Five writing prompts for spring
For freelancers and businesses in the creative industries
Hello and happy spring! I’m finally back with my first post of 2023. It’s been a while, and lots has been going on behind-the-scenes that has contributed to me taking a longer publishing break than planned over the winter.
I will save that for another time, but before we jump into today’s post I just wanted to say thanks so much for sticking with me, and also welcome to new subscribers! I’m really excited to get back to more regular writing here again and have lots of ideas for this space in 2023.
This week, I’m gently dipping my toes back into the water with a few writing prompts for your spring content…
Quarterly recap
What have you learned in this first quarter and what were some of the most memorable moments for your business? This can also be a handy way to recap on key projects from this time, and share some of the stories behind them - as well as trailing any new offerings coming soon.
60-second guide
Is there a bite-sized tip that could demonstrate your expertise, while also being genuinely useful for the people you’re looking to serve? If you’re a digital editor, this could be a mini tutorial on how to resize an image in Canva or Photoshop; for interior designers, a short video on how to style a coffee table.
Also, consider the ultimate goal your product or service will help people to achieve (such as increased sales/a room that feels peaceful/more clarity and confidence) - this can open you up to more ideas that will attract and resonate with your ideal customers.
What is your vision for your work or industry?
Spring is an ideal time to set out your vision for the rest of the year ahead and reconnect with the reasons behind why you do what you do. What bigger purpose drives you and what do you want to achieve? How do you want to help or inspire others through your work, and why is this important?
Tell the story of how you got to where you are now
Sometimes the simplest ideas can be the most effective. Sharing your story so far can be a useful introduction to new readers and a way for regulars to get to know you better.
What are you excited to create?
The eagle-eyed among you will notice that I’m re-using this one from a previous edition but it’s with intention - because if, like me, you’ve had a slower start to the year than you might have liked, this is still one of my favourite prompts to get the creative ideas flowing again. While I’m a big believer in having a strategy behind the content you create, it’s always good to leave some room for experimentation and fun, too.
Of course, you could use/adapt these prompts at any time, for any type of content, whether Instagram stories, blog posts, YouTube videos, emails, or simply as journalling prompts for your own reflections. You can build on them or adapt them in whatever way works best for you; and ignore any that don’t resonate.
Thank you for reading and I hope winter and Q1 have treated you well. If you feel like sharing, what’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself or how you work best over these past few months?
I’ve just wrapped up a wonderful freelance contract as an interim Comms and Editorial Manager and I’ve noticed and (re)learned the following:
The importance of carving out intentional time for the other aspects of running a freelance business, alongside client work - admin, accounts, responding to enquiries, proactively marketing… the list goes on.
How tricky I find it to keep on showing up for my own projects when working a longer contract. (And how much easier I find it to show up and deliver for clients, rather than myself). While it’s important to prioritise client work - and sometimes during more challenging times we do just need to go back to basics and focus on the essentials, which is perfectly OK - I’m working on finding more of a balance going forward. This is also one of the reasons why I love doing the How I Create interviews so much and learning how fellow freelancers manage things.
Have a lovely weekend.
Steph
Inspired to write something around any of these prompts? Let me know! I’d love to check it out.
So lovely to have your words back in my inbox this month, Steph. I think a lot of us are in need of inspiration at the moment, so this is perfect timing, thank you! x