As a writer, I’m hesitant to admit it, but guess what? Sometimes, I am boggled by blogging—even when I have a blogging calendar outlining my upcoming posts, I can fall prey to writer’s block. Yes, it’s true. Despite knowing what I want to blog about, there are days when writing the content for the scheduled topic seems to elude me.
Does it happen to you as well? I’m guessing that you can relate as I don’t think I am alone. Today’s post is an example of what I’m talking about. I had the title for this post written down, but when I sat down to flush it out and write it, I drew a blank.
So, I gave myself permission for that to be okay. I kept looking at the paper where I’d written down the title and then gave myself a deadline. During that time in between, content ideas popped up and finally, I sat down and put it all on paper. Now, I’m sharing those ideas with you.
What Does It Take To Get Inspired?
When blogging is boggling your mind, here are six guidelines to calm your nerves and charge your creative batteries:
1. Don’t beat yourself up. When you find yourself at a loss for words, take a deep breath. Give yourself permission to walk away, whether it’s for five minutes or five days. Sometimes your creativity needs time to germinate and stressing about it won’t foster the flow you seek.
2. Unwind and relax. There are several times when I’ve asked people where they find their inspiration and, believe it or not, a common answer was “the shower.” Take a hot shower or better yet, a bubble bath. Play some soothing music, light candles, close your eyes and let your mind wander. You might be surprised at what comes up during that time. Taking a long walk or meditating can also bring similar results.
3. Acknowledge, don’t ignore, your ideas. You never know where inspiration is going to show up, but the first step is to acknowledge it when it does. Keep a paper and pen on your night table so you can write down ideas. Or use a recorder or your smartphone to record ideas when they arise. Don’t censor your ideas. Even if they seem wild and crazy, you never know what is going to work until you try it.
4. Be reasonable with your time commitment. Did you start out with good intentions about blogging? Perhaps you thought you’d blog daily, but now find you’re lucky if you post something once a week. Then, remember guideline number one (don’t beat yourself up) and readjust your schedule. It’s important to blog consistently, but if you can’t maintain a daily schedule then that’s fine. I blog once a week. It works for me, my schedule and my readers. What works for you?
5. Ask your clients/readers what they want. Blogging authority Michelle Shaeffer explained that many of her ideas came from her clients. She said, “The strategy I used was answering my clients’ needs. You see, a client would write to me with a question, I would write down their question, and then I would answer it.” Read more from my interview with Michelle here. What questions are your clients and readers asking that you can answer on your blog?
6. Search online resources. You’ll find great ideas online. Search your topic on YouTube, Google, or Ezine Articles and share the ideas that resonate with you and your audience. When I found an inspirational commencement video of writer Neil Gaiman, I created a post around it titled, “6 Tips Every Writer Should Know Thanks to Nail Gaiman.”
As entrepreneurs, there is so much valuable information you have to share with others. When you find you’re boggled by blogging, remember that it’s okay. Make a plan, write down your thoughts and then give them time to blossom in your mind. When the time is right, pick up your pen (or sit down at the keyboard) and let the ideas flow.
Give one or all of these six tips a try. Or, if you have a tip that works well for you, please share it below because I’d love to hear from you. Thanks and here’s to your sweet success!
