How I turn 💩 into 🔥

You’re only 3 tweaks away from a great article.

Day 85/100

 

Hey—It's Tim. 

Sometimes, you’re just not feeling it.
Sometimes, the words just aren’t coming.
Sometimes, it feels like you're typing with sausage fingers on a waffle…

(I think I’m just hungry)

First drafts are often the hardest thing to write.

Maybe the idea felt stronger in your head.
Maybe you're writing for keywords you don’t care about.
Maybe you typed the whole thing with your forehead and vibes.

I’ve done all three.
Today is all of them.

Here are three ways to fix a trash draft. The last one is my favourite.

1. Give it to the ghost

When you’re stuck:
Write it as a DM to a friend.
For a moment, let’s pretend that friend is me. And you’re sending me a DM.

Don’t open Google Docs.
Open Messages.
Type:

“Tim, I had this crazy idea

Ok so imagine you're launching a B2B AI tool and you need to explain why writing 27 blogs actually saves time…”

You’ll say it better in 3 minutes than 3 hours of “optimizing for tone.”

This works because you're writing like a person again.
Not a content goblin.

2. Move the punchline to the top

True story:

A couple weeks ago I wrote 800 words about “content velocity.”
It felt like pushing soup uphill.

Then I took my final paragraph.. the mic drop ending.. and slapped it at the top.

“Most companies don’t need more content.
They need fewer excuses for publishing it late.”

Suddenly the rest had purpose.
A job to do.
A mountain to climb.

Don’t bury the gold.
Lead with it.

3. Steal the headline (my fav)

Most drafts suck because the headline sucks.
You haven’t given your brain a game worth playing.

So change the frame.

Try this:

Replace your current headline with the last thing you'd post on LinkedIn before getting fired.

From this…

“The Role of AI in Modern Content Strategy”

⬇️

“How to cheat on your homework with ChatGPT and get promoted for it.”

Suddenly this becomes way more fun to write…

This one is my favourite because it’s how I write these newsletters.

That’s it.

Trash draft? Cool.
Now it’s got a new headline, a punchy open, and a human voice.

Send it.
Or give it to us.

 

Penfriend writes the best first drafts on the internet.

I’m biased.
But also… I’m right.

We don’t just write articles. We write yours.

In your tone. With your ideas.

And the first 3 are totally free.
No credit card. No demo call.
Just pure ✨vibes.

 

✌️ Tim "fnre780tg43q8ingrfd" Hanson
CMO @Penfriend.ai

Same brain, different platforms: X, Threads, LinkedIn.

P.S. If you’ve ever reread your own line, nodded, and whispered “bars”… you’re gonna be just fine.

 

Penfriend.ai
Made by content marketers. Used by better ones.
 

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