Last week I had coffee with a friend who is in the middle of a career transition. She told me she wasn’t ready to jump into the crazy job market (go figure), but she had 10+ years of valuable experience she could leverage if she could just find some new and exciting opportunities.
She wanted to offer her expertise online in a way that would benefit others while also giving her a professional outlet and some personal satisfaction. Writing online was well within her reach. But her excuses and self-judgment were holding her back.
Many of us (myself included) have been in this situation.
With the expertise many of us have and the number of tools available to help writers online, it’s never been an easier time to build an online audience or just express yourself online.
But, the roadblocks are all too familiar.
Common Roadblocks
“Just get started” they say — but how? Most people don’t know where to begin or underestimate their potential impact. They have too many options. Some feel paralyzed by the vast array of writing and publishing platforms.
But let’s say you start. You then deal with another hurdle: creative blocks. The dreaded writer’s block stops ideas from flowing. Even the most successful writers deal with this!
OK, fine. You eventually get over your writers block. You have something in mind. You’re ready to start. But, all too often, people at this stage will suffer from self-criticism. We judge ideas before they even make it to the page.
What’s the use?
Hidden Benefits of Consistent Online Writing
I’m here to tell you that it’s worth facing these challenges head on. Why? Beyond building an audience, consistent online writing helps you:
- Deepen your expertise: Explaining concepts to others forces you to understand them more thoroughly
- Create unexpected opportunities: Readers may reach out with collaboration or career possibilities
- Build a valuable body of work: Over time, your content becomes an asset that continues working for you
The combination of your unique expertise and AI-powered assistance makes now the perfect time to start sharing your knowledge online. The tools can help remove the roadblocks. They’ll handle the structure and polish while you focus on contributing your valuable and unique insights.
Enter AI-Powered Writing for Lasting Success
Luckily for us, we’re living in an era with no shortage of AI tools and proven systems. You get unprecedented support at any skill level. Here’s a system I swear by that leverages AI to build a sustainable writing practice that consistently showcases expertise.
First, remove friction
Remove the common writing blockers. If you’re like a lot of folks, these typically occur in two areas: choosing what to write about and putting pen to paper.
Build Your Idea Bank
When you get to the blank screen, you shouldn’t need to spend time selecting a topic. Keep an "idea bank" journal with ideas, observations, and topics you’d like to explore in your writing. Then, select an idea from the idea bank before you write to streamline your process.
Not sure how to start populating your idea bank? Use Perplexity AI to generate a list of trending topics and questions. Here’s an example prompt:
What are the top 5 trending topics in [your industry] that professionals are discussing this month? For each topic, suggest 3 specific questions that readers might want answered.
Use Templates
Remember Mad Libs? They’re fun to do not only because the result is incredibly entertaining, but also because their format is straightforward and lets you focus on what matters.
Templates help you fill out an outline, and then shape that outline into a completed piece ready for publishing. Use AI to come up with templates or create a first draft from your detailed outline. Here's an example prompt:
Create a versatile blog template for [industry] professionals sharing their expertise. Include sections for introducing the problem, sharing personal experience, outlining common mistakes, and providing actionable solutions.
Second, implement smart systems
Scheduling
Schedule writing time so that you don’t have to think about when to write. When you do this, writing more likely just becomes a habit. Also, write during a time of day that works best for you. Some are more creative first thing in the morning, others find the spark at night.
Rewards
This is what will keep you going. Reward yourself for your writing consistency. It can be a number of things that motivate you personally. For me, it’s a cookie from the local bakery after each newsletter. Need help coming up with rewards that would motivate you? Try this AI prompt:
Based on my interests in [hobbies/activities/treats], suggest a progressive reward system for meeting my writing goals. Include small daily rewards, weekly milestones, and monthly achievements that would keep me motivated to maintain my writing habit.
Environment
Lastly, create an environment that works best for you. Some prefer the silence of a library. Others prefer the clinking and chatter of a local café. This one is on you. Experiment with different environments and make sure you have easy access to it to maintain your writing habit.
Third, go for it!
Your expertise deserves to be shared, and with the right systems in place, you can create a sustainable writing practice that builds your reputation, deepens your knowledge, and opens new doors of opportunity. Get started today, even if you're just writing in your Notes app.
Let me know how it goes for you!
