So you’ve decided you’re going to become a blogger. (Or maybe you just want to give your blog a boost.) Great! To be a success in anything there must first be desire. Now then, what will you blog about? Oh that! Fear not. Here is enough inspiration to get you through that pesky writer’s block for a whole month!
Take advantage of free services like Google alerts. Set an alert with a few key words. Then let it deliver a dozen stories a day to you.
Read a national newspaper. Point out national trends and how they may affect your readers.
Predict the future. Suggest how a current trend may impact the years ahead.
Read trade publications. Recap the news for your readers who don’t have time to read specialty magazines.
Read as many other blogs as you can. “Borrow” ideas or use them as jumping off points
Respond to a popular blog. Write out your reaction to a big-time blogger’s opinion.
Change channels. Tune into YouTube videos, listen to podcasts, or watch some old school TV shows for material.
Walk a mile in your readers’ shoes. Solve their problems. Feel their pain. Look at it from their perspective and then write about it.
Use a lifeline. Just like on reality TV – call a buddy, ask a complete stranger or take a poll of a group of people.
Jump into the fray. Weigh in on a hot topic. This especially effective (and at the same time dangerous) if you have an opposing point of view.
Get group therapy. Join in a blogger group and learn from their mistakes and share your own frustrations.
Road Trip. Attending trade shows is a great way to gather new material and at the same time rub elbows with those who may read your blog.
Ask for trouble. Find a mentor and get them to provide a critique of your work.
Offer a peek into your own life. Share your hobbies, your woes, your triumphs, and/or other personal pursuits.
Put someone on the spot. Get your “60-minutes” on and do some probing interviews – who knows what kind of dirt you’ll uncover.
Throw caution to the wind. You know that idea you’ve been afraid to write about – well, now is the time to write about it and not worry about the consequences.
Admit you don’t know something. Curious about a specific topic? Throw out your questions and let your readers respond and school you.
Go offline. Write a letter to a friend. Work on some crossword puzzles. Do anything that puts you into a different state of mind.
Write a tell all—about yourself. People love to read about how somebody else goofed up. Be honest and reveal what you learned.
Re-write history. Review the past decade in a specific industry – how has it changed? How has it not-changed? What are the implications for the future?
Get reunited. Do you know someone who’s been out of the spotlight for a while and would love some attention? Get together and report on their current endeavors.
Go undercover. Visit a nearby coffee shop, bookstore or other hang-out and listen in to other conversations and see what other people are thinking. (Be subtle with this one.)
Write an expose – on yourself. Do you keep a journal or a diary? Rip out a page or two and thrill your readers with your innermost thoughts and confessions.
Do a book report. You may have hated them in middle-school, but reviewing a recently read book can provide you with plenty to work with.
Write a product review. This can be a lot of fun. If you love the product, you may generate some freebies – if you hate it, now is your chance to get even.
Maybe a little birdie will tell you something. See what’s happening on Twitter. More human interactions help stimulate your grey matter.
Mix it up. Attend an industry “mixer” and play the part of a serious player then report on your experience.
Be a nosy neighbor. What’s up in your little corner of the world? Any interesting events? Report on your local fair, farmer’s market, music festival, whatever is going on.
Invite a guest writer. Surely you know someone who has always wanted to write a blog but lacks the stamina to do it regularly. Here’s their big shot – and your salvation.
Win the lotto. Write your final blog announcing your new status as a millionaire and what you plan to do with all that money. (Hopefully your imagination will be up to it.)
The blogosphere continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Why not be a part of it? Blogging is great for networking whether you are a small business owner or just doing it as an individual. Now grab a cup of coffee/tea/energy drink and warm up those fingers.
