Even though I’ve spent years writing online, I woke up this morning and couldn’t think of anything to bash into my MacBook after the kids went to school. And I’d only have half an hour to write this email as I’ve got a call with a client later today.

I’ve a near-mortal fear of the flashing cursor or a blank screen. So, I avoided this problem with the Post-It note strategy for a few years. Here’s how it works.

Before bed, I write down a single idea on a Post-It like “write 300 words about writer’s block,” and pin it to my keyboard. Then, I get up early the following day and bash out the blog post or article. The Post-It note plants a creative seed that my brain grows into an idea overnight.

This technique still works, and I teach it to clients who struggle with writer’s block.

AI can help you get around writer’s block these days too. I use it to find weird and unusual content ideas and also for a kick up the ass when I feel stuck. I’ll fire up Claude or ChatGPT and explain my dilemma with a prompt like this:

“Hey Claude, I’m hopelessly out of ideas today and I need to write a daily email about creativity and the subconscious. My audience is creators. Give me 5–7 numbered bullet points for unusual or contrarian topics to cover in a 500 word-daily email. Oh and while you’re at it, ask me a few questions about my content strategy so you can tailor your output to my content goals.”

If I’m not happy with the output, I’ll answer Claude or GPT’s questions till I get something I can use. I only need one or two ideas to get going.

I don’t let Claude or GPT write the email or content for me. Frankly, AI content without the human touch is bland and generic. Instead, I’m looking for a creative constraint. When I have this, I can insert a personal story, an insight for readers, and a call to action for my current offer.

AI won’t replace writers and creators. Readers and followers crave authenticity. But writers and creators who use AI as an assistant–say for analyzing, iterating, and researching–have a huge advantage over those who don’t.

I’m crafting a private collection of AI prompts and templates already helping creators 2x their output without losing the human touch. I’m testing with a small group - reply ‘AI’ if you want first access.