Many of us have experienced it: that great wall of writer’s block that seems immovable despite every effort to inspire yourself. And if you write marketing copy, this immovable wall could impact your work and relationships with clients. As a writer, you may prefer one subject over another, but often content marketing comes down to an 80/20 ratio: 80 percent of the topics you write about won’t interest you and 20 percent will. So, how do you move past the wall and into a room where creativity abounds?

Brainstorming. It is the ultimate weapon in the writer’s arsenal. It has the power to upend the most tiresome of subjects and inject a voice that packs a punch. Though an often undervalued writing tool, brainstorming has many benefits. It is a practical solution and ignites your brain with a slew of creative ideas. 

Create A Topic First

Shift your focus from an entire piece of content to the headline alone. This one sentence can provide enough of a push to complete an entire article and spawn even more content ideas. Finding ideas for topics is easy, too. For example, if your client has an FAQ page, start there. Look for popular questions that need answers and fill that void with your content. Another excellent source is social media. What questions are the client’s fans asking? Once you find a few, jot those down and summarize the subject in a title. Once finished, you now have the initial content for your article.

Do Your Research

Proper research makes you an expert in a subject, and it provides an excellent source for future articles. For example, a health food store wants five articles per month delivered to their inbox. Start with a simple Google search for health-related materials and brainstorm your topics. Reference these materials or use them for inspiration on your own subjects. Note: There is a difference between inspiration and plagiarism, so never use someone’s words without the proper citation.
You should now be on your way towards writing interesting and relevant articles for your clients and well on your way towards defeating writer’s block. For more tips on content marketing, writing, and more, stay tuned to our blog; follow us on Facebook and Twitter for even more marketing advice.