We humans are funny beings.
The more we focus on finding happiness, the more elusive it is. But if we shift our focus to creating meaning in our lives, often happiness clicks into place.
One of the ways we can bring more meaning into our lives is to find things that take us outside of ourselves… those activities we get lost in, becoming perfectly unself-conscious in the service of creating or doing.
As writers, we’re lucky because that’s one of the things that writing offers us — the chance to enter the flow state.
So, I have a question for you… how have things been going with that lately? When was the last time you found yourself in the flow state?
If it wasn’t in the last week or two, then I want to push you a little to figure out how you can get into the writing flow more often… and of course, I have a couple of thoughts for you to consider that might help out.
Are You Challenging Yourself?
One of the keys to entering flow state is to feel both challenged and in control. That means taking on projects you feel capable of doing, but that also require you to work hard to do them well.
If the work you’re doing isn’t challenging enough (or is too challenging), the flow state will elude you.
So, one way to get into the flow state more often is to start learning a new writing skill, maybe a new project type. The perfect choice would be one that makes you feel both excited about being able to do it… but also a little daunted.
Another way to find more flow is to take on a project that’s outside your niche, one where you have to stretch some in terms of research.
Are You Making Time and Space to Get Lost in Your Work?
Schedules can get hectic (believe me, I know). And if you’re anything like me, you have days where you find yourself hopping from one task to the next and facing more interruptions than you’d like.
Those days happen, and that’s okay. But they aren’t conducive to flow… so you don’t want every day, all day to be like that.
See if you can block out a two-hour chunk in your week. Then, during that time, remove all distractions (no phone, shut down your email… you know the drill), and choose something you’re excited to work on. Let yourself get lost in it without worrying about how much you get done or how good it is.
Chances are, you’ll fall into your flow state and do some really good work… and enjoy the heck out of the process.
Do You Have a Creative Project in Progress?
Whether you’re working on a novel, writing a poem, or crafting the next article for your Money-Making Website, having a project to work on that requires more creativity than the average email message or website homepage is another good way to give yourself opportunities to get into the flow state.
By finding time, making space, and choosing challenging-but-exciting projects, you’ll increase the amount of time you spend working in the flow state. That will give your work a greater sense of meaning… and likely lead to more happiness too.
A Very BIG Announcement
It’s time.
Time to announce the finalists in the Reality Blog Challenge.
But first, I want to say I received a lot of really wonderful, honest, well-written entries in the first stage of the challenge. Which, frankly, made my life pretty hard this last week. Narrowing the submissions down to four finalists was difficult.
I want to thank everyone who entered. I appreciated reading about your goals, your thoughts on being the Reality Blogger, and especially about the things that set you apart. I’m privileged to be part of this community.
All right… drumroll, please. Our four finalists (in alphabetical order by last name) are:
- Jennifer Ayling
- EG Orren
- Maia Richardson
- Tory Tredway
Congratulations!!!
We’ll be seeing more from all of them through the month of November… and then in December, you, the community, will choose our Reality Blogger for 2023.
In Case You Missed It
Did you know that 57% of those businesses that use video in their marketing campaigns also use video in their paid ads? Paid online ads are no longer static banners or plain blocks of text. Most online ad platforms now actively encourage their advertisers to use video in their ads. That has implications (and opportunities) for you as a digital copywriter. Find out more in Zoe Blarowski’s latest PPC & Advertising column.
By focusing on quality, value, and transparency — key factors in the user experience — you can help your clients build trust with their customers. Writing about value and quality often comes down to writing about benefits. Give my latest UX/CX Copywriting column a look to learn about five ways you can write about benefits that also ensure a good user experience.
Google is rolling out a new update called the “Helpful Content Update.” In essence, Google is trying to prioritize high-quality articles which contain helpful content for the reader. Writing for the reader first and search engines second is more important than ever. Read more about this update in Andrew Murray’s latest Tech Corner.
Coming Up…
Want to know more about how to write a strong website homepage? Make sure to join me Monday for a live review of website homepage copy submitted by your fellow Digital Copywriter members. We’ll look at homepage approaches and talk about ways to take your copy from good to great. This is happening at 1 p.m. ET on Monday. I hope I’ll “see” you there!
Also coming up on Monday, keep an eye out for our next Social Media column. Inside, Maggie Peterson will explore how to make your social media writing efforts more effective by integrating them with other marketing channels.
Then on Monday the 24th, Michele Peterson’s Email Marketing column will dive into email unsubscribe best practices and how they affect the overall health and user experience of your client’s list.
Around the Web
Do you have clients looking for help with their Facebook business page? Use this quick bullet-point guide from Search Engine Land to make sure you aren’t missing any opportunities.
This case study from Moz shows how creating a content hub or cluster can deliver big returns.
Do you have a marketer’s mindset? Explore 10 key aspects of a successful marketing mindset… and what advantages you can deliver to clients when you bring that mindset to your projects.
That’s all for now. Enjoy your weekend!
