What makes an expert? Is it talent, or simply the result of deliberate practice over a long period? I’ve wondered about this question throughout my creative journey.
Over time, I’ve come to realise that expertise comes with showing up consistently, stepping out of my comfort zone, and learning from both successes and failures.
This is especially true for developing a consistent content creation routine. We’re not born with perfect habits; we must practice regularly to improve.
Here are some of my thoughts about how to create content consistently in the age of AI:
The Co-Pilot
You can use AI to fully produce all your content. Many do. But I’ve found that to create truly authentic and unique content, you need to approach AI as a co-pilot rather than a replacement. Don’t let AI take all the fun out of the process.
I like to think of content creation with AI like sailing a ship. You’re the captain with the vision, direction, and ultimate responsibility.
The AI is your assistant captain or first mate. Capable, knowledgeable, ready to execute commands, but doesn’t have your intuition and human judgment that makes content truly connect.
Build Lasting Consistency
The most brilliant content strategy means nothing without consistency. The truth is, it takes practice to be consistent at anything that’s important to you.
I learned this the hard way after several failed attempts at maintaining my blog. The key insight is to decide what aspects of your publishing plan you want to be highly consistent with, then start tiny and grow gradually and build on it.
It’s not worth attempting to create massive amounts of content, only to crash within a month.
Right now, I’m just focusing on one quality piece once per week. That’s it. Once that becomes a routine, I’ll add more, but that initial consistency is crucial.
I plan to amplify my output after getting consistent with publishing once per week.
You can define your own plan, but here’s how you can start. Once you get comfortable with an action step, go on to the next:
- Action 1: Create 1 piece of content per week
- Action 2: Publish 1 piece of content per week on 1 platform
- Action 2: Syndicate that content across other platforms where your audience will find you. For example, social media, Substack, Medium etc.
- Action 3: Add a weekly newsletter
- Action 4: Add another piece of content weekly or try another format for the content
Remember to start in a small way. If you try to do too much too quickly, you can fall into a cycle of inaction. If that happens, start with the first action again.
AI makes consistency easier, but doesn’t solve the underlying discipline that’s needed. Discipline is a human skill.
Having AI available sometimes tempts creators to overcommit because everything seems faster and easier. Resist this urge. Step by step is still the way forward, even with technological help.
The Art of Topic Selection
Before opening an AI interface, I sit down with a journal or put a few Notes on my phone together on topics that I want to explore. These typically fall into categories like:
- Things I’m currently thinking about
- Challenges I’m currently working through
- Questions I’m pondering about in my own work or life
This technique works well if you serve clients in your own niche. The problems you are experiencing are likely similar to those your audience has.
Some creators skip this step, jumping straight to AI-generated topic lists based on keyword research. While those lists can be useful too, but it may not have the emotional resonance of topics that actually matter to you personally and resonate with you audience.
Building a Content Backlog – Your Idea Repository
Despite having AI to help build lists of ideas, I still maintain a content backlog.
This a personal list that I maintain using Notes on my phone, and I might include information such as relevant personal experiences, and initial thoughts.
This practice is valuable because human thinking has nuances that AI sometimes misses. Your brain makes connections based on your unique life experience and current events in ways that AI tools can’t fully replicate.
My backlog captures ideas when they’re fresh, often while I’m experiencing the very problem I want to write about.
I simply use the Notes on my phone for this, but where you store it and the format doesn’t matter much. What matters is having a trusted system to capture ideas when inspiration strikes.
My Current Weekly Content Rhythm
Having a process turns goals into action. Here’s what my week looks like for my Friday publication:
Reflection Day is for clarifying my thinking. I review my backlog and select a topic that feels relevant right now. I spend some time free-writing notes about it, no AI involved, just getting my thoughts on paper.
Outline Day: I create a rough outline and identify points where I have something valuable to say versus areas where I’ll need to research or get AI assistance.
1st Draft Day: This is when I engage with AI, using my notes and outline as the foundation. The AI helps expand certain sections, suggests transitions, and occasionally challenges my thinking when I’ve been unclear.
Edit Day: Also, there’s a bit of breathing room today because when I return to the piece on Publish day for final edits, I can see it with fresh eyes. Time creates perspective shifts that no amount of immediate revision can replicate.
Publish Day: I polish and publish. Publishing is always the most important step.
The Creation Process
Initial Brainstorming
After selecting a topic, I create a document and brainstorm points I think the article might contain.
This doesn’t have to be organised at this stage. It’s just about emptying my brain of relevant thoughts.
This unstructured exploration gives me raw material to work with.
The First Draft
With my brainstorming complete, I create a new document for the first draft. This is typically where I begin working with AI. My approach involves writing key paragraphs myself, particularly those containing personal experience or opinions, then using AI to help:
- Expand on complex ideas
- Find better phrasings when I’m stuck
- Add transitional elements between my key points
- Suggest additional perspectives I might have missed
The draft is always messy. It might have contradictions, repeated ideas, or sections that go too deep on certain points. That’s perfectly fine. A draft is supposed to be imperfect.
Final Version and Publication
After letting the draft sit, I return for final revisions. This is when I read it aloud to catch awkward phrasings, cut redundant sections, and ensure the piece has a clear through-line.
I’ve found that how I feel about a piece at this stage is rarely how readers will receive it. Articles I thought were brilliant sometimes land with a thud, while pieces I considered merely adequate occasionally resonate deeply with readers.
This unpredictability is part of what makes content creation with AI a fundamentally human endeavour; we can never fully predict how our words will land.
When publication day arrives, I’ve learned to resist the urge for endless tinkering. Perfect is the enemy of published, and published imperfectly beats polished every time.
If you’re just starting this journey, be patient with yourself and begin small, stay consistent, and keep your humanity at the centre of everything you create.
