For the past several months, people have been making a lot of jokes about how every day of the pandemic feels like Groundhog Day, with everything blending together and feeling like it’s always the same day.
These jokes increased a couple of weeks ago on the actual Groundhog Day, and it got me thinking about how that feeling of sameness also applies to writing content.
After all, when you’ve been writing about the same field for long enough, it can get harder to find new things to write about. You can always revisit something you covered before, this time from a new angle, but it can be hard to make it feel fresh, or for you to get interested in writing about it again.
When that happens, here are three tips that can help.
Tip 1: Read other viewpoints
One thing that can help is to see what other people are saying about the subject.
Maybe they’ve approached it the same way you have, but maybe not. Or even if they have a similar viewpoint, a single phrase or idea could be different enough to send you in a new direction.
The good news is that with the internet, you can find content about anything and everything. That’s also the bad news since it means you need to sift through all of it. But if you look long enough, you’re likely to find something useful.
Tip 2: Talk to your customers
Another good option is to talk to your customers. Since they’re the ones using your product or service, they’ll have their own ideas about the subject, and that could lead to something new for you.
When you’re doing this, the key thing to remember is to ask open-ended questions. Don’t explain what you’re thinking about and ask if they agree. Instead, ask a more general question about their perspective and, if possible, get a real-life example.
Even if this doesn’t give you a new idea, it will hopefully get you feeling more enthusiastic again about what you’re offering, and that alone will make writing easier.
Tip 3: Do something completely different
Finally, when all else fails, take a break from the writing and do something completely different.
Ideally, this would be something that doesn’t involve a lot of conscious thought. Going for a walk is a great option, and this is also why some people have good ideas in the shower.
I find that cooking or baking also works well, as long as it’s not something too complicated. I’ve even gotten some ideas or eureka moments when playing with my cats.
The other important part of this is having something to write on so that if you have a sudden idea, you can make note of it before you forget. This doesn’t have to be pen and paper, though. I use the Notes app on my phone for this when I’m out for walks, for example, or you could even record a voice message to yourself if that’s easier.
You can make any idea feel new
Even if you’ve been writing or talking about something for a long time, you can still find ways to make it feel new. That helps you feel more engaged, and that will come through to your audience as well to make them interested, even if they’ve heard some of it before.
Getting other perspectives helps, whether it’s by going online or by talking to customers. Taking a break and giving yourself time to mull things over also helps, but you may have other methods. If you do, leave a comment, and here’s hoping that at least when creating content, you won’t feel like you’re repeating Groundhog Day.