3 Steps to Faster & Easier Content Writing.

Hey there,

Welcome to another edition of The Content Canvas. 

It's been a hot minute since I sent out the last newsletter.

I'm currently rebranding and re-launching a project that we've been working on for the last 12 months.

It's a growth marketing agency for SaaS companies. It's called GAAS (Growth As A Service), but it's very different from everything else out there.

I'll share more about this project and everything behind it once we launch it this week.

I've been working behind the scenes with +50 different SaaS companies for the last year - so I'm stoked to share more SaaS-relevant content.

(btw - reply to this email if you wanna learn more)

Anyway - enough about me.

Let's talk about content. 

One of the biggest struggles I hear from marketers and copywriters is...

"I don't know how to get over writer's block"

or "I can't get my creative juices flowing".

This is something that every creative person struggles with in general. 

So, in this newsletter, I want to share a few techniques I use to overcome it. Let's dive into it: 

1) Understand that you're a performer & build a high-performing ritual.

Most athletes have a ritual that they follow before they start playing their game.

Most singers have a ritual that they follow before they step on stage.

Most comedians have a ritual that they follow before they step on stage, too.

But…

For some reason, most people try to sit down, stare at a blank document, and expect their brains to start pouring exceptional ideas into paper. 

It might work for some, but I haven't found it to be working for me.

Instead - here's some of the things I've found useful to get my creative juices going, on commando. 

1. Get good sleep: Sloppy copy comes from unrested writers

2. Mediation: This helps me get in the right frame of mind and dial in on the topic I want to write about. It might not work for everyone, but it definitely helps me block out every other thought and focus.

3. Do CopyWork as your warmup. I.e. write out a great piece of copy by hand

4. Set a timer and put on binaural beats 5) Get something down on paper, no matter how sloppy it may be. Momentum breeds momentum, and ideas begets ideas. 

5. Step away from the document and do something else (read a book, go for a 5-10 minute walk or whatever) 

6. Edit your copy in a separate session from when you were writing it

7. Read it out loud, write 25 headline/hook variations, make final edits, and then ship it. I don't like to sit around and keep refining my copy for days. I'd much rather ship, get feedback, and then try to do better. 

2) Maximizing productivity as a writer

Whether you're a full time copywriter / content marketer, founder / executive who's writing to sell / build an audience, or whatever - we all know that you can't just sit down and write for hours at a time.

Especially if your schedule is already packed up with meetings and tons of other tasks. 

That is the case for me. But, despite that, I still get a chance to write quite a lot. And one of the ways I've found to be helpful for me is to use voice notes to talk my thoughts out loud

Yes - I may seem like a crazy person... But

This is a game-changer for those who want to maximize their productivity as a writer. 

Because when I'm driving, walking, or just brewing coffee - I can still get my ideas out of my head. It's a pretty neat trick.

You should try it.

But… On the flip side, I also practice doing nothing... That's another pretty cool hack to maximize productivity.

Practicing boredom and doing nothing will get your mind the rest it needs. Your mind needs this to be able to write a great piece of content during the time where you actually sit down to write. 

I know these are polar opposites, but as with every other productivity hack - you need a balance, and there's no one size fits all.

or me, the combination of these two things does the trick.

3) On Structure & Swipe Files

I'll always be the first person to admit that I am the least organized person. And that's the way most creative people are.

But - over the last few months, I've started to create a swipe file of good content I see on social media, emails, landing pages, etc. 

Although I've always heard people say that you need structure & swipefiles & organized folders to become a more efficient content writer...

I never really did it.

But the real real is that it does help you become a more efficient and more creative writer.

Why?

Because you don't have to spend energy on figuring out where everything is or worse...

Go on a endless inspiration search on social media and end up getting sucked into BS.

5 Resources I Found Helpful this week

1. The Real Opportunity Of The Next Decade for Businesses by Gary Vee

   1. Overall just a great listen - but I particularly liked the stories about customer centricity at VaynerMedia and the wine store

2. Masterclass on Storytelling by Shaan Puri

   1. I've listened to this 2-hour masterclass three times. It's insane. If there's anything you choose to listen to from this list, make it this one.

3. The Untold History of Reddit

   1. It is not so much content related, but it is really interesting pod to hear about Reddit's story from start to IPO

4. Great Leads

   1. Recently re-read this book and wow - there were so many gems I missed last time. If you haven't read it yet, go read it.

5. Expert secrets

   1. On the agency side, we've been focusing a lot on helping SaaS partners with building their webinars, so Expert Secrets is one of those books that I've read more times than I can even count - and also this week. 

Thanks for reading along. 

As always, thanks for reading along. I truly appreciate every single one of you.

I know, more than anyone, that attention is priceless. So, thank you for giving me a piece of your attention on this lovely Wednesday

I hope this newsletter serves you well, and I hope to continue serving you with valuable content every single week.

Thank you!

All the best Shabir

PS: If you liked this newsletter and want to learn more about what I do - simply reply to this email and let’s chat.