Behind the Blog: How I Write (and Why It Works)

Writing isn’t magic. But it can feel like it when it clicks.

After 20+ years of freelancing, I’ve learned that great content—whether it’s for a tech startup, solo founder, or small-town bakery—starts with structure, strategy, and empathy. It’s not just putting words on a screen. It’s getting into the reader’s head, helping Google understand what we’re doing, and making sure the client’s goals don’t get lost in a sea of buzzwords.

Today, I want to walk you through my blog post creation process: from client brief to final draft. You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at how I use AI as a creative sidekick (not a ghostwriter), and why everything I write is built for both people and platforms—Google, ChatGPT, and beyond.

Step 1: Discovery and Intent

Every project starts with a question: What’s the point of this blog post?

Most clients don’t realize this, but every article is solving a problem. Maybe it’s educating potential customers. Maybe it’s ranking for a juicy long-tail keyword. Maybe it’s building authority in a niche market. Either way, my job is to find that core purpose and build everything around it.

I kick things off with a quick discovery process: sometimes a formal brief, sometimes a 15-minute chat over Zoom or Loom. I’ll ask things like:

Who’s the target reader?
What do you want them to do after reading?
Is this part of a bigger content plan or a one-off?
What tone/voice works best for your brand?

You’d be surprised how often these questions surface hidden goals or pivot the direction completely.

Step 2: Research That Doesn’t Suck

Once I have a clear goal, I dive into research.

This isn’t just Googling a few articles and calling it good. I’m looking at:

What’s already ranking for this topic (and what’s missing)? SEMrush is a big help here.
What questions are people actually asking? (AlsoAsked or Answer the Public)
What Google’s “People Also Ask” box is telling me
What Reddit and Quora threads reveal about real-world curiosity
What competitors are doing wrong (or right)

And here’s where AI comes in.

Step 3: How I Use AI (Without Letting It Write for Me)

Let’s get this out of the way: I do not use AI to write full blog posts.

I use AI—ChatGPT, Claude, and a few internal tools I’ve built—to:

Generate headline options based on my outline
Identify keyword clusters related to the topic
Suggest blog structures that might appeal to different audiences
Create question prompts that I might have missed
Check tone or rewrite a paragraph when I get stuck

Think of AI as a sharp intern who works fast and never sleeps. But I don’t let the intern write the final copy.

In fact, Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines stress the importance of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust). That doesn’t come from a robot. That comes from a human.

Step 4: SEO Meets AIO

There’s a lot of talk these days about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) vs AIO (AI Optimization). I believe the best content serves both.

SEO is about optimizing your post for Google: meta descriptions, alt text, H1–H3 hierarchy, internal links, keyword intent.
AIO is about optimizing your post for language models: clear structure, direct questions and answers, and citations that LLMs can easily parse.

Why does that matter?

Because future readers won’t just find your content through Google. They’ll find it via AI-powered search engines, voice assistants, and tools like ChatGPT’s Browse mode or Perplexity AI.

So I write for both.

I make sure posts are:

Structured clearly with bullet points, headers, and clean formatting
Written in natural language that sounds human
Loaded with enough signal for machines to “understand” what it’s about

It’s a delicate dance, but when done right, your content becomes evergreen and discoverable, by people and machines alike.

Step 5: The Outline (This Is Where the Magic Starts)

Once the research and direction are clear, I map out the structure.

My outlines aren’t just bullet points, they’re blueprints. Each section has a job. Each header leads to the next. I frontload value and backload detail.

Sometimes I use AI to bounce ideas. Sometimes I sketch it by hand. But every outline answers one question: Would I keep reading this if I were the reader?

If not, I cut or reframe.

Step 6: Writing the First Draft

This is where I block out the noise and just write.

I start strong, with a hook or insight that earns attention. I make sure each paragraph flows logically into the next. I break long sentences. I trim filler. I rewrite headlines 3–4 times.

I use Grammarly and Hemingway Editor to catch the obvious stuff. But the real polish comes in the second round.

And yes, I sometimes ask ChatGPT things like:

“Rewrite this paragraph in a more confident tone.”
“What’s a stronger synonym for ‘insightful’ here?”
“Summarize this sentence to be more direct.”

But again, it’s my writing. AI just helps me punch it up when needed.

Step 7: Optimization & Formatting

Once the draft is locked, I optimize.

Here’s my checklist:

SEO title and meta description
Proper H1/H2/H3 structure
Internal links to existing blog posts
External links to credible sources
Alt text for images
Slug that matches the keyword
Call to action at the end

I also make sure the post is skimmable. Bold subheadings. Bullet points. Short paragraphs. Nobody wants to read a wall of text.

If the post is being published on Webflow, WordPress, Ghost, or Substack, I’ll make sure the formatting fits that platform.

Step 8: Delivery, Feedback, and Next Steps

Once the piece is ready, I send it over with a short note:

What we aimed to accomplish
What keyword/intent we targeted
Anything I’d suggest for future posts
Questions I still have

If edits are needed, I welcome them. I don’t get precious about drafts. We’re building something together, and I want it to be right.

Once the post is published, I’m happy to track performance or help set up a content calendar for what’s next.

TL;DR – My Writing Process at a Glance

Client Discovery – Define goals, audience, and tone
Research – SEO, competitor, and user-intent insights
Outline – Logical structure with strategic sections
Drafting – Human-first writing with AI support
Optimization – SEO + AIO for max discoverability
Delivery – Clean handoff, edit-ready
Collaboration – Open feedback loop and planning

Content That Works Is Content That Connects

You can pay a robot $20 to crank out 1,000 words. But will it say what your audience needs to hear? Will it reflect your voice, your goals, and your positioning in the market?

That’s what I bring.

Whether we’re working on a one-off article or an ongoing content strategy, my job is to make sure your voice is heard—and that your audience listens.

If you want to talk through your content goals, I offer free 30-minute discovery calls. You can book one here (or just email me directly – jasonjamesweiland@gmail.com).

Let’s create something real together.