Is it the End of the Blank Page as We Know It?

We’re all familiar with the blank screen: not knowing quite how to get started, even when we know what we want to say. Whether you're writing your syllabus, creating a course announcement, developing a new assignment, or drafting a proposal, starting from scratch is often the hardest part: a blank page can slow down - or even stop - momentum before it even begins.

Generative AI offers a practical entry point: tools like Copilot, Claude, or ChatGPT can help faculty, instructional designers, and staff move from “nothing yet” to “something to work with.” Even if you don’t use AI throughout the full process, it can be useful for getting unstuck, seeing possibilities, or simply getting your first version onto the page.

This post outlines some concrete ways you can use AI at the beginning of your writing or design process, especially when you’re having a tough time just getting started.

At a Glance

• AI can support early-stage thinking and planning
• Use it to clarify structure, generate examples, or turn rough notes into drafts
• AI is especially helpful at the beginning, when you need some first ideas on the page to build momentum 

Why the Blank Page Feels So Difficult

Most academic and professional work doesn’t begin with clear wording: it begins with scattered notes, competing demands, and a looming deadline. That early stage is often full of ambiguity, as you consider what the final product should look like, how you want to frame it, and where to begin.

AI can help by offering structure, sample language, and starting points for your reflection and expansion. Using generative AI in this way, you still do the thinking, but you’re not stuck trying to generate a ready-to-use draft from zero.

How to Use AI to Get Started

These strategies focus on writing and course design tasks common across higher education. You can adapt them for your own context, whether you're developing instructional materials, communicating with students, or working on a scholarly project.

1. Ask for common components

Ask AI what a typical version of your task includes. For example:

• What are the usual components of a course overview section in an online class?
• What belongs in a conference proposal abstract?
• What do instructors typically include in a first-day announcement?

Once you have some starting ideas, compare those to your goals and revise or tailor accordingly.

2. Draft a rough version from your own notes

If you already have ideas - like bullet points, phrases, or a general sense of direction - AI can help you turn that into a working draft. For example:

• Here’s a list of goals for my workshop. Can you turn it into a short description?
• I’m trying to explain why I use a {a specific concept/technique/process}. Here’s what I’d like to say, can you help shape it into a paragraph?
• I want to cover these points {include them in as much detail as you’d like}; please create an outline for my {type of work you’re doing}.

This doesn’t replace your voice. Instead, it gives you a starting point to revise for tone, structure, or content.

3. Generate sample options to choose from

You can also ask for several versions of a sentence, heading, or intro paragraph:

• Give me ten versions of a session title for a talk about inclusive syllabus design
• Suggest multiple ways to open a welcome message to students

Seeing alternatives often helps clarify what tone or structure you want to use. And remember: if none of them are right, just ask again. Generative AI tools seem human to speak to - but they never get tired, never run out of ideas, and never “mind” giving you additional suggestions. 

4. Get suggested structure or flow

If you have content started but aren’t quite sure how to organize it or if your current structure isn’t working for you, AI can help sketch out a sequence:

• What’s a good structure for a short how-to blog post?
• How might I organize a faculty workshop on using AI for reflection assignments?
• The way this is structured isn’t working - how else can I organize it that would make more sense or flow better?
• Here’s what I have so far: What might be missing? What additional sections or information would support my audience? 

You can use these suggestions to revise the structure, flesh out your content, or use it to plan your next steps.

5. Use the AI draft as a counterpoint

We all know that AI gets things wrong sometimes…but even that can be a good thing, if you frame it the right way. That incorrect output can help you to clarify your thinking or show how others might be (mis)understanding:

• This isn’t how I’d describe it, but now I can see what I do want to say
• This version misses the nuance, let me revise it for tone and accuracy
• I can see how people think this - but it’s not correct. Let me make sure to explain the distinction and why these concepts might appear to overlap, even though they’re different. 

The AI response becomes a prompt for your critique, not a replacement for your judgment, knowledge, and experience. AI can support early momentum, but you, as the user, remain responsible for accuracy, framing, and final decisions.

6. Ask AI to help you clarify

AI can also help you tailor your writing, check for clarity, and reduce misunderstandings. We’ve all had an email we weren’t sure was getting the point across quite right; or complex assignment instructions we wanted to make sure were as clear as possible. And once again: AI can help. 

• Act like a [level] student and read through these [assignment, syllabus, etc] details. Is there anything confusing or unclear?
• You are a university student in an intro to psychology course. Please review this content I just wrote and identify any gaps or sticking points that students may need additional context or support for.
• Please check this email for clarity. Don’t rewrite it: just suggest specific edits that would make it clearer for the recipient.

What This Isn’t

This isn’t a recommendation to use AI for all writing or course materials, and it’s not a shortcut to bypass your own critical thinking. It’s a practical response to a common barrier: getting started. Used at this early stage, AI can reduce friction, spark ideas, and support momentum in your writing or design process.

Getting Started with AI…at the Start

If you're new to using AI in your workflow, consider trying it in small, early-stage tasks:

• Drafting email or syllabus language
• Planning a workshop agenda
• Rewriting assignment instructions for clarity
• Brainstorming student discussion prompts
• Outlining the key points of a presentation

You don’t have to use the results directly: you just have to stop staring at the blank screen. AI helps you begin. The direction, judgment, and final choices are still yours.