View from a Café. Cinque Terre (Part 1)

Parked at a sidewalk café sipping cappuccino I drink in the flavor of the town with the parade of passers by.

Orders called out as staff preps the restaurant. Surfaces wiped, menus stocked, napkins stacked, a rainbow of umbrellas unfurled.

After 15 minutes he has given up trying to dissuade his granddaughter from pursuing an unreciprocated friendship with a pigeon.

An overweight Jack Russell terrier strains at its leash until both front feet are lifted from the sidewalk. Ready to protect his Chianti sipping owner from a lazily approaching pug in a ruffled pink harness.

Priority One: Selfies. She's stopped at a dozen or so spots on the tiny plaza. All the exact same well-practiced pose and facial expression.

A seagull swoops in and scoops up the pizza crust over which 2 pigeons were arguing rightful ownership. There's a lesson here that I doubt the pigeons learned.

Taking full advantage of four pockets even though the chinos are boa constrictor tight. Front right: cell phone. Front left: vape pen. Back right: wallet. Back left: keys. I can clearly make out 6 keys on a leaning tower of Pisa key ring. 

How do you say, "Your shoe's untied" in Italian. She's striding with such energy that a shoelace instigated stumble seems inevitable.

Six men in black peaked hats adorned with ornate silver insignia, black uniforms heavy with ribbons, sidearms in black leather holsters. Walking abreast followed closely by two black police Alfa Romeo Giuliettas.

Round turquoise rimmed sunglasses and a straw hat worn backwards. One hand holding mommy's; one hand holding daddy's She might only be three but she owns the plaza. And she knows it.

Their investment in their photographs includes the amount of their equipment and the effort to lug it around. Is my satisfaction with photos taken with my iPhone based on laziness or low standards?

He wanted the blue brimmed straw hat. She nicely told him it was not flattering. He stepped inside to see if there was a mirror. She followed. He left wearing the hat. She left wearing a look of exasperation.

When I was a kid, I was told you could tell a man's status in life by looking at his shoes and his watch. If that's true, today I have been in the company of kings. One of them in shorts and a 7-Up t-shirt.

"Desposito" played on a solo clarinet is popular based on the number of coins being tossed into the old man's case. He seems to enjoy playing, coins or not. Is his virtuosity from years in an orchestra or from years busking.

His neon orange Chicago Bulls uniform still has the fold marks from packaging. It's 2 sizes too big for his scrawny 11-year-old body ... but he doesn't care ... he's Michael Jordan.

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Join me for coffee in Amsterdam: View from a sidewalk cafe. Amsterdam.

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NOTE: Cinque Terre is actually 5 different villages. I've combined the highlights of café sitting observations from three of them (Monterosso, Vernazza, and Manarola) and nearby Porto Fino over 4 days in June 2023.

Using ChatGPT to Beat Writer's Block

I was asked, "Can you use AI to beat writer's block?"

I offered a couple of suggestions, but then I thought, "Why not go directly to the source?" 

So I entered this prompt into ChatGPT: Write a list of ways ChatGPT can help a writer overcome writer's block ... here's the response:

Here's a list of ways ChatGPT can help a writer overcome writer's block:

1. Writing Prompts: Ask ChatGPT for creative writing prompts to spark new ideas and get the creative juices flowing.
   
   
2. Brainstorming Assistance: Engage in a conversation with ChatGPT to brainstorm plotlines, character arcs, or ideas for your story.
   
   
3. Character Development: Get help from ChatGPT in fleshing out your characters, their backgrounds, motivations, and personalities.
   
   
4. Setting Descriptions: Describe the scene you're trying to write, and ChatGPT can assist in vividly portraying the setting and ambiance.
   
   
5. Dialogue Crafting: Struggling with dialogue? ChatGPT can assist in formulating realistic and engaging conversations between characters.
   
   
6. Overcoming Plot Holes: Discuss your story's plot with ChatGPT to identify and overcome any inconsistencies or plot holes.
   
   
7. Editing and Revision Suggestions: Share your written work with ChatGPT for feedback, editing tips, and suggestions for improvement.
   
   
8. Genre-specific Assistance: Tailor your queries to ChatGPT based on your specific genre (e.g., romance, mystery, sci-fi) to get genre-specific ideas.
   
   
9. Article and Blog Post Ideas: If you're a content writer, ChatGPT can provide you with fresh and exciting ideas for your articles or blog posts.
   
   
10. Writing Exercises: Ask ChatGPT for fun and challenging writing exercises to flex your writing muscles and break free from the block.
    
    
11. Overcoming Fear of Blank Page: Share your writing fears with ChatGPT, and it can provide encouragement and motivational tips.
    
    
12. Writing Productivity Techniques: Seek advice from ChatGPT on time management and productivity techniques to stay focused and efficient.
    
    
13. Incorporating Feedback: If you've received feedback on your writing, discuss it with ChatGPT to brainstorm ways to address the critiques.
    
    
14. Exploring New Genres: Ask ChatGPT to help you explore new genres or writing styles you haven't tried before.
    
    
15. Finding Inspiration: Engage in a conversation about your interests, hobbies, or favorite books to find inspiration from unexpected sources.

Remember that ChatGPT is a tool to aid your writing process, and while it can be incredibly helpful, it's essential to supplement it with your creativity and unique voice. Happy writing!

And, yes ... ChatGPT wrote that last line as well.

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Here is what I tell copywriters about writer's block (without the assistance of AI):

Copywriter's Block

Advice from the Big Boss

I was wet behind the ears when I landed the Reef Buick account. 

I'd been servicing them as a direct client for a local radio station, and when I went into the agency business, they were one of my first full service clients.

General Manager John Kelley liked me 'cause I was young and aggressive. 

Actually, I'm not sure why he liked me, but he gave me a break. Maybe he could sense that I needed one.

John Kelley was a gruff guy.

He had an explosive temper and a short fuse.

And, there was no question about who was running the shop. When Kelley roared, "Jump?" You jumped.

The only excuse for not jumping immediately was to ask, "How high, sir?"

I liked him and was terrified of him at the same time.

When I would stop by the dealership to approve newspaper proofs and radio and TV spots, we would meet in his office.

His office was very spacious. It had to be. It housed the biggest desk I had ever seen. Still have ever seen.

To give him paperwork I had to lean my whole body over the desk, fully extend my arm, and then slide the paper rest of the way.

Early on, when I had attempted to bring the papers around to his side of the desk, he had let me know in his I'm-trying-hard-not-to-kill-you voice to always stay on my side of the desk. I stuck to the lean and slide method from that day on.

One afternoon I brought in an independent music production company to pitch Kelley a jingle. Their presentation was slick and well-informed, but Kelley seemed distracted. Every few minutes he'd open the center drawer of his desk a few inches, look inside and then shut the drawer again.

I could tell that he didn't like these guys and I tried to wrap up the presentation.

But they kept talking.

And Kelley kept looking in his drawer.

When I finally got them out of there, I stepped back into the office to apologize.

I thought I was gonna get my head, and perhaps other body parts, handed to me.

"It's OK. It was a good idea. They made some strong points, but I don't need a lecture from some out-of-town jokers who think they know more about moving iron than I do. Keep working on the jingle, but not with those assholes."

"Thank you, Mister Kelley. I'm on it."

As I turned to leave, I couldn't help myself. "Mister Kelley, during the presentation you kept looking in your drawer. What was that all about?"

He shot me a who-do-you-think-you're-talking-to-boy look, but it quickly softened and he waved me over.

I stopped in my usual position, but he nodded and continued to wave me forward.

Holy crap! I was being invited to his side of the desk.

I didn't know whether to be happy or scared. Would they ever find my body? But I took the long walk around.

As I approached his chair, he opened the drawer.

It was empty.

But as I got closer, I saw a 3 x 5 card taped to the bottom of the drawer.

On it was scrawled: "Keep your big fucking Irish mouth shut."

What's Your Copywriting Process?

Copywriting is a comprehensive process that goes beyond simply writing and delivering the finished product. Skillful copywriters follow a creative process to: 

• thoroughly examine their client, their client's offerings, and their client's prospects/customers from various perspectives,
• generate fresh ideas or update existing concepts, and
• transform everything, including lackluster materials and their own insights, into exceptional copy.

The five stages of the creative process outlined by creativity and marketing expert, James Taylor, can be applied to an effective copywriting process that enhances creativity:

1. Preparation: Copywriters begin by immersing themselves in a brief or marketing campaign. They review published market research, conduct additional research if necessary, study the topic at hand, familiarize themselves with the brand and target audience, and brainstorm ideas on how to craft compelling copy.
   
   
2. Incubation: During this stage, copywriters process and organize the information gathered in the preparation phase. It serves as the foundation for constructing the main concepts of the final content.
   
   
3. Insight: Once the crucial ideas and information are synthesized, copywriters outline the content objectives, themes, main ideas, and requirements to fulfill the content brief or marketing campaign.
   
   
4. Evaluation: Copywriters evaluate their ideas and seek input from the team to determine if their proposed outline or solution is the most effective approach to address the content brief. The insights are refined and revised at this stage to ensure that the actual creation is focused and impactful.
   
   
5. Elaboration: This stage involves executing the final idea, where all the hard work and creative efforts come together to produce exceptional copy.

Now that you are through the creative process, it's time for editing, rewriting, and refinement which is a process of it's own. 

NOTE: The creative process is not always strictly linear, and individual writers may have their own unique approaches. However, having a defined creative process is indicative of a skilled copywriter who is organized, efficient, and capable of delivering creative excellence.

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Check out this Headline Writing Process 
for getting the attention of a target audience and demanding engagement