If you find yourself without blog post ideas, don’t worry. In fact, worry makes it worse! Instead, look around you for inspiration. Today Beth Bauer (@JourneyofBethB) provides seven easily accessible places to find ongoing ideas for your blog posts.
Being a blogger isn’t always puppies and rainbows. It can be hard work. Sometimes the words flow smoothly, like a cup of a strong coffee on a Monday morning. Other times, writing a post feels more like trying to squeeze milk from a tomato.
The next time you find yourself struggling to come up with a topic, don’t panic. The more you focus on being stumped, the harder your brainstorming session becomes. Instead, look to these seven sources to find inspiration for your next blog post.
What’s on Your Mind?
Is there something, in particular, that’s put you in your current funk? Perhaps you can spin that so that your current challenge is relevant to your usual topic. For example, I write about travel. Let’s say I got caught in awful traffic the other day and missed an appointment. I could use that experience to write about “The 4 Cities I’ve Visited with the Worst Traffic.” Or maybe the experience reminded me of traffic in New Delhi, and I write a post about “5 Interesting Photos I’ve Taken While Sitting in Delhi Traffic.” I’ve taken some incredible pictures while stuck in traffic, and my audience may find that intriguing.
Spend Time With Friends
Spending time with special friends is always inspiring. They have a way of helping you relax because you can be authentic. Be honest and tell your friend(s) about your writer’s block. More than likely they’re a fan of your work and have great ideas for topics you’ve never considered.
Ask your friends for their opinions and ideas. If for some reason they don’t have any suggestions, that’s okay. Focus on enjoying your time together. Perhaps just clearing your mind for a while will be just what you need to get your creative energy flowing again.
Visit Family
Your family provides an excellent source of inspiration. Love, laughter, and even family drama tend to get us thinking, and thinking often leads to wonderful new blog post ideas. Did Aunt Sally just have a hilarious first date? Was your brother was just fired from his job? Did your mom just repeat a profound lesson she taught you many times before?
These types of events can remind you of all kinds of issues that might tie into your topic somehow. For example, Aunt Sally’s date may remind me of that horrible date I had with a guy I met in Croatia. My brother’s job experience might cause me to recall the time I tried to exchange doing farm work for a free stay on a permaculture farm, and I was so sore that I could barely move three days into the arrangement.
World Events
The world is full of fascinating events. Everywhere we turn there is something extraordinary going on. Political action, natural disasters, or the royal wedding might jog your memory and bring on sudden inspiration.
For example, the recent royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle might remind me of that wedding I went to in India, or a flash flood might cause me to think about the time I went hiking in Nagarkot, Nepal and saw all the devastation from the 2015 earthquake that ravaged the area. Perhaps I could write a follow up about how the region is recovering.
Surround Yourself with Nature
Surrounding yourself with nature offers a tremendous way to find inspiration. There is something about the sound of birds chirping happily or giant trees towering above you that makes you feel instantly relaxed. Once you’re calm, your mind opens, and ideas flow naturally, like a stream through the forest. Stress, concerns, and writers’ block seem to disappear and get replaced by sudden bits of inspiration.
Watch a Movie
Engrossing yourself in other artists’ creativity often leads to increases in your creativity level. I’ve found this to be especially true when watching a movie. Whether it’s a drama, thriller, or romantic comedy, I almost always find myself coming up with spectacular new ideas by the time the credits start rolling. A good book or art festival might have the same result. Surround yourself with other peoples’ creativity and watch the ideas roll in.
Your Previous Posts
If all else fails, scroll through some of your previous work. What have you blogged about in the past that might need a follow-up story? Your posts aren’t only a source of entertainment and information for your audience; they might also be a terrific source of inspiration for you.
Additionally, if any of those posts have been popular with your readers, it’s worth taking the topic deeper. Check your analytics program, and then brainstorm new posts that will give readers more of what they enjoy most.
All writers go through periods of writer’s block or times when they don’t feel motivated or inspired. It’s a natural part of being a blogger. The critical thing to remember is that it’s normal. And don’t fight it. Surrender to the struggle and look to these seven sources for inspiration. The next thing you know you’ll have your laptop out and a smile on your face as you write your next post.
How do you find inspiration for your next blog post? Tell me about your experience in a comment below.
About the Author
Beth Bauer is a freelance writer, travel blogger, yoga instructor, and entrepreneur currently working on her third novel. She has traveled to over 20 countries in just the last two years and enjoys life as a digital nomad. She is originally from the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.A., and when she’s home lives on the Long Beach Peninsula with her dog, Ozzie.
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