Improving Your Copywriting: I Didn’t Take a Pic of the Raspberry Pavlova Ice Cream

You know the saying: If you didn’t take a pic, it didn’t happen! Well, I beg to differ, my lovely.

Because I absolutely did eat the most divine raspberry pavlova ice cream ~ creamy, tart, with little crunchy kisses of meringue ~ and nope, there’s no photographic evidence. And still, it happened. It was real. And it was bloody scrummy!

Last week, I disappeared into the Lake District for a bit of soul-scrubbing air and surprise (but welcome) internet-free silence. Our Airbnb didn’t have WiFi until the Thursday before we left, and while I was initially twitchy (no Insta? no email? no memes?), the absence of connectivity became exactly what I didn’t know I needed.

The accidental digital detox

If you follow me over on Instagram, you might have noticed I went a bit radio silent. That wasn’t some big plan or noble boundary I set… It just kind of happened. No signal. No scroll. No constant background hum of other people’s lives flooding my brain.

And as it turns out, a bit of radio silence has a lot to say…

Rather than giving you a classic copywriting tip, I wanted to share something that’s helped me refocus creatively ~ both as a lifestyle copywriter and as an outdoorsy human who really needed to touch some grass (or, in this case, clamber up some fells).

Living in the moment fuels better writing. Full stop. So, here are my three things that peaked my creativity (get it, Lake District, peaks? I’ll show myself out).

I got lost in a book (finally)

For months, friends have been badgering me to read The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. "You’ll love it," they said. “Short chapters. Gripping story. Total page-turner.”

And yet… I couldn’t get past chapter three.

Not because it wasn’t good (spoiler: it’s BRILLIANT), but because every time I picked it up, I’d get distracted. Ping. Ping. Scroll. Scroll. Oh, look, more reels of workouts for me to save and never look at again...

But with Insta out of reach in the Lakes, I had no choice but to actually read. And I devoured that book. Every neck-breaking twist and character flip. I got properly, deliciously lost in it and was instantly reminded how much I adore reading.

New habit: 

When the Netflix scroll kicks in (you know the one, aimless, endless, unsatisfying), I’ll reach for a book instead. Not even a new one. I’m starting with the abandoned novels gathering dust on my shelves.

I didn’t film the sheep. Or the ice cream.

Let’s talk about content guilt for a sec.

Since launching Just Custard Copy last August (nearly a year, what?!), I’ve fallen into that ever-growing mindset of “everything is content.” Every sunset, every notebook spread, every halfway decent coffee deserves a reel, right?

Except… maybe it doesn’t.

Out on the blustery peak of Latrigg, I whipped out my phone to film the view, and my partner (gently) mocked me:
 

“Do you really need another video of MORE sheep?”

Reader, I did not.

So, when I tucked into that raspberry pavlova ice cream later that day, I didn’t photograph it. I didn’t write a poetic caption. I just ate it. Savoured every lick.

And now? I’m telling you about it. And that’s the power of storytelling.

As a lifestyle copywriter, I bang on a lot about “show, don’t tell”, but sometimes, the best thing you can do for your writing is to just live the moment and recreate it later, through reflective words.

*Also, I’m not saying do take any pictures ever, that would be silly x

New habit: 

I don’t need to document everything. Some memories are better savoured than shared. And practising that helps me flex my storytelling muscles, which is great for my copywriting and creativity.

I remembered I’m more than a copywriter

Here’s the big one. Perhaps the one.

I’ve always wanted to be an author. Since I was tiny. I think I get that from my Grandpa (the silly one) and Grandad (the historian).

But somehow, that dream kept getting quietly nudged to the back of the shelf. First by life. Then by work. And then by Instagram, which is fast becoming the digital version of falling into a swamp of other people’s achievements.

Don’t get me wrong ~ I love running Just Custard Copy, and I adore my Insta community. I’m so proud of this little business. But when I’m 1000% invested in serving clients, creating content, keeping up with trends, and being visible online, it leaves very little space for… well, me.

But as we meandered down Honister Pass, with no signal and no pressure to “post the moment,” something clicked. Stories started to appear.

So I made a decision: I’m writing the book this year.

It might take ages. It might be a mess. But I’m finally creating space for that part of me again. It’s not in spite of my business, but because of it. I have that freedom, it’s the whole reason I started a business in the first place!

New habit: 

I reached out to another writer — a beautiful poet I follow called Letters From A Wild Heart — and we’re going to gently nudge each other along. If you’re holding a quiet dream too, find someone who gets it. You don’t have to go it alone.

The creativity killer: scroll-hole living

We all fall into it, the dreaded scroll-hole.

That gentle tug to check what everyone else is doing. To stay visible. To not miss a moment. But sometimes, in trying to document everything, we miss the very moments that inspire our best creative work.

And honestly? Your writing doesn’t need WiFi. It needs curiosity. Stillness. Space.

So if you’re feeling a little creatively fried, or like your voice has been buried under algorithm anxiety, take this as your gentle nudge: log off for a bit. Go get lost in a book. Don’t take a pic of your pudding. Let your brain meander for a while.

Then come back to the page.

Craving more clarity and creative momentum?

Whether you’re writing website copy, brand stories, or just trying to remember what your own voice sounds like, I’m here for it.

Over on Just Custard Copy, you’ll find more tips, stories, and tools to help you write with you-ness without having to sell your soul (or your ice cream).