There are you. Sitting in front of your computer keyboard with fingers ready to fly across those keys. You’re ready to write up your next great blog post… except the inspiration well has run dry and you have no idea where to start. It’s called writer’s block and you most certainly aren’t alone. It’s a problem that plagues many a blogger. Thankfully, there are many more solutions for this remarkably common problem.
You might remember when we discussed the possibility of re-purposing old content and framing it as new content. That’s one way of going about finding “new” ideas for your blog. And here are ten more techniques that will get that hamster back on its wheel and you out of the writing rut.
Go Somewhere Else
It might surprise you how much of a difference a change of scenery can make. If you typically write up your blog posts in the same place, like in your home office, simply try going somewhere else. This could be as simple as another part of your house or it could mean taking the laptop with you to the coffee shop or public library. A fresh perspective and new surroundings can get your mind working in a different gear.
Try Another Time
Not everyone is made alike. There are morning people. There are night owls. Don’t fight your natural rhythms and endeavor to write your blog posts at your best time of the day. Especially given the time freedom of the dot com lifestyle, no one says that you have to start writing right at 9am. If you’re feeling the most inspired at 10pm, then that’s when you should be blogging.
Drink a Cup of Coffee
It may surprise some of you to hear that coffee actually has several health benefits, assuming that you drink it only in moderation. For people who don’t normally take a dose of daily caffeine, coffee can significantly boost productivity in short spurts. If you already need five cups to operate normally, drinking another cup isn’t going to help.
Utilize Free Association
Sometimes referred to as “freewriting,” the practice of free association can help free your mind from the shackles of traditional structure to unearth the unique ideas buried within. Just sit down with your word processor of choice and start typing. It doesn’t have to make sense. It doesn’t have to be coherent. Just start writing whatever comes to mind and you’d be surprised what you might discover.
Listen to Instrumental Music
Listening to music with lyrics in it can be distracting when the current task involves the strategic selection of words in an effective order. You might love your rap or your rock or whatever else, but if you’re blogging, it might be a better choice to have some instrumental music playing in the background. This can be as simple as the background beat on a hip hop track or you can go more traditional with classical or jazz.
Stay tuned for the second half to this list. In the meantime, walk over to your local cafe, grab a cuppa Joe, and just start typing as you listen to some smooth jazz on Spotify.