This is the hardest part of writing:

“I'm going to meet a new client at 2,” I said to my friend Nick on WhatsApp. “So I've got 90 minutes to kill.”

“Read something?” he suggested.

“Mm yeah,” I said. “What I SHOULD do is write my email for tonight… but I dunno what to write about yet.”

“Write about waiting for meetings.”

“I actually considered writing about the email you wrote this week,” I replied. “Basically, ‘Nick wrote this really good email and cos I've got nothin' you should just go read that.’”

“Or… you could write about the times when you've had nothing to write about,” he said. “Super meta.”

It is indeed super meta lol.

“That could work,” I said. “But I'll have to do it when I'm back 'cos there's only an hour til I have to leave now.”

“I thought your emails only take 20 minutes ayeeeeeee.”

lol.

Fuck off Nick. 🤣

But also, to be fair, the writing part DOES only take 20 minutes. Usually.

It's the ideation that takes all the time.

Like, sure, Nick had helped me sorta come up with a topic… but how was I going to structure it? What points was I going to make? Was it going to be short and pitchy, or in-depth and educational? Maybe a little ranty? Salesy? Bitchy?

THAT'S the part that takes time.

Generally, I get the beginning of an idea, then think of a good lead… and then I'm usually inspired enough to bang out something worth sending to my list.

(Coincidentally, a conversation with Nick is what inspired my last email about waffle stomping too. 🤪)

And if it's taking a long time to write… it's usually because the idea isn't quite right. It hasn't reached its final form just yet.

Ideation is probably the hardest part of writing.

It's the main reason people struggle with publishing regularly, and also arguably one of the reasons people turn to AI so frequently.

And therefore why we're exposed to so much algotrash* in our inboxes and feeds.

So here's some short and pithy tips you can use to come up with ideas without having to rely on a dopamine slot machine:

1) Actually talk to people

Novel concept, I know. But talking to people—clients, friends, business partners, suppliers… randos on the street—can be a goldmine for content. ESPECIALLY if they're a part of your target audience. If that's the case, pay close attention to:

• Words or phrases they use
• Objections or complaints they have
• What tickles their fancy

2) Write daily

Not necessarily for an audience (although I suppose it CAN be). Sounds counterproductive given I'm sharing ways to come up with ideas… but daily writing genuinely does help. I write 750 words daily in the morning that's often just a brain dump of half-formed thoughts… which often become emails or LinkedIn posts later.

…Or scenes for my sci-fi novel I've been writing for the past 20 years lol.

In this case, quantity comes first. Quality is after you've warmed up.

3) Look back at “on this day” moments

Probably one of the coolest things Facebook brought out back in the day was the “On This Day” feature. Not that I've logged into my account in the last 3 years lol. But the concept is great for coming up with ideas.

What happened this time last week? Last month? Last year? Where were you, what were you doing? Did anything make you laugh, make you feel smug, make you feel like an idiot? All good things to write about.

4) Use prompts—no, NOT AI prompts lol

I mean, common writing prompts. There's thousands of blogs on Google with different ones, and some paid services too. Stuff like:

• What's a thing I believed 2 years ago that I don't believe now?
• What's the laziest advice in my industry?
• What's a story about a time I did something for the last time?
• What's a story about a time I embarrassed myself in front of someone I was trying to impress?

5) Browse media (social and news)

I leave this one last because sometimes it can actually limit your creativity when you get caught up doomscrolling. But it can definitely be useful to write your perspective on some industry news, or trending topics that your audience are interested in.

Find something that makes you:

• Roll your eyes
• Wholeheartedly agree
• Want to add context
• Think “Well, ACKTUALLY…” 🤪

The trick for all of these is to relate it back to your own personal experience (see how I avoided saying LiVeD eXpEriEnCe? Fkn over that phrase lol).

I don't need you to write AT me. I need you to write like you're sharing something important with me. I can apply your experience to my own life situation easily enough, as can most people. It's kinda part of being human.

But I appreciate this is the opposite of what we've been taught in the past. “Don't write about yourself, write about your customer”—and sure, I agree. Always consider what matters to them… but you still need to RELATE to them.

Think about when you're trying to give a mate advice. Generally, you'll reference a similar situation you've been in to show you know what you're talking about or understand what they're going through.

It's called EMPATHY.

You don't just say, “You're an idiot, don't do that.”

…Or maybe you do. But you probs shouldn't—unless you're really good mates.

The point I'm trying to make is: your life is way more interesting than it might seem to you. Don't preach—share!

Cool, so that's all I've got for today.

If you want more, go read Nick's email → nickgulic.kit.com

Cheers,
Cass