The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series: How To Develop Blog Content
The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series Lessons: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
Lesson Three:
How do you develop regular, entertaining, informative, and purposeful content for your blog? Content is one of the toughest issues for many blog writers, and concern about creating regular quality content is one of the most frequently mentioned fears preventing some people from even starting a blog. Some days, writing your blog entries will come naturally, almost effortlessly. Other days, you’ll experience blogger’s block. Don’t be scared. It doesn’t mean you’ve run out of things to say. It just means you’re having an off day. Happens to everyone. The wrong answer to this problem is to not blog at all. (Derailing your posting schedule is a sure path to losing your blog traffic.) So how do you beat blogger’s block and post on those difficult days?
Here are a few tips to consider on days when the blog post just isn’t flowing
10 TIPS TO BEAT BLOGGER’S BLOCK:
1) Change your location. If you have a laptop, move it to another room or outside (if possible). Or write a blog entry on paper, longhand, anywhere.
2) Visit other blogs. Find an interesting discussion. Write a post and link to it.
3) Open the dictionary and stab your finger blindly at a page. Take that word and Google it. Who knows what ideas that might spark.
4) Take the topics you developed in Lesson Two of this series about things you are interested in blogging about. Use search engines to find the latest news, controversy or innovation in those subjects. Research! Blog about it!
5) Keep an idea file, either on your computer or in a notebook. Some days, you will have ten ideas at once. Go back to them when you’re feeling creatively dry.
6) Set a deadline, like three minutes, and free write. Force yourself to start and just go till the timer goes off. See what you come up with–maybe you have something to say today, after all!
7) Post a gorgeous photograph and write a great caption.
8) Change the time of day you blog–find your creative rhythm and what time of day your creativity soars.
9) Watch the news. Turn on a documentary. Read books and articles. Stimulate your mind!
10) Memes, interesting links, jokes, and blog quizzes can fill the occasional dry spot. (Don’t overdo them–but sometimes they’re fun!)
TYPES OF BLOG ENTRIES:
Remember that there are various types of blog writing. Change it up! Just thinking about your blog entry in a different way might inspire you. Types of blog entries include: instructional, informational, inspirational, links, reviews, lists, interviews, profiles, problems, ideas, discussions.
For example, one of the topics I discuss on my blog is baking. I could……..1) write an INSTRUCTIONAL entry with a favorite, unusual or complicated recipe, 2) write a LINKS entry with ten links to great baking sites or great baking articles, 3) write a LISTS entry with a list of my twelve favorite baking items (and why) in my kitchen today.
See how just thinking about your topics in this way can generate ideas for entries?
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF:
1) Which posts worked best (generated traffic or links or comments)?
2) Which posts didn’t work? Analyze what made them different from the posts that did seem to generate interest.
*Read and analyze other blogs as well as your own. Ask a friend you trust to critique your blog and discuss the critique with an open mind.
KEEP IN MIND:
1) Be pithy! Longwinded entries will wear readers out.
2) Break it up. Make paragraphs! A long blog post all in one paragraph is very hard to read.
3) Be yourself. Write in a relaxed, conversational style that reveals the real you. Let your voice sparkle!
4) Ask questions! Questions generate answers. (Comments.)
5) Read your blog entry out loud to yourself–does it flow, sound natural?
6) Post digital photos often. Images attract readers and make your blog more readable and fun.
7) Visit other writers’ blogs, particularly those who visit you, and comment on them. Also visit blogs outside your regular circle or even outside your regular field of interest. See what other blogs are like and what you can learn from them as well.
8) Set blogging goals and reward yourself.
9) Remember, practice makes perfect–don’t expect yourself to be comfortable or skilled at blogging right away. Nothing worth having comes easy, and that includes any kind of writing.
10) Have fun. If you aren’t having fun, ask yourself why. Change something.
The Writer’s Blog Workshop Series Lessons: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7
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Great post! I’ve needed all of this advice about blogging, especially for the last few months — just too busy! I might try again to get my blog moving again over the holidays - Santa should provide some good material. :)
Love this blog site!
Ellen, thanks for stopping by. We’ll be posting new lessons for the Blogging Workshop every Monday and other posts on the business and creative side of writing throughout the week.
Good luck with getting your blog moving again!
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