AI Writing
How to Use AI to Beat Writer's Block
Beat writer’s block, improve productivity, and let your creativity flow by using AI to crush your biggest writing challenges.
Whether you’re just getting started in the world of writing and content marketing or you’re a seasoned pro, writer’s block is a common frustration.
What is it about this all-too-common, aggravating issue that challenges even the most prolific writers? More importantly, can innovations in AI help writers overcome it?
When artificial intelligence and AI writing first sprang into an unsuspecting world, the tech community was abuzz with ideas on the potential future of AI.
As it turns out, in the world of content marketing, the “sweet spot” for copywriting and AI comes from writers working with AI in a hybrid approach that builds on existing skill sets without replacing authentic human-written content.
Being able to beat writer's block and draw upon a fresh, steady stream of inspiration is a top skill — here’s how AI can help.
Writer’s block is a common challenge. If you write frequently, there’s a high probability that you might have experienced it, too.
Writer’s block can be summed up as the frustrating moment when, no matter how much you might want them to, the words just won’t come to you.
Is it simply a matter of mental fatigue? Overwhelming pressure? A lack of inspiration? All of the above? You may be surprised to learn that large studies have researched the causes of writer’s block.
As it turns out, writer’s block has four main causes:
Let’s review each of these so you can crush that word drought confidently and start writing the perfect and precise prose you know you’re capable of!
If you’ve ever heard the phrase “you are what you eat,” then you already know that how you feel physically also has emotional and cognitive effects.
Example: Eating a steady diet of junk food or energy drinks, paired with poor sleep habits and a lack of exercise, can all cause the brain to feel sluggish. Add to that any physical conditions or chronic stress, and you’ve got a recipe for the perfect creative block.
Thinking outside of the box, there are AI apps that help with everything from tracking sleep to planning an inspiring exercise routine that refreshes your mind.
Some apps can also remind you to practice regular mindfulness or meditation to create an environment primed for creative thinking and writing.
Sometimes, the issue behind writer’s block isn’t physical health but a drop in motivation. Motivation problems are rooted in everything from perfectionism to a lack of interest in a topic.
Having a huge project on your plate can feel overwhelming. The pressure of getting it done quickly and accurately may make you want to avoid it entirely and procrastinate.
Today’s AI-powered writing assistants can help you come up with ways to break down mammoth projects into small, digestible tasks that feel rewarding and encouraging.
For battling procrastination, AI is beneficial for content ideation or drafting content briefs as an assistant to get you on the right track. Oftentimes, once you have a clear starting point, everything else begins to fall into place.
If cognitive issues are at the root of writer’s block, this can be traced back to how the brain processes information. Some writers struggle with working memory, where information is held long enough to frame into words. Self-doubt or an inner critic can exacerbate these issues.
In other cases, writers may suffer from cognitive overload. This happens when too many ideas are shared too quickly. This, in turn, hinders creativity and clarity.
Use AI tools like ChatGPT to create outlines, start research, or generate ideas to establish a clear plan and outline when processing large amounts of information or ideas.
Then, break down complex information into key points that are more digestible to unlock creativity and crush writer’s block.
Behavioral causes of writer’s block are rooted in consistent actions or habits that contribute to the creative block.
These behaviors can be anything from procrastination to the lack of a clear and structured writing routine. Some writers feel like if they don’t have the “perfect moment” to write in, the day is already spent and it’s better to try again tomorrow.
Over time, repeating these kinds of behaviors leads to reinforcement, which only makes the patterns and habits more ingrained and difficult to break.
AI tools can help writers create and stick to a consistent schedule by setting reminders and tracking progress. Other apps can help block distracting websites, like social media, so that you can stay focused.
AI can even analyze a writer’s habits and suggest their most productive timeframes. Over time, this can help set a more disciplined and focused writing routine.
While there are several ways that AI can help overcome the root causes of writer’s block, how can you use it as part of your writing routine to save time without impacting the quality of your writing? We’ve got you covered there, too!
When you’re low on motivation and creativity, AI can help you quickly generate and then refine ideas that may be just what you need to break through a slump.
This can save you a great deal of time and unblock your creativity so that the words start flowing.
AI writing tools are a great way to structure an outline and turn something overwhelming into easily manageable pieces.
By typing in a topic and a few concepts or ideas, AI can help.
Do you have an overwhelming collection of notes or half-sketched ideas? AI can turn that mess of paperwork into a more logical outline. From there, you can build an outline that inspires you so that the words flow effortlessly from one to the next, and you can craft a more professional and polished piece of writing.
Writing “flow” isn’t just about when you get into “the zone,” and the words come more freely. It’s also about how easily the reader can grasp the concepts you’re sharing.
Using AI to draft the copy itself isn’t recommended, as it can result in a tangled mess of awkwardly phrased transitions, repetitive phrases, and disjointed ideas.
Not to mention that if you mass-publish AI content that doesn’t comply with Google’s spam policies, it could result in Google penalties.
However, AI can still be useful for reviewing your writing flow as part of your editorial process.
Incorporate it as a second set of eyes while editing to optimize your readability score or fix grammar and spelling. Many grammar checkers and writing aids may use AI. In this manner, AI can help you distill concepts into more easily understandable parts without losing the overall meaning.
You can also use AI to adapt existing content to fit a different audience (such as adapting a blog post for social media).
Working with disjointed suggestions as part of a group collaboration can result in multiple different styles of writing.
In this case, you could use an AI tool to analyze the copy for recommendations on how to maintain a consistent tone across the piece, making it easier to read and more engaging for your readers at the same time.
Then, for best practice, use an AI checker to review the copy before you click publish to ensure that the content is original and human-written to provide top-quality content for your audience.
AI is also particularly well-suited for research, gathering information, and fact-checking.
When you need accuracy and want to confirm that your content is factually correct, a fact-checker is important for reviewing copy before publication.
Taking a hybrid approach that integrates AI into your writing process (to brainstorm ideas), planning time for mindfulness (that leads to inspiration), or even using AI to streamline workflow (by checking grammar or readability) are all beneficial ways to conquer writer’s block with AI.
Cultivate your unique writing voice and open the floodgates of creativity to write something uniquely authentic and originally your own.
