Why you'll never finish writing

Do you know the feeling? You're sitting in front of your computer, the cursor is blinking on a blank page, and your thoughts are racing. ‘Just this one post,’ you think. ‘It'll take an hour.’

Two hours later, you're still there.

I've been there so many times that I've lost count.

Like many others, I've struggled with the eternal battle against the blank document.

And if you're reading this, I'm guessing you know the feeling all too well.

The truth about how long it REALLY takes

Here's a statistic that makes my stomach cramp: The average person spends 2-3 hours writing a single 1,000-word blog post. That's not an hour. It's not 90 minutes. It's three whole hours.

And it gets worse. According to a study, marketers spend an average of 6 hours a week writing content. That's almost an entire workday. Every week.

I've measured it myself.

My last newsletter took me 2 hours and 23 minutes from the first word to the last comma. For 800 words. That's a lot.

Why ‘just write’ doesn't work anymore

You've probably heard the advice before: ‘Just write, you can edit later.’ Sounds reasonable, right? It's just not.

The problem is, we don't live in 1990, where you just wrote a book and hoped for the best. Today, you need to:

• Grab attention in 3 seconds
• Set the right tone for your audience
• Optimise for search engines
• Structure for online reading
• Adapt to different platforms

When I ‘just write,’ I end up writing myself into a dead end.

I start with an idea, but halfway through, I realise I don't know where I'm going.

So I start over. And over again.

AI is not the enemy – it's your writing partner

I admit it: I was sceptical about AI at first. ‘It can't replace real creativity,’ I thought. And I was right – it CAN'T replace your creativity.

But it can do something else. It can be your writing partner.

I now use AI to:

• Brainstorm ideas when I'm stuck
• Structure my thoughts before I start
• Find the right tone for my audience
• Get suggestions for headlines and introductions

Last week, I wrote an 800-word post in 45 minutes. Not because AI wrote it for me, but because I didn't spend three hours staring at a blank page.

So what now?

I'm not saying that AI is a magic solution that does all the work for you. But it can help you get started, keep momentum going, and finish what you start.

Next time you're sitting staring at a blank document, try asking AI, ‘Help me structure my thoughts on [your topic].’ You'll be surprised how much easier it is to write when you have a foundation to build on.

Time is too valuable to spend three hours on something that can be done in 45 minutes.

Next week, I'll tell you about the biggest myth about AI writing (spoiler: it's not about AI stealing your voice).

Want to learn how to write better with AI?

If you're tired of spending hours writing content that doesn't get you the results you want, my masterclass ‘Learn to write better with AI’ might be for you.

In 5 weeks, you'll learn:

• How to use AI as your writing sparring partner
• Techniques for writing faster without losing quality
• How to keep your own voice even when using AI
• How to write compelling copy that drives action

I've helped hundreds of writers, marketers and freelancers write faster, sharper and more effectively – without compromising their unique voice.

The next course starts on Tuesday, 26 August 2025
Only 12 spots available – sign up now!