A better way to beat blank page syndrome

In my writing masterclasses, one of the first things people tell me about AI is:

‘I use it to beat blank page syndrome.’

I get it. Sometimes you just need a nudge to get started with that article, report or presentation. Especially if it’s 3pm, the biscuit tin is empty and you’re on a deadline.

But asking AI for a first draft or ideas before you’ve engaged your brain is a baaaaad idea.

Because now AI’s ideas are the only ones you can think of.

That’s down to ‘anchoring bias’. Our brains process information by establishing a baseline. When we make predictions or evaluations, we start at our anchor point and mentally adjust our thinking from there.

Studies show even doctors are susceptible to anchoring bias if they fixate on an initial set of symptoms or an early test result. This can lead them to overlook other medical indicators and misdiagnose.

The moment AI gives you a draft, your brain starts orbiting it. Even when Claude’s ideas are a bit rubbish or you know Copilot isn’t quite right, it becomes surprisingly hard to think beyond what you’ve been served up on a platter.

And guess what?

You end up with output that any of your colleagues or competition could have put together. Because they have access to exactly the same tools at you.

So do this instead to beat blank page syndrome and stand out for all the right reasons: Start with your audience, not with AI.

I use a simple technique I call ‘The 3Ws’:

1. Who am I writing to?What kind of person are they? What do they care about? What do they love, hate, fear or worry about?

2. What do I want to happen next?What’s the ask? What’s the next step?

3. Why should they care?Why does this matter to them specifically?

This process unlocks your thinking far better than asking AI to ‘write me a draft’. It gets you out of your head and into your audience’s.