From my perspective, it's hard to miss the fact that so many people are going full-throttle with their New Year's resolutions this week. The gyms seem a little more crowded this week, and for some reason, everyone is ordering salads for lunch.
My resolutions are in full effect as well. I've prepared my list of things to accomplish this year. One of them, if you can't tell already, is making blogging a more regular part of my work week. While, I happen to be two for two this week, I worry that I wont keep pace up for long, just as the gyms are likely to clear out by the end of this week! One of the keys in accomplishing any goal that you want to accomplish is to create an environment that supports your efforts. You see, it's already day two of writing and I'm finding myself with a shortage of topics to write about. Until now…
I'm going to share a secret that has helped me stay on top of topics to write about. Rather, a cure for the common condition known as writer's block. Here is my two step guide for solving writer's block.
1. Define a list of potential blog topics – If you have a passion for your business or industry, you shouldn't have much trouble coming up with a list of 30-50 topics that you could write about. Think of them in terms of headlines, “5 ways to reduce your credit card debt.”, “Making the best hamburger ever.” You don't need to do anything more than create the headline. It is not time to actually begin writing, although you may be inspired to do so. The great thing about this exercise is that you never actually have to write any of these articles. When you create this large list of topics some will be good and worth writing about, and others that will never see the light of day. Use industry magazines, newspapers, blogs or tweets as inspiration. It's okay if you use the same title as someone else as long as you put your own spin on it.
2. Get in the habit of adding to this list – As you make it thorough day, you are bound to come across situations and other articles that spark ideas for new topics. For example, maybe you become frustrated while talking with a grumpy person over the phone and you decide to write an article called, “Smile when you answer the phone to brighten someone's day.” The key here is to keep your list handy, and be open to inspiration because you'll never know when it will hit.
When you find yourself with a shortage of topics, go back to your list for inspiration. Sometimes you'll be able to pick a topic off of that list and begin writing immediately. Other times, the list will help to get you in the spirit of looking for other topics that you can write about. Either way, this list is sure to help you cure writer's block.
Do you keep a list of articles to write about? Share a few of your topics in the comments section… or not. 🙂
