One of the downsides of being a freelance writer is the times that creativity seems to have disappeared. Sometimes it causes you to doubt yourself and your abilities, maybe even doubt whether this whole professional writing thing is really for you.

“What on earth am I going to write about this week?”

Perhaps not all freelance writers feel this way but I certainly do. Surely there are some who never face their content deadlines thinking this way. But I have asked a few fellow writers what they do when the creativeness has disappeared and this is what we came up with.

Read. It almost doesn’t matter what it is, and it is usually better if it is not in your niche. You could find some interesting fact or idea that will be the spark that leads to an article topic.

Look on social media and see what people are discussing or find an inspiring question. Then write a long-form answer. If you are a member of any social media groups, then try asking a general question about what is on their minds. That usually surfaces a few topics that you might not have thought of, or reframes things in a different way. 

Another tried tactic is to just start writing anyway, even if you don’t know what you’re going to write about. Sit down at a keyboard, turn off all your notifications, and just write what is on your mind. Clear your head of all your thoughts. Keep going until you hit on something that gets you inspired. 

Also, for me it helps to separate the idea and the actual creation of the article. They are different states of mind, and I have found I can come up with many more topics when I’m in a relaxed mood than when I’m panicking about creating the article I will publish next. Even if they aren’t all perfect, a list of random, free-associated ideas is a better starting point than the blank page. 

Build yourself a creative journal from ideas that come to you through the day. Before long you would have built a vast collection of ideas that you can draw upon. You can rely on that scribbled note or scrap of an idea and turn it into a solid piece of creative writing. It will make the process of finding a topic to write about a much easier one.

When I don’t know what to write, it’s usually the case of not having done enough research. For me, it usually means I haven’t given my initial thoughts and ideas enough airtime, and by that I mean I haven’t let my brain do some of the important work for me. I’ve found that before I can give my ideas the critical feedback, they need time to sit and incubate before I disregard them completely. This is just another part of the creative process.

My final tip is listening whenever other people talk. It’s easy to switch off, especially after work when you are tired, but having a constant curiosity about what other people say enriches your creation process. It helps you connect the dots between ideas that lead to more interesting content.