Writer’s Rituals: 7 Habits to Keep Your Creativity from Going Soft

Did you know Jackson Pollock didn’t start his illustrious career flinging paint willy-nilly?

Before the chaos… before the splattered canvases that rewrote the rules of modern art, he mastered the craft. He studied form. He made damn sure he understood the structure. And he knew how to paint with intent, long before he set fire to the rulebook.

Copywriting’s a bit like that.

You’ve got to know the rules. The soft skills that turn words, ideas, and insights into something that actually lands. And given how AI is creeping into every corner of a copywriter’s life, remembering this feels more important than ever.

Now, I don’t know what kind of relationship you have with your favourite AI. Maybe it’s casual. Maybe you’re in deep. No judgement. But if you’re starting to bring this increasingly powerful tool into your creative boudoir, it’s important not to let it erode the very human qualities of thinking, curiosity, and creative habits that make your word-smithery good in the first place. (If you’re interested in a deeper dive, check out this piece I wrote recently.)

So, think of it like a relationship. And like any good relationship, you need a bit of ‘me time’ – the space to indulge in the quirks, rituals, and habits that make you a human writer, not just an efficient one. The little things you used to rely on before ChatGPT was even an idea in Sam Altman’s head.

Anyway, apologies if I’m teaching you how to suck eggs, but I’ve pulled together a quick list of things I like to do by my human self to keep the creative spark alive and the fuel tank topped up.

1. Talk to Yourself (Preferably in the Shower)

Thinking is passive.

Talking forces clarity.

Argue with yourself.

Explain ideas out loud until they make sense.

2. Read, Read, Read

If you don’t feed your brain, it starves.

Read widely.

Steal styles.

Play with voices.

Absorb everything.

3. Perambulate While You Cogitate

Moving your body moves your mind.

Steve Jobs swore by it.

No phone, no distractions, just walk and think.

4. Walk Away Now & Again

Forcing it rarely works.

Step away, go to the loo, have a nap… 

Let your brain solve it when you’re not looking.

5. Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite

First drafts aren’t bad, just unfinished.

Move things around.

Cut. Flip. Play.

Better ideas will follow.

6. Return to Pen & Paper

Typing is fast.

Writing (or even just drawing) by hand makes you think.

Slow down. Scribble. Get messy.

Ideas need space to breathe.

7. Share Your Ideas with Others

Talk it out.

Even bad feedback helps.

Explaining forces clarity, even if no one understands you.