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So, you’re not a newbie when it comes to freelance writing. Then you should have no problem producing a steady flow of fresh, engaging content, right?

Sure, some freelancers may proudly proclaim to have this process down to a science. But the reality is that experienced writers sometimes need help keeping content fresh enough to appeal to clients and the intended audience for those words.

Even if you have your own rhythm going with the type of writing you normally do, most seasoned writers are willing to admit there’s always room for improvement. Here are some tips that may come in handy as you continue with your own writing endeavors.

Work Against Your Own Habits

If you’re like most freelancers, your content probably fits a predetermined structure, especially if you’re consistently writing for certain clients. You might be in the habit of creating nicely presented 500 word articles with a headline followed by short paragraphs with subheads, and maybe a bullet list or two thrown in here and there.

What you’re actually writing about may be amazingly interesting and exactly what the preferred readers expect. Yet it could become tiresome to readers if the structure is exactly the same for every article you produce.

Human brains are hardwired for novelty. So, make a conscious effort to mix things up with how you present your content by:

• Breaking up content paragraphs differently for each article
• Adjusting where you place links
• Changing the placement of calls-to-action (if it makes sense to do so)
• Varying how you get your main points across (e.g., making some articles a numeric list and presenting others in a story format)

Kick Your Brain Into Daydreaming Mode

After trying for several hours to craft a masterpiece akin to “Ticket to Ride,” John Lennon finally gave up and let his mind drift, which led to the creation of the Beatles gem “Nowhere Man.” Albert Einstein reportedly daydreamed about riding a sunbeam along the edge of the universe before starting his theory of relativity.

The point here is that sometimes freshening things up means allowing your mind to wander and drift freely. Creative types sometimes accomplish this goal by staring out the window or at a blank wall until they’re once again inspired.

Apply this concept to your writing by knowing when to take a break to give your brain some breathing room. You may be surprised at what ideas pop into your head when you slip into daydreaming mode.

See What’s Trending

Make a habit of keeping up with trends not only within your specific niche, but also with content writing in general. Storytelling, for example, remains popular since people tend to be drawn into content that does more than just spit back facts or focus exclusively on selling.

Not every trend will make sense for your particular style of writing or your main niche. However, it never hurts to know about things like the rise of voice search for the purpose of finding specific content or the creative ways some brands are embracing augmented or virtual reality.

Occasionally Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Another great way to freshen things up with your content is to explore a different niche that may interest you or explore a different type of writing you haven’t tried. This doesn’t mean you have to give up what works best for you.

Even so, having a broader example of writing styles and topic areas in your portfolio is certainly a good thing. Plus, you might discover that you have more capabilities as a writer than you may have realized if you shift your focus to something that’s new and different.

Base Content On Story Templates and Specific Themes

Give your writing a fresh perspective by adopting it to a specific story type or template. There are a few ways you can apply this concept to your writing.

You could start by picking a story type, such as comedy, and give your piece a humorous spin. You could also use something like a journey and return template to draw readers into your narrative from the initial paragraph through the conclusion.

Further freshen up your content by having a specific theme in mind. For instance, you might use curiosity by presenting an interesting question with your title or in your intro paragraph that readers will get the answer to if they keep reading. Additional story templates or themes include:

• Personal experiences (using real-life examples within your writing)
• The quest (telling the reader how to achieve a particular goal)
• Empathy (expressing an understanding of concerns common among your intended readers)
• Overcoming “the monster” (content that’s based on a narrative of overcoming a seemingly impossible challenge)
• Tragedy (using sobering statistics or shocking narratives and facts to drive home a point or get people to care about an issue)

Also, keep your content fresh by being proactive with the ideas you pitch and suggestions you make to clients. Nine times out of ten, clients will be willing to allow you to make some adjustments with your content as long as you present a convincing reason for doing so.

Variety is what makes content successful, so always look for opportunities to adjust your style or shift your content’s structure. You’ll likely be rewarded for your efforts by becoming a more appealing source of content for both new and existing clients.