Monday, March 28, 2016

What Do I Write About?

Next week at this time, we'll be well into the A to Z Blogging Challenge. Make sure you stop by here everyday for a link to a writing resource that can help you in your career. There's been lots of advice given and lessons will be learned as the participants go along. Those of you who have picked a theme and perhaps shared it in last week's Theme Reveal, likely already know what you'll write about. Even better, you probably have all your posts already scheduled.

If you don't have a theme, you might wonder what you should write about. Or you might have your posts ready for April, but when May rolls around, you'll feel like the blogging idea cupboard is bare. Maybe you were struggling for ideas to keep your blog interesting and unique even before you joined the challenge. Or you didn't join because you didn't believe you could come up with enough ideas to complete the challenge posts. Check out this post on The Secret to Writing On Your Blog Everyday.

Nearly all writers are instructed to start a blog at some point in their career. Perhaps their publisher, agent or just other writing friends tell them to do this. Most believe this is to raise your online profile, another way of saying self-promotion. But another reason to do it is for practice. Writing a blog on a regular basis, is good practice for finding your unique voice. It's great practice for writing on a schedule. It's great practice for putting words down even when they don't want to come. Lessons writers need to learn.


If you're participating in the Challenge or just following it, here are some ideas for your blog posts. There will be dozens and dozens of blogs that you find fun and interesting. Some will be instructional and some just pure entertainment. Write a post about another blog and link to it. You're going to meet other writers so maybe you can write a post and link to their work. You'll find some blogs about myths, legends, and fantastical beasts. Link to them with a blurb about how wonderful they are. You might meet people you want to have as a guest. You will find enough of interest in the blogging challenge for another month of posting fodder.

Do you ever have trouble coming up with ideas for your blog? Can you share how blogging helps your writing? Have other blogs ever inspired your own posts?



15 comments:

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Susan - I hate to say it - I always have topics I want to post about - sometimes they get left in the sidings! I've learnt so much via blogging ... and it's been wonderfully therapeutic in so many ways ... cheers Hilary

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Since I write about movies and music and such, I never seem to run out of ideas. But visiting other blogs is great way to generate ideas.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Sometimes I struggle, as after 11 years I feel like I've discussed everything there is about publishing & promoting. But I'll see something on another blog and find a new trick or way to promote.

James Pailly said...

My blog started as a science blog, the I narrowed my focus to space, then I narrowed it to mainly the Solar System. I know this sounds like a paradox, but the more I narrow my focus, the more freedom I feel I have in my writing.

Christine Rains said...

Wonderful post. I started blogging just to connect with friends many, many years ago on a network called Xanga. I've never had a problem coming up with ideas, and I've learned so much from other writers who blog. I love reading how they write and what interests them. Several have inspired me over the years, and I know they will continue to do so. :)

Pat Hatt said...

Since I can write about anything and everything from utter nonsense to something more serious, I never run out. I'm almost ready to start 2017 a to z lol

Michelle Wallace said...

I think Pat Hatt has the perfect idea...writing anything and everything will guarantee blog posts for another year and beyond.
It must be a freeing experience and I imagine it would also help to discover/shape/refine your writing voice (depending on where you are in the blogging journey)

Robyn Campbell said...

I have not done A to Z in two years. And again this year, I slipped out. BUT. This advice is perfect for me. Have not blogged in a month. I love blogging. I just can't find the time. I think I need a post on SERIOUS time management. Purty, please.

cleemckenzie said...

Just about the time I think I'm out of ideas for my blog, something happens and I have a whole new passel of posts about topics I find interesting.

I guess the best thing I come away with from blogging is I have to pay attention to the details. I hate it when I find errors in one of my posts, so I proof as carefully as possible. Good training for all those rewrites on manuscripts.

Anonymous said...

My blogging ideas tend to come in cluster, where I get a ton and I write them all down so I can post them at my leisure. Makes it nice when I don't have ideas and have one ready.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I'm sort of participating. Sharing the letters with my IWSG admins, so that doesn't really count. I think your ideas are awesome. As for blogging on my site, it's a struggle coming up with ideas. I can't help but worry that I have nothing interesting to say that hasn't been said a hundred times before. I'm working on it, though.

Great post, Susan.

H.R. Bennett said...

While I'm not digging into the challenge, I am stealing you "secrets to writing everyday". Thank you, as always, for your wonderful guides!

Lynn J Simpson said...

I do find blogging helps keep up my writing skills. And it seems, the more I blog, the more the ideas come. It is when I stop, that the ideas stop flowing. I look forward to meeting new bloggers as I follow those participating!

Jen said...

I have struggled for content for my blog since I started one...about 10 years ago! But I keep at it. I've changed blogs, changed themes, had no theme, flip-flopped until I've thought no one would care anymore but still I've kept at it. Maybe I'm just stubborn but I like to think I'm still hunting for my unique voice!

Looking forward to the A-Z postings here!

Cheers,
Jen

Fundy Blue said...

Coming up with ideas for my blog is not difficult; I have more ideas than I can write. My biggest problem is staying consistent, especially when I'm traveling. Blogging helps me to be concise and precise. No ABC for me this year. Perhaps next year!