Copywriting Tips for Ideas and Motivation
Motivation and creativity can be hard to find. Sometimes, the harder we look for them, the more elusive they become. Unfortunately, in today’s digital marketing landscape you simply don’t always have the time to wait for them to come to you. Today we wanted to share some of our favorite Copywriting Tips for Ideas and Motivation which we have learned over the years.
In many ways, these tips and ideas are like doing a warmup before you exercise. When you were a kid, you could walk out the front door and go into a full sprint down the street. Try that as an adult and see what happens. We simply need a little time to stretch and get loose before trying to go all out. The creative juices need to start flowing, which can take a bit sometimes no matter how much coffee you are chugging.
Copywriting Tips for Ideas and Motivation
- Change the soundtrack – Creativity begets creativity. Sometimes the easiest way to spark a little creativity is by changing your music selection. You might start with something off the Deep Focus playlist on Spotify, but if that isn’t working mix it up for some R&B or whatever gets you going. Music can be a great way to let your subconscious work on ideas and thoughts while you are humming along to a tune.
- Write a super basic outline – Staring at a blank page is a recipe for disaster when you are trying to be creative. That white space and blinking cursor are both mocking your inability to craft something amazing on the spot. However, every journey begins with a single step (thank you, Lao Tzu). In the case of the blank page, just start to fill it with whatever information you have. People get hung up on all sorts of things, but the purpose here is to warm up. A title can be “Working Title” or “Something about Sports Cars”. Then continue down adding whatever information you might have such as general subject ideas, requirements and the focus of the piece, or even boilerplate information that every post might use.
- Brainstorm – This is a basic term that can cover a lot of styles of thought creation. Every person in a creative industry should try various brainstorming methods. Some people prefer free writing, which is a timed writing period for letting ideas flow. Other people like to doodle thoughts and ideas in a picture format. There are a host of tactics and methods that all work, although people will find that certain methods work better than others for their style. Find your go-to and then apply it. This would be like doing a few light warm-ups in the gym before you tackle the heavier work.
- Do your research – If a piece requires research for data, sources to link to, etc. then take the time to search earlier rather than later. As you find the information it can spark ideas for structure as well as going directions that might not have been thought of before. Either way, a well-supported piece of copy is a stronger piece of copy.
- Start in the middle – Often the beginning and end of anything creative can be the most difficult to craft. You have a general idea about what you are creating but aren’t sure how to lead into it or close it out. In these cases, such as writing a list of tips, you can dive right into the middle and then work outward. Often, once the middle is done, it is easier to write the introduction and ending because the scope of the piece has been completed.
- Review prior work – Looking back can be an excellent way to move forward. Revisiting older work, especially those on a similar topic or type can be just the thing to add ideas to your bucket. You might find introductions or endings that can be re-written for this particular piece, or at least provide a nice starting point to work from.
- Do something else – Sometimes creativity is like a cat. You can try your hardest to attract its attention and get it to come to play with you to no avail. Then, right when you are in the middle of something else, that cat is rubbing against your leg. That doesn’t mean ignore your writing and deadline but instead focus on it for a specific amount of time, and then take a break for another task. For example, some writers use a timer and work for 20 to 30 minutes. At the breakpoint, they take a stroll, refill their water, get fresh coffee, and then check email for 10 minutes. Then they sit down for another 20-minute session. It can be surprising how many great ideas will pop up after you step away from the screen and are actively thinking about some other task.
- Edit mid-project – Editing is one of the most important parts of copywriting. It does not need to be done after completing a draft. Sometimes, when you are stuck, editing a project aloud can be a great way to find ways to improve the work. As corrections are made, this can lead to more ideas as you “hear” the tone and sound of the copy rather than just reading it.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that writing compelling, interesting, and engaging copy can be very difficult. It is very easy to get stuck facing a blank page and a blinking cursor. Our Copywriting Tips for Ideas and Motivation can help you loosen up those creative muscles a bit and help get the ball rolling.
Be sure to check back every week for great new Lounge Lizard blog articles.
