It’s no secret that I love both writing and sharing my opinion, which is why blogging is such a (mostly) natural fit for me.
If you’ve been a long term reader, however, you’ve probably noticed that my content waxes and wanes. Some weeks, I have tons of ideas and can’t possibly get them all on paper screen, and others, I struggle to publish one post because I lack inspiration (or time).
While I’m not a professional blogger, I do enjoy sharing what I’ve learned along the way. Below I’m sharing the top 5 ways I find my blogging inspiration.
1. Other bloggers
This is a big one for me. I absolutely do not condone copying another blogger verbatim (that’s called plagiarism), but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t frequently find inspiration from the blogs I read.
We bloggers certainly compete for views, comments, sponsorships, etc., but we’re also a huge and diverse family.
I believe that imitation at least one form of flattery. Don’t try to write in another blogger’s voice, of course, but feel free to use a quote or a recipe as a stepping stone to sharing your own perspective/creation. Just make sure to give credit when it’s due. I’ll always include something like “I was reading X blogger’s post (<–linking to the post) and it got me thinking about X topic” or “this recipe is inspired by X blogger” (<–linking to the original recipe).
You could share a post about how you disagree with something another blogger posted. Just be mindful of your counterpoints and treat the other blogger with respect.
2. The news
There is so much going on in the world that can translate into a blog post. Shortly after the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013, I remember reading several emotional and encouraging blog posts on the joys of running, the humanity of participants and spectators, and how sport can bring us together.
That’s just one example. Keep your eyes and ears open for inspiration through typical media: newspapers, television, and even social media.
3. A recent trip, experience, or product
I can’t speak for everybody, but I usually enjoy reading product reviews or travel diaries from a blogger’s vacation. Sponsored reviews can sometimes get old when they’re forced, but if you’re really passionate about a restaurant, fitness studio, etc., a blog post can be a great way to share your enthusiasm and introduce others to your passion.
Back when I first got into Bikram yoga, I shared my initial thoughts and how I progressed with my practice and I continue writing restaurant reviews. Readers of fitness blogs love learning about new workouts—just like us nut butter aficionados love reading about new nut butters!
4. Books, movies, TV series, etc.
Similar to the news or social media trends, you can find inspiration from books, films, etc. Whether it’s a straightforward review (I’ve written a couple here) or just expanding on an idea/dialogue, don’t dismiss these as potential content generators.
Most book and film content is classic and always relevant, even if you’re simply giving it a fresh perspective.
5. A saying or image that catches your attention
Sometimes you hear things every day and they go in one ear and out the other, but other days, a saying or quote resonates. Take, for instance, this post of mine. I’d been pondering body image and my own motivation for exercising, so when my instructor made the comment “get the body you deserve,” it really fired my brain.
One little saying or image can easily turn into content, which is why I often save screen shots of inspirational quotes on my phone.
All of us struggle with writer’s block from time to time, and it’s perfectly OK (healthy, even) to cut back on content when necessary. Just make sure to keep a notebook on hand so you can jot down ideas as they come to you!
Don’t be afraid to try something new or give your readers varied content. While it’s important to be consistent in your voice and style, you should also feel free to experiment and spice things up. Find what works for you!
[linking up for thinking out loud]
- For other bloggers: where do you find your inspiration?
- For readers: what types of blog posts do you prefer?
Sometimes reading quotes gives me some inspiration or an idea of something to talk about! I love reading about people’s lives or just their daily day-to-day events. Also love reading about people’s opinions on things and such or the WIAW posts 🙂
A lot of my favorite blogs are very day-to-day life oriented, too; I love that, but I find my own life incredibly boring to write about!
I think that because I try to do a few recipes a week, a lot of my inspiration comes from either things I’m craving or holidays or times of the year. Otherwise it’s mostly just a lot of random nonsense 😛
But random is good! We wouldn’t have TOL without it 😉
As a fellow chocolate/oat/banana/etc lover, I’m 100% supportive of you following your cravings 🙂
Other bloggers, Bible verses, or current issues especially regarding health are some of my biggest inspirations. Other bloggers are so much more thoughtful than me, and they always inspire me to be better!
I feel the same. So many thoughtful and insightful bloggers are out there – I’m often like “what the heck am I doing?” compared to them. 🙂
I should’ve included scripture in my list. That’s definitely a good one.
This is a great post! I wax and wane with my topics and post frequency so much lately too. Most of it is due to lack of time, not necessarily lack of ideas. It’s hard to put those ideas into actual posts though, especially with a little one!
Number one is my favorite. I think being part of the community of bloggers really speaks to me. But I also know that plenty of non bloggers read my blog, so I try not to get too cliquey sounding. I love that you said give credit too. Or ask. Once I was “given credit” on some completely random blog about a recipe that she basically stole from me and changed like 1 ingredient. It would have been nice to have been asked instead of just saying “it was inspired by this recipe” and suddenly I see this post already published… Anyway, that’s just my rabbit hole for the day. Great post!
Oh man, I hate when people are “inspired by” a recipe and just change one ingredient. Yeah, that’s pretty much stealing.
Good points out the whole cliquey thing. A lot of my family and family friends read, and it is hard to strike a good balance sometimes. Oh well, we write what we write 🙂