For writers and bloggers pressured to write every day, the daily grind can get exhausting.The day will inevitably come when you don’t know what to write about.
Fellow bloggers
What is your blogging community buzzing about? Give an opposing view, add a new twist, or respond to a blog post.
YouTube, Vimeo, and TED Talks
These three video sites offer some pretty awesome finds. The most creative videos I find are from Vimeo, while the most intellectually stimulating are from TED. But if you’re pressed for time, opt for YouTube, since it only allows users to upload 10-minute-or-less videos. You can expound on an idea found in the video or make a list of “most inspiring TED Talks,” “most creative YouTube videos,” “three cool projects on Vimeo,” etc.
Books
The smell of paper still has the ability to inspire the writer in me. When I have time, I hang out at the nearest bookstore or grab a book from my shelf and hit a coffee shop. Most of the time, I’ll find something to talk about in my blog or, at least, I’ll be motivated to think about writing.
Magazine Racks and Newspaper Stands
If you don’t have time to read a new book, you can go over the front pages of magazines and newspapers. Is there any item there that strikes your fancy?
Social Media
See anything of interest in your Facebook news feed? What about StumbleUpon, Pinterest, and Tumblr? People usually share the most humorous and interesting things on these sites. For fresh news, Twitter is one of the best sources. If you want to know what’s happening around the globe, log on to Twitter and follow the newsmakers and thought leaders.
Forums
I love lurking around forums that focus on specific topics. During the Harry Potter craze, I hung around on MuggleNet and participated in forum discussions. I was actually able to come up with an article about the political ideology behind The Order of the Phoenix after reading some comments and insights. There are a lot of fresh voices and interesting banter that goes on in the most active forum sites. Find one in your niche and start participating.
Brainstorming
The good old strategy of brainstorming never goes stale. List down random topics and pick the most interesting ones to write about.
Travel
Don’t know what to write about? Go on a spontaneous trip. You can be gone for two hours or one week, whatever you can afford. Try a new activity, eat out, and meet new people. You’ll likely find something to write about.
Daily Life
Keep all your senses on patrol for the golden nuggets in your daily life. It might be a phone call from an old friend, an important business voicemail, or something cute your daughter did.
Old Photos
Browse through your photo albums or a public photo album and find something that could inspire you to write.
Quotes and Speeches
I have a book of quotes and speeches that I keep handy. They make for great introductions in my articles. And you know what they say—the hardest part is starting to write. Once you’ve got the introduction down and the main thesis out, trust the ball to keep rolling.
How about you? Where do you get your blogging ideas?
