How to overcome your content marketing block with a pen, paper, and AI

A content marketing block is the Marketing Manager’s equivalent for a writer’s block. You’ve got so much to tell, but you don’t know where to start, how to structure all that sh*t and analysis paralysis kicks in. 

You're overthinking, or your excessive analysis prevents any decision-making or action. 

You're even feeling more overwhelmed while your blank Word file passive-aggressively waits for your input.

Been there, done that. 

It s*cks 

Big time.

How to refire your creativity

To go analog, play, take a break, and have some fun is my fix to refire my creative engine:

• Grab an old-school pen and paper
• Undress and create an ideation list
• Then, take a break
• And get back to work

The benefits of going analog

The benefits of this going-offline analog method are huge. 

• First, you’ll always find a topic or a new, surprising, unexpected angle
• Second, you’ll have a stock list with ideas for the next time you’re blocked

It’s very human to have this kind of block, whether you're creating your content strategy, making a plan and planning, or writing your content.

See this as a unique opportunity to think different, dig deep, and let your authenticity and personality shine instead of copying what everyone else is doing. Or even worse, turn to ChatGPT to do the work for you.

The step-by-step process

This is how you do it. 

1. Start with pen and paper
2. Refresh and recharge with a break
3. Dive deep into a single idea
4. Finalize with AI support
5. Common pitfalls, what not to do

Let’s get started.

1. Undress it with a pen and paper

Think first, write second. About 80% of my work and time are spent thinking and researching, and 20% are spent creating.

The essential step to start the creative process is to grab a pen and paper. 

For me, this is indispensable. I’ve tried without, but I notice I get stuck halfway because I miss a solid, clear, and undressed starting point that guides me through my storyline.

Never go full laptop. I know it’s a productivity assumption that working on a laptop is faster. Yet, it kills your creativity.

Writing and drawing concepts by hand are undeniably different; you use different parts of your brain and body. It’s for a reason that the best in-depth meetings are held in person and with a whiteboard.

My tip is to put on some music while you're at it. Music improves everything, removes the seriousness, and relaxes your mind. Next to this, not proven by research, music also fires that more creative part of your brain. 

‘It’s so much harder to think visually when your only tool is a keyboard.’ (Nelken, Dan. A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters)

These are the simple tools you need

Get a notebook and at least 2 different colored pens. 

I prefer the Leuchtturm1917 dotted-line notebooks; I don’t feel restricted by the sturdy horizontal lines, and the dots guide me to avoid going all over the place and creating a creative mess.

The different colored pens help me create structure and give an overview. One color for the most important stuff, the other for the details.

Undress the brand strategy

I always undress and break down the brand’s strategy: What are they actually doing? Written down in real human, buzzword, jargon, and bullsh*t-free language. Try to write as you speak; imagine you're explaining it to a 10-year-old in a cute pink dress and a blond ponytail. 

What is the license to operate, and why should they still be in business for the next 5 years? And how is the brand really different from its competitors?

Write that down, splitting it between the overarching big stuff and the nitty-gritty details.

Undress the product

Followed by doing the same for their products. Undress it, step away from the technical dry features, and think about the benefits from a customer’s perspective. What does the product do, and what problem does it solve? 

Create lists with all the benefits, attributes, insights, and truths. You’ll notice that not all these lists will make sense; some, though, will fire your creative engine.

 → If you want to know more about the process of creating the lists, I highly recommend 'A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters’ by Dan Nelken (#17 on my booklist) on how he uses buckets for writing headlines, I use the same methodology. 


Ask ChatGPT for additional inspiration

Once you have an idea about what you actually want to say and how it benefits the customer, go to ChatGPT and ask for additional inspiration.

By now, most of us know how to write a decent prompt. 

If not, pivot on ‘Imagine you are a content strategist, and you need inspiration for content items for <product>. Can you help me with a list of ideas? First, start with an overview of the 10 most asked questions about this product, followed by the 10 topics other brands write about.’

Add the AI output to your lists. Write by hand; don’t just copy and paste. Make it your own, and use your own words to sharpen the ideas.

Fire your laptop to create an ideation file

Now, it’s time to get your laptop to open Notion or Word and start typing.

I prefer to use my planning document in Notion as I quickly lose track of what matters the most and what sparks my energy in a Word document. In my Notion planning, I list my ideation without a date, so it’s always in the first view when I open the content calendar. I have about 10 to 20 items that I update regularly; I add new ideas and delete the ones that get stuck or are outdated.

You can also use Excel. Or Word. Or whatever you prefer. You do you.

A few requirements 

• Keep your ideation list to a maximum of 20 ideas; 10 is better
• Keep your ideas short and high-level. When you read the title or one-liner, you immediately have to get the idea, and no further explanation is needed. If you can’t, your idea is not clear enough.
• If you use content from others or are inspired by a book or a quote, add the source to your list to prevent plagiarism.

2. Refresh and recharge with a break

This sounds counterproductive. But, it’s the best trick to speed up. If you take a break, step away, and come back with a fresh mind, you’ll see things in a clearer perspective and you’ll have renewed energy to work on it.

This is the same reason why I always sleep a night between creating and publishing my content. I know that after a good night’s sleep, my edits the next morning always improve what I created.

The best thing about taking a break and doing something completely different, it gives you time to digest and reflect.

• Go for a walk 🚶🏻‍♀️
• Do a workout 🏋🏽‍♀️
• Take a shower 🚿
• Go out for lunch 🥗
• Sleep on it 💤

Whatever you do, make sure you do something that requires a mental shift, and don't use your ‘thinking’ brain; shift to your ‘doing’ brain.

With a refreshed mind, get your laptop and reopen your ideation list.

3. Dig deep into a single idea

Pick 1 idea and dig in. Stick to working on one idea at a time; don’t mix and match. Keep your focus, and don’t risk feeling overwhelmed again.

For the sake and focus of this blog, I will not dive into how I use a pen and paper again to work out my storyline and structure. If you’re interested, read ‘Improve your content by standardizing your structure and using AI’ 

It’s very common to stumble here and have to put in the work to get something decent. 

When the going gets through, the thought gets going. If creating great, creative, outstanding content was easy, everyone would be nailing it.

The trick here is to keep going and write that first ugly draft. Again, my tip is to put on some music to get started and keep going, just as in the first ideation with a pen and paper step. 

Persistence is key. And practice makes perfect.

4. Finalize with AI support

This is where ChatGPT can help you to improve your first ugly draft. There is nothing wrong with asking for AI help as long as you do the creative work and strategic thinking.  That's the difference between AI-powered and fully AI-generated content. 

AI for ideation (again)

Same as in the ideation phase, ChatGPT can help you with ideation to dig into the details of the topic. Do your research with prompts and ask questions. Use the answers to sharpen your draft.

AI for proofreading

Once you’re happy with that draft, ask ChatGPT to proofread it and suggest improvements in structure and writing style.

You can use a prompt like ‘Can you proofread without rewriting? Please give suggestions on the structure, subheaders, and a new header. Please use this tone of voice: inspirational and informative, with a casual, friendly undertone.’

The reason why I ask ChatGPT not to rewrite but to give suggestions is that I like to stay in control of my own content. I notice the result is much better and faster if ChatGPT gives me suggestions and alternatives instead of rewriting the entire piece. 

5. Common pitfalls in content creation to avoid

Knowing what to do is equally important as knowing what not to do. These are my 3 icks.

Stare at your laptop and force some output. This never works. If you want to restart your creativity, go offline. Grab a pen and paper. Get on your feet and go for a walk. Do anything that’s not involved with a screen.

The second not to do is to copy your competitors. This will result in bland content that lacks authenticity and personality. Don’t do what’s already been done.

Last not to do, is to go full out on ChatGPT and AI to create the content for you. That, for sure, is the shortcut to generic, mediocre content. The first numbers are in that this type of content is not ranking (anymore) on SEO or is favored by the algorithm. 

Don’t get me wrong; I love AI when you use it to empower and improve your creativity and content, not to replace it.

Must-read books for content marketing

If you want to improve your skills, and you really need a break and some fresh insights, these are my go-to books to re-read and flip through. 

These books are more focused on copywriting, and I realize content marketers are not copywriters and vice versa. Yet, these books are essential for everyone who works with content and copy. 

The numbers correspond with my booklist.

17. ‘A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters’ by Dan Nelken

20. ‘The Copywriter's Handbook’ by Robert W. Bly

21. ‘Copywriting Secrets’ by Alan Sharpe
23. 'Everybody writes' by Ann Handley
24. 'Make Your Idea Matter: Stand out with a better story' by Bernadette Jiwa

Overcoming content block, my final thoughts

Being stuck in a content marketing block s*cks. Been there, done that. I know. I also know how to get out of it. If you use these trick, you will not only restart your creative engine, you’ll always find new ideas or surprising angles, and you’ll have a stock list with ideas for the next time you’re stuck.

• Grab an old-school pen and paper
• Undress and create an ideation list
• Then, take a break
• And get back to work

And don’t forget the music and enjoy the ride. 

Need help?

If you need any help with all of the above—and I’m not biased at all—I’m thoroughly experienced, have ruffled many feathers, and have learned from my mistakes, drop me an email. If I’m not the right person to help you, maybe I can recommend someone or an agency from my network.

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