"I don't know what I want to write about!"
A phrase over used by many bloggers.
Why is it so hard to come up with a topic for our blogs? Inspiration is kinda hard to come by.
A blog is sometimes called an online diary, let's face it, anyone who keeps a diary, wouldn't likely post it on the internet without some alterations. We do try for some entertainment value, or at least educational purpose, so sometimes it can be REALLY hard to come up with ideas.
When we write blogs, most people have a subconscious filter that stops them from writing things embarrassing, incriminating, or just plain stupid. ..Because really now, do any of us really want to write bad things about ourselves?
Here's a list, Glenda style, of things I've learned about coming up with a topic to post about.
ONE: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT, under any circumstances, GOOGLE for a post idea. Not only will you find a big fat load of nothing, do you really think you're the first person to Google for a blog idea? If it's out there on Google, it's been done to death, and chances are it's been done a lot better than you are gonna do it!
TWO: Read other blogs!! If you read other blogs, you can figure out what sort of topics you like and don't like reading about, it will help a lot when deciding what to write about. You can get a sense for what your style is and what is appealing to you when it comes to reading. If you really know your posting style, the ideas will fall into place. You can take something and mold it if you know what you want your end result feel like.
THREE: Let your mind wander, sans restraint! You might find that you've begun to think about what you want for dinner instead of blog post ideas, but that's how you get ideas! When you think of something and it interests you enough to say 'Hey, I wonder..' post about it! If you find yourself thinking about something excessively, make your internal conversation into a blog! Don't be afraid to think out loud on your blog. Sometimes your posts may take you in a direction you weren't intending on going in, and it might surprise you to see just what your mind comes up with. If it doesn't fit with your theme now, fit it in later, alter it after you've written it! Never fear! You can always go back and edit, so don't put too many boundaries on a post! You make the rules.
FOUR: It's TRUE! If you REALLY don't have anything to blog about, (you're drawing a blank, your mental state at this point is not good, and you have hit delete over 400 times on the first line) STOP TRYING! Guaranteed the minute you give up, a trillion ideas will bombard your brain center. DON'T NOT blog about something because you think other people will find it silly! You'll miss out on a lot or great ideas if you censor them too much. be natural about your blogging. so if something strikes you randomly, write it down for later, don't let ideas get away! A great teacher I once had told me, "Ideas are like fireworks," because it's like there's a great big explosion of light when they first hit you but they disappear so quickly, and then you don't remember them at all, just the fact that they were great, and now they're gone. So don't force it, let it happen, and when it does, WRITE IT DOWN!
FIVE: Don't make blogging a chore. If you have to write a blog for say, a class of some sort.. don't make it a chore! Make it a habit! If you try to force a blog theme, or a post, it's not going to work, and everyone can tell. If your blog feels like a chore, change your theme, change your layout INSPIRE yourself! Everyone has thoughts, opinions, experiences; make your blog an extension of you! You won't ever have a shortage of ideas ten minutes before you have to post, as long as your blog is something you enjoy writing and feel truly connected to. There are things everyday that inspire me in some way, and there are things that drive me bazonkers that I'm really tired of and I choose to write about them. I don't feel strongly about every single one of my posts, but they can't all be golden, or else none of them would be! If you feel passionate about your blog, post ideas will come!
Blog on.
Good luck.
May the force be with you.
4 comments:
I'd say your posts are "inspired," not "tired"! Good advice.
That's excellent advice! I will surely re-think my next post! :)
I have the same problem with forgetting ideas. Have them all throughout the day, but never remember them later.
ok I actually read it now. Very good points. Definately true about writing stuff others will think is silly. If you don't be free in your writing, the blog will be boring. Nobody wants that!
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