by chelfrey | Apr 17, 2025 | Uncategorized
We’ve all had it…and you don’t have to be a writer to experience writer’s block. Of course, it may not be while you are writing. It may be that moment where a word escapes you, you are at a loss for words, or when you feel something is on the tip of your tongue, but you can’t express it.
This is the same concept as writer’s block. You know what you want to say, but the words aren’t there.
So you scramble and try to do your best using the words that come to mind.
When I have this brain block, or brain fart as I affectionately call it, I sometimes retrase my steps in the hopes that I will be triggered and remember.
One tool I use sparingly is AI. It’s a great tool for getting ideas, conducting research, etc., but it isn’t a replacement for actually sitting down and writing something.
As an author and copywriter, there is no good reason to use AI in place of writing on my own. It wouldn’t be my words, my voice, my style. It wouldn’t be authentic. And search engines aren’t dumb. They may be stupid (just kidding, Google). However, search engines are programmed to detect AI-generated content, and your rankings will take a hit.
Instead, I find inspiration in many forms. I do research. I read. I change my surroundings. I go outside to a park or a coffee shop. I watch nature and people. I listen to music. Any one of these will ultimately bring me out of my brain fart and allow me to get some words flowing agian. A few times, I have even physically reached into the air, mimicking grabbing my missing words out of the air. (Yes, I felt silly – but it worked!)
Let me know how you grab hold of those words when they escape you!
by chelfrey | Mar 21, 2022 | Author, Copywriter, Uncategorized
Inspiration looks different for everyone. Maybe it is in a child’s laughter or a blue balloon crossing the street (there is a story behind this—best told another time). As for me, sometimes inspiration comes from an assignment itself. When working with clients, I like to get to know them, their voice, and their “why” they do what they do. Having this personal contact with them inspires me to do a good job for them.
When I write for myself—something I don’t do nearly enough—I find inspiration everywhere. Sometimes, a favorite song gets my heart pumping and my juices flowing. Sometimes, it is sitting on my front porch and watching the neighborhood wake up. The birds were chirping, the neighbors were walking their dogs, and one very early morning, around 4 a.m., I watched two young teen boys and two young teen girls sneak out of their houses and rendezvous at the intersection by my house. I silently watched them meet up, still in their jammies, and each had blankets wrapped around them (It was November after all). They were hopping around, hoping to stay warm. It was cute, and it was inspirational. I know there is a story in that moment!
What about watching something, or someone, makes for an inspirational moment? i think it’s just that people and things are so relatable that with a little bit of imagination, you can create a whole story by sitting in a coffee shop and watching people come and go. I once sat in an amusement park and thought up a whole story just watching people walk past me.
I wonder what works for you when you need inspiration…
