Running low on ideas seems to be an issue most of the bloggers face every now and then. At least, this is how I explain myself the numerous posts on this topic I come across every day. Is this a concern that readers would be disappointed if they don’t find you posting with your usual frequency? Or is it maybe a concern that they’d go away and never ever come back to read your blog again? Or maybe that’s just their ego, not allowing them to just break the routine and skip posting until they have something to say to their readers…
Whatever the reasons, we want to be creative and to live up to the expectations of others. That’s why we need backup plans and strategies. Let’s see some of them:
Pat B. Doyle provids her readers with an impressive list of 23 great ideas for blog posts.
Lisa, from Hit Those Keys tells about counterweighs to beat Inertia and produce “New Work”.
Spinebreakers publish an audio interview with an author who has never experienced writer’s block. It seems that having multiple jobs ongoing at the same time is key for him to never have this problem.
Finally, this is how Rudyard Kipling explains the six words which prevent writer’s block.
What’s your way? Do you want to get rid of your writer’s block when it comes, or you are just living it to the full and stop posting for a while?
My way is simply not to post. I have never wanted a regular posting routine, favouring quality over regularity.
I think that aiming for a particular schedule is step one in removing the soul from a blog. Spontaneity is everything as it is only when you really want to write about something that the best work happens.
There are far too many blogs out there that stick to a schedule but end up posting the same self-evident content, just with more spin in the headline(Why X is like Y, Why X should Y, Why X is stupid…).
Andrew, I like your way. use to do the same, rather than making use of that X,Y,Z thing you’ve mentioned.
You post because you HAVE to post!
HAVE to post?? I must admit I feel like I have to, and I’m feeling very, very bad about myself because I haven’t posted to my own blog now for a couple of months, but really no one holds a gun to my head and forces me to post. I much prefer Andrew’s philosophy – post when you have something unique or intriguing to contribute. In my case, I am suffering from both the lack of anything unique or intriguing to offer right now, and a summer that has been over the top busy since I’ve taken on much more than I can actually handle right now. My blog is suffering, but I don’t think I have any kind of regular readership that would notice or care. So I’ve resolved myself to just get thru the days until summer is over……..sigh……..
But all that being said I’ll definitely look over your links for ending my form of writer’s block…..who knows? Maybe I’ll find a spark………
Why do you have to post, Ayalon? Are you afraid that your readers would go away, or it’s the promise you’ve made to yourself and you want to keep?
Trisha, I’m a regular reader of some hundred blogs, and I am not upset when somebody doesn’t write in a long time. Sometimes I notice, and I asked myself what happened to that person, but I’d never unsubscribe from a blog because of not having a fixed posting frequency.
I think we all face this problem. But a good way to handle writer’s block might be to take a blogging break. It’s better to take a break than to post jibberish or bad writing. Just my two cents.
Thanks Andrew, indeed, breaks are good. I took quite a lot this summer, with the incredible heat we experienced – it is almost impossible to resist the temptation of leaving the city.
Yup, content rules, I say. I suppose the dilemma is when you are a career blogger — are you willing to knowingly give your readers crap? I’m not, but then again I don’t rely on my blog to put food on the table.
Most of the time, I call up my husband and start a conversation with him and just talk normally, and I always end up getting something new from it.
It always works!
I like to look up for the latest news around my niche. Google News and Yahoo! News are my most visited for my next post ideas…
Most of the times I get so many great and helpful ideas I can share with my audience.
Current news is alway an easy way to come up with new ideas. Never post just to post. The content is never as good as when you are passionate about it.
The first Andrew has the best idea I think. Quality over quantity every time. There’s nothing worse than putting yourself under pressure to do something day in and day out if the ‘spark’ isn’t there. It stops being fun.
Woohoo, blogging advice from Kipling.
I just listen to podcasts and audiobooks all the time when I’m in the car, walking, etc. I’m always getting new ideas. I think as long as you’re constantly learning, you’ll never run out of things to write about.
Nice post. Having written only about 20 blog posts, I haven’t had the problem of writer’s block yet, just writer’s procrastination and writer’s laziness. Any suggestions? Just kidding. I think the key is not to get niched in, and to let yourself write about whatever you want – readers be damned! Just kidding again.
~ Steve, aka the kidding trade show guru
PS. Thanks for the link on Rudyard Kipling.
I usually take a break, have a cold beer and take a walk in the park. Sometimes it helps taking a break..not only from writing, but from everything. Works for me.
Hey Sam, I like beer as much as the next guy, but I can’t say that I agree that it’s a good cure for writer’s block. If I had one beer, then I’d probably have a second beer, and then a third beer… and then I think the last thing on my mind would be writing…
~ Steve, aka the beer-when-appropriate trade show guru
the beer is just the first step in the taking a break method
I think it depends on your reasons for blogging. If you depend on readership and it is necessary for you to have readers coming back, you have to keep giving them new content on a regular basis. As soon as readers start seeing too much of a lag between new content postings, they will stop coming. Each person may have his own threshold, some are okay with waiting a week or two while others want new content every couple days.
I think that aiming for a particular schedule is step one in removing the soul from a blog. Spontaneity is everything as it is only when you really want to write about something that the best work happens.
I like the idea of PatDoyle. Moreover, you could participate in any forums or any other sites. For sure you’ll be albe to get any idea for your article.
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