Bloggers have been struggling to come up with post ideas and content since the beginning of the online journal, and I'm sure newspaper and magazine editors were experiencing this dilemma long before we were.
Truth is, we all have days where inspiration is low and the creative side of our brain seems to have stayed in bed. When we haven't posted in 3 days and our blog is looking a little stale this lack of a flow can be very frustrating.
I used to wonder how in the world the "big name" bloggers kept the content coming daily, and sometimes more than once a day. As time goes on, I'm learning their secret. They keep lists.
That's right, good old fashioned lists. Many confess to using their cell phones to record ideas on the go, but there are plenty who use pencil and paper. Personally I like Notepad; the simple text editor that comes standard on just about every computer. It's clean, has no options for playing with fonts and formatting, and unlike the pencil and paper, doodling is not an option. You just open the window, type a line or two and hit save.
For me, inspiration comes from many sources, my favorite of which is my clientele. When they have questions, I answer them, and if it's something I think would help others I make a note to myself to cover this topic in a blog post. I have two very popular series for beginner Wordpress users, both of which are results of client questions.
Reading other people's articles, trying out a new tech gadget, or having a conversation with a blogging friend can all bring up valid topics for blog posts. However, not being able to remember your idea a week later could result in a post that never gets written.
However you choose to remind yourself, find a way of taking notes that is efficient and suits your lifestyle. No matter how grand or unforgettable the idea, record it for future reference. You'll be glad you did!
What is your secret to coming up with and remembering ideas for your posts?
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Definitely lists and notes, sometimes a paragraph, other times just a few words or a little word sketch, all written on scraps and bits of paper that eventually get put into a word doc that is 5 years old and 5 pages long. I scrolled down to the bottom of the list the other day and it took me a minute to make sense of what I had written. Whether or not an idea develops into a post doesn't matter, the note is the record, a way of hanging onto a moment.
Oh, you sound a little further along than me. hehe
Thanks for sharing what works for you!
Yup I write lists, I keep them in my diary … I write a different type of post for every day of the week and as an idea for a monday post I just write the idea on the next monday that's free. And I just fill the ideas on the next appropriate day available!!! Some topics are easy for me and the list is months ahead. Some topics are more challenging and I try and brainstorm a topic at least a week ahead…
That sounds like a really good idea! Maybe I'll get a small planner/calendar where I can start penciling the notes into days… even less to think about when it comes time to write!
I just open a blank doc then save it with the subject of my idea.
If there's more to write then I can easily type in my thoughts on the inside.
Anything I write for my blog is very specific so it isn't anything I can get confused about later.
It lives in a folder called "Unfinished Ideas." Pretty original, eh?
That's just how I roll. Ha ha!
So true! I use BLOGO, one of many desktop blogging applications. Whenever I have an idea or something funny happens at home, I open it up and create a "draft" post. When I'm busy or tired or lacking creativity, I use one of these posts. Works great!