I’m seeing a lot of content creators and copywriters struggling right now, and many are blaming it on the rise of AI.
But while AI is certainly having an impact, it’s not the only factor. I hate to say it, but some writers are just terrible at marketing themselves.
So this month, I’ve got two blog posts for the writers out there. The first is all about how to market yourself (or more specifically, how not to market yourself) if you write for a living. And the second is all about how content and copywriters can deal with AI (because I hate to break it to you, but it’s here to stay).
Copywriters: Your "passion for writing" is not a USP
I might upset a few people with this post, but it truly shocks me how many copywriters are terrible at marketing. Like it or not, you work in marketing and sales. And if you work in marketing and sales, you should understand marketing and sales.
How content and copywriters can deal with AI
You can fight against it as much as you want, but AI is going nowhere. And while the copy and content it churns out isn’t great, it’s good enough for a lot of people.
The unknowns of AI
I get that AI is exciting and new. It really is amazing what it can do and how quickly it is evolving.
But while it is amazing, it’s also a little bit terrifying.
I’m old enough to remember when Facebook came on the scene. That was amazing at the time too. It gave you a way to connect with friends and family across the globe and make new friends. Some people even met their future spouses via Facebook.
But what we didn’t think about back then was the potential downsides.
We didn’t consider how Facebook could be used to manipulate people or how the algorithms could be used to push agendas that suited the highest bidders.
We didn’t think about the impact social media would have on mental health or how it could be used for cyberbullying. Or how smartphone addiction could become a thing.
We didn’t think about any of the potential bad stuff that could come from this wonderful new platform.
And I think we’re at risk of it happening with AI.
Just a few weeks ago, hundreds of people were jumping on the latest trend of creating AI-generated action figures of themselves without considering the environmental impact.
According to the UN Environmental Programme:
The proliferating data centres that house AI servers produce electronic waste. They are large consumers of water, which is becoming scarce in many places. They rely on critical minerals and rare elements, which are often mined unsustainably. And they use massive amounts of electricity, spurring the emission of planet-warming greenhouse gases.
Imagine how much energy and water were wasted by all those people making action figures just for fun.
And I’m not judging. Many people still do not understand the impact AI has on the environment. That will change. People will become more aware. Whether it deters them from using AI or not is a different matter. And whether the companies that own the AI platforms will care or do anything about it is, again, another matter.
But it’s not just the environment we need to worry about. We still don’t truly know what impact AI will have in areas such as copyright and intellectual property. Or whether it will have a detrimental effect on people’s ability to think critically or conduct research. There are already cases of people being given incorrect information by AI and not fact-checking it, which has led to various issues.
I’m not suggesting we don’t use AI. I think it’s pretty unavoidable.
I just think we need to be aware of the potential negatives and not just dive in without caution.
Writing Tip
It’s not always possible to catch every typo in our content. I write thousands of words a week and have no doubt that the odd mistake slips through.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not important to proofread your content before it goes out (especially if it is going to print).
So one of my tips is to read your copy out loud. Or, better still, use a screen reader to read it back to you.
If you have Microsoft Word, there is a Read Aloud feature (you’ll find it under the ‘review’ tab). Microsoft Edge also has a read aloud feature (it’s the little A in the search bar). And I’m sure other browsers have them too.
Getting the text read back to you really helps you spot those sneaky errors. It also helps you figure out where you might need more punctuation or shorter sentences.
So next time you’re eager to hit publish, just take a minute to read it back to yourself and make sure it’s as error-free as possible.
Next Monthly Write-Along: Thursday 15th May 13:00-14:30 (UK)
Do you struggle to prioritise your writing? Maybe you need a little motivation or a confidence boost.
Why not join my membership and come along to my monthly co-working events? You can ask questions, get advice, and dedicate time to your writing.
If you’re interested in coming along, but aren’t ready to commit to a subscription, you can book on a pay-as-you-go basis for £15.
If you’re a paying member and you haven’t registered yet, you can find the link below.