Have you ever stared at the computer screen and wondered what to write or struggled to find blog post ideas? Well, that problem gets solved today. In this post, freelance writer and ghostwriter Dan Kenitz (@buildwithwords) offers some out-of-the-box strategies for finding new post ideas.
“If I just had better ideas, more people would read my blog.”
I’ve said it. You’ve said it. Now we’ve said it together.
Ideas for blog posts are hard to come by these days. Either someone’s already come up with your idea before, or ideas fail to come at all. If you find yourself scratching your head for ideas, maybe it’s time to go a little bit outside the box. Here are five strategies that do exactly that:
Strategy #1: Read someone else’s blog first.
I admit: it sounds like I’m encouraging you to rip off someone else. I’m not. I’m asking you to look at someone else’s (quality) blog for inspiration.
Have you ever noticed that as you read someone’s blog post, you sometimes have an idea or a comment in response? Sometimes you post your ideas in the comments. Stop wasting these ideas. Turn these “idea offsprings” into new posts entirely, and you’ll develop the habit of digging even deeper with each post.
Strategy #2: Brainstorm, then go exercise.
As a writer, I can tell you that the best ideas inevitably come when you’re doing something menial, like exercise. In other words, ideas seem to come at the least convenient times.
It’s okay to spend time at the computer brainstorming, but when you get your mind onto something menial, you’ll be amazed at how ideas start popping into your head. It’s hard to explain, and there’s no guarantee that these ideas will all be winners, but the good news is: it works.
Strategy #3: Write down a list of “posts I wish someone else would write.”
Sometimes, the problem is not a lack of ideas or a lack of imagination. Sometimes, the problem is a lack of discipline.
There may be labor-intensive ideas you have, but you’re putting off writing them because, well, they sound so darn hard to write. And maybe they are. But this shouldn’t stop you from turning a good idea into a post.
Strategy #4: Ask questions.
Neil deGrasse Tyson has once said of Isaac Newton’s powerful mind that one of the British scientist’s best qualities was that he asked the right questions.
Change the questions you’re asking, and the posts required to answer them also will change. For example, don’t sit down and write “Ten Ways to Make Money Online.” That’s been done before. Instead, ask what it is that would make someone want to read such an article—and get to the heart of it. Same topic, different idea.
Strategy #5: Write something that makes you cringe.
Whether it’s something embarrassing about yourself that you wish you could change, or even just writing about the problems you’re facing now, the best way to find new ideas is to look honestly at what challenges you most right now.
You might think it makes you appear weak. But the truth is, our shared experiences will make your posts resonate on an emotional level more than before. And if you want to write original articles, you have to start with something else that’s unique to you: your experiences.
True: if you have better ideas, more people will read your blog. But remember that ideas are not things that just “come” to you. You have to look for them, face them, confront them, work for them. The harder you work, the better your writing will be.
Do you schedule blog posts in advance? Tell me how that works for you in a comment below.
About the Author
Dan Kenitz is a freelance writer and ghostwriter from Wisconsin who helps individuals and companies build their brands through valuable content. www.empirewriter.com/
Photo copyright: alphaspirit / 123RF Stock Photo,/small>
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