take a break from copywriting
If you’re truly suffering from writer’s block, then one of the best remedies is to take a break. Take the dog for a walk, go for a swim or even do a few household chores. The worst thing you can do is to sit in front of the PC and struggle on.
I once read an interview with Paul McCartney in which he talked about song writing for the Beatles. He recalled agonising over rhyming words for the line ‘you can buy me diamonds rings’. Whatever he did, he just couldn’t find the right words.
A short tea break gave him the inspiration to scrap the line entirely and the result was ‘Drive my car’ – one of the Beatles’ best-loved songs.
So, take a break and I can guarantee that you will return feeling refreshed and possibly inspired!
Employ a professional copywriter
Of course, the copywriting process can prove just too time-consuming and laborious – when you need to focus other business priorities. Hiring a professional copywriter to complete these tasks can save you time, money and hassle.
If you’re struggling with copywriting, why not get in touch? I provide a wide range of copywriting services for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
And, you might be interested to read my blogs about the lessons we can learn about writing and storytelling from The Beatles and Paul McCartney.
