Writer\u2019s block can strike fear into the heart of any writer, no matter how experienced. When your living depends on your ability to generate engaging content while you sit there staring at a blank screen, it can feel like all of your inspiration has slipped out the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Alice Flaherty pointed out in her book The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer\u2019s Block, and the Creative Brain<\/em>, writers used to think of this as being \u201cdried up<\/a>.\u201d The ideas were just gone, and they weren\u2019t coming back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The shift to thinking of writer\u2019s \u201cblock\u201d \u2014 a barrier to creativity, not an ending \u2014 is much more accurate. You\u2019re not out of ideas; you just need a jump-start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writers have looked for that jump-start in countless ways. Artificial intelligence, more commonly known as AI, is one of the newest tools. It\u2019s also one of the most effective, particularly for writing projects that need to move forward now<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what you need to know about AI writing and writer\u2019s block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Writer\u2019s block is the phenomenon of feeling \u201cstuck\u201d in your writing. No matter how hard you try, you simply can\u2019t get words onto the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not a lack of skill or an apathy toward writing. You desperately want to write. Maybe you even need <\/em>to write, or you won\u2019t be able to pay the bills next month. But nothing will come. It\u2019s one of the most frustrating experiences a writer can have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to The Midnight Disease<\/em>, this frustration is a defining element of writer\u2019s block. \u201cSomeone who is not writing but not suffering does not have writer\u2019s block,\u201d says Flaherty<\/a>. \u201cHe or she is merely not writing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s nothing wrong with \u201cmerely not writing,\u201d but it doesn\u2019t call for an urgent fix in the same way writer\u2019s block does. When you have writer\u2019s block, you desperately want a way out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two common pieces of advice for overcoming writer\u2019s block. One is to step away from your keyboard for a while and do something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The other advice you\u2019ll hear is just to write. Get words down on paper. It\u2019s a fine technique for those times when you\u2019re just a little bit stuck, but real writer\u2019s block is tricky. No matter how many words you write, none of them feel good enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At that point, writing for the sake of writing can be more frustrating than helpful. That\u2019s where AI enters the picture to cure your writer\u2019s block\u2026 or at least help you break through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AI writing takes over the \u201cjust get words on the page\u201d part of overcoming writer\u2019s block, so you can get your momentum back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An AI writing tool<\/a> will take your description of the material you need and generate text accordingly. Most of the time, you start by choosing a template and entering a few key details about what you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s top tools, including Jasper<\/a> and Copy.ai<\/a>, have templates for most to all of the content types a professional writer might need. That includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The AI writing tool will ask you for some key information about the content, such as the product or business name and a description. Some tools will even ask you for the tone you want, which helps you get closer to quality copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you need longer-form content, like an entire blog post, AI writing can help you to build it out. You can generate an outline, topic ideas, or even a full first paragraph \u2014 wherever you happen to be stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what Jasper generated for the post title \u201cEarning Money as a Freelance Copywriter,\u201d in an encouraging tone for an audience of new and aspiring writers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you enjoy writing? Do you have good grammar skills and a high level of creativity? If so, then freelance copywriting might be the perfect career for you. With more and more businesses using content marketing to drive sales, there is always a need for talented writers who can produce quality articles that resonate with their target audience. You don’t need any qualifications or experience to get started; all it takes is an interest in writing combined with some basic knowledge on how to use Microsoft Word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If this sounds like something that interests you, read on! This blog post will provide everything you need to know about becoming a freelance copywriter from knowing what clients expect from your work, understanding the different types of copywriting jobs available and making sure your work meets\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It needs some editing to be publication-ready, but it effectively gets the post started. It even gives the writer ideas for next paragraphs \u2014 client expectations, types of jobs, and meeting expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This kind of writing may come from a computer, but creative human brains still play a role in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AI writing uses a technology called natural language processing to generate custom text. NLP is a kind of artificial neural network<\/a>, which \u201clearns\u201d from experience in the same way a human or animal brain can learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A neural network is a set of mathematical models called algorithms. Programmers create these algorithms to recognize and classify patterns, such as the patterns in human language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, the creators of an AI copywriting tool would \u201cteach\u201d their NLP by feeding it examples of different content types. After seeing a certain number of these, the NLP learns what that type of content is supposed to sound like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Programmers are also working on a more advanced form of AI content generation called a generative pre-trained transformer<\/a>, or GPT. A GPT can process and understand language in context, so well that it only needs a few simple instructions to create a plausible paragraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GPTs learn faster than older language processing tools. They create more unique and \u201chuman-sounding\u201d copy with fewer instructions. Most importantly, they generate copy that can mimic a particular writer\u2019s or brand\u2019s style. AI writing is a developmental technology, but it has the potential to change the experience of writer\u2019s block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Advanced AI worries a lot of writers. They think that if it gets good enough, it will take their jobs. But that\u2019s not what AI writing was intended to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s AI writing will create a respectable first draft, or part of a first draft if you\u2019re looking for longer-form content. Once you have that material, you need to tweak it before putting it out into the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly, AI writing algorithms are programmed to write \u2014 not research and fact-check. Even the best ones are notorious for letting inaccuracies creep in. (See above. Microsoft Word isn\u2019t the be-all and end-all software for most copywriters.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, even the best AI writing needs some human editing to tighten it up and make it flow smoothly. Take the following sentence, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith more and more businesses using content marketing to drive sales, there is always a need for talented writers who can produce quality articles that resonate with their target audience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s nothing technically wrong with this sentence. It could easily have come from the mind of a developing writer. But you\u2019ll get better responses from clients and readers if you take some time to freshen it up to something like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs the number of businesses using content marketing increases, so does the need for writers who produce quality articles that resonate with audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today\u2019s AI tools help you move through writer\u2019s block in whatever form it shows up. The key to success is knowing what you need help with, and what AI tool features can get you there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n AI algorithms generate all kinds of marketing copy, from Instagram captions to different kinds of ad copy. Both Jasper and Copy.ai even generate content based on common ad writing techniques, like Pain-Agitate-Solution and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n All you need to do is choose the right format and fill in the requested information as thoroughly as possible. And don\u2019t worry \u2014 it won\u2019t make your writer\u2019s block worse!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most of the time, the template only asks for a product name and description, and possibly a tone. It\u2019s completely acceptable to copy the product description from a web page or other piece of copy, since the template won\u2019t use it verbatim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Idea generation is one of the biggest challenges of content writing. It\u2019s tough to consistently come up with ideas that are fresh, original, and engaging. AI can help by providing you with blog post concepts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For the description of \u201ccopywriting and content writing services for businesses,\u201d Copy.ai generated ideas like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The results get more specific when you add \u201cbusiness owners\u201d and \u201cmarketers\u201d as an audience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jasper also lets you provide a target audience description, your intended tone of voice, and a sample article title. In response to the example title \u201cWhy You Need a Freelance Writer,\u201d it suggested:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t love the suggestions the AI writer generates at first, you can always ask again with different or more specific background information. Today\u2019s AI writers generate ideas in seconds, so you\u2019ll still be moving along faster than if you were trying to push through writer\u2019s block on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most frustrating kinds of writer\u2019s block is the type that strikes when you\u2019re in the middle of a piece. You\u2019re moving along at a steady pace and suddenly, you start to second-guess yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Does that sound awkward?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Is that really what I\u2019m trying to say?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The more you overthink it, the more stymied you can start to feel. When that happens, you can turn to AI writing to refine your content. Jasper calls this its \u201ccontent improver.\u201d Copy AI has other tools, including Sentence Rewriter and Simplify Sentence, to help you think of alternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use these tools to refine a sentence you wrote yourself, or do some tweaking on an AI-written sentence. For instance, Copy.ai\u2019s Sentence Rewriter turned this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You don’t need any qualifications or experience to get started; all it takes is an interest in writing combined with some basic knowledge on how to use Microsoft Word.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026into options like these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “While some experience and\/or education would certainly be helpful in your line of work, you don’t need to jump through any hoops to get started.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The best way to get started is to make a commitment to learning as much as you can, and then just start writing.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again, you can generate as many alternatives as you want, until you find one you love. Remember, it’s best if you do some editing yourself to give it the human touch!<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a combination of idea generation, content writing, and rewriting tools, AI writing services can make writer\u2019s block a thing of the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take some time to experiment. There are many different tools you can try, including Jasper and Copy.ai as well as Copysmith<\/a> and Writesonic<\/a>. Most have free trials, so there’s no commitment \u2014 just the opportunity to see blank pages fill up and frustration turn back into ease.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Writer\u2019s block can strike fear into the heart of any writer, no matter how experienced. When your living depends on your ability to generate engaging content while you sit there staring at a blank screen, it can feel like all of your inspiration has slipped out the window. As Alice Flaherty pointed out in her …<\/p>\nWhat Is Writer\u2019s Block?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Get Over Writer\u2019s Block<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
AI and the Writer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What It Can Do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How It Works<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What It Can Do\u2026and What It Can\u2019t<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Use It<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sales Copy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Content Ideas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Content Improvement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Moving Past Writer\u2019s Block<\/h2>\n\n\n\n