It's just words on the internet
The podcast where we stop treating words like they’re sacred, start treating them like they’re fun, and figure out how to make your brand sound like…well, your brand. I’m Steph Laffy. Brand voice builder, messaging nerd, and friendly instigator of breaking “best practices.”
Each episode, we dig into a different crevice of voice, messaging, and the creative direction that actually makes you one of one...without forcing a gimmick, chasing a niche, or circling five cute adjectives in a workbook.
Come for the nerdy rants, stay for the double-dog dares, side tangents, and occasionally made-up stats.
It's just words on the internet
The one where we talk shit about frameworks and best practices
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Frameworks, formulas, and best practices aren’t evil — but they can be creativity killers when they take the lead. In this episode of It’s Just Words on the Internet, Laffy breaks down her beef with best practices, why starting with a template often flattens your best ideas, and how to flip the process so your creative instinct comes first.
She digs into what happens when you stop defaulting to the “right” way and start trusting your own ideas again. The goal? Trust yourself enough to let your gut have the first draft, then bringing in the frameworks to refine, clarify, and shape it.
You don’t need permission to break the rules. But if you’ve been waiting for it, you’ll find it in this episode.
Key Points Covered
- How over-relying on frameworks can drain the spark from your ideas
- Why “should” and “need” are creativity red flags
- What to do before you reach for the strategy template
- Why self-trust builds the voice that actually stands out
- Why creative self-trust makes writing faster, easier, and more fun
Quote of the episode
"The second you stop doing what you think you should, you’ll start creating what only you could."
Links + Resources
Check out Voice on the Rocks — my one-off session where we distill your voice down to something you can actually write from.
Follow her on Instagram: @stephlaffy