Finding Inspiration to Keep Blogging
August 14, 2008 by Colleen Coplick
Filed under Social Media
I write on at least two sites (right now at least), six or more times a week. Sometimes, it’s hard to find the inspiration to keep going.
There’s a couple of ways that I’ve found to do this. I used to find it a bit tricky to rely on daily motivation for BuzzNetworker, until I started utilizing the Google Reader starred items feature along with the offline feature.
You can see above that I’ve been collecting posts from all sorts of different places, but I tend to frequent Chris Brogan, Jeremiah Owyang, Andy Beal, and Mack Collier for BuzzNetworker, and a host of liquor and wine blogs for DrinksAfterDark.
If I don’t find something that immediately strikes my fancy and that I have an opinion about, I dip into my starred items – whether I’m on, or offline – and remind myself what caused me to save the post in the first place. Essentially, I’ve been keeping a gold mine of potential posts in my Google Reader.
The other thing that I’ve done, which I find immensely helpful, especially where Drinks After Dark is concerned, is create an editorial calendar.
Now, I personally find this easier to create for Drinks After Dark than it is for BuzzNetworker. I just think I haven’t put enough thought into what I want to do with BuzzNetworker yet.
Where do you find the inspiration to keep blogging?
OK … so I don’t blog like you do, but would LOVE to if I had time! However, I do manage a lot of print communication to different audiences (primarily for 9 publications to girls, volunteers, donors, and community). It can get exhausting … especially if it’s “just” relaying news. But I have one little trick that at least gets me thinking again. I’ll warn you, it’s shallow, but it works for me. I scan magazine covers – in particular the ones that are impulse buys – and plug in topics I have on my list. Sometimes it’s just the entertainment of an over-the-top gimmick in my day-to-day context that entertains me and I can take a more appropriate direction with what actually is written. But sometimes I really do come away with real headline inspirations that attract attention and give me a new way to view a subject.
Google Reader is a wonderful repository for ideas.
I also use Google Notebook. When you want to capture a unique thought but don’t want the entire page bookmarked it comes in real handy.
I really like those ideas. Deceptively simple, but powerful ways to keep a strong list of ideas.
With that said, I have almost completely quit blogging these days. I am an audio-video guy, and producing doesn’t give me the time to put the required energy into proper blogging. Most of my written output these days is on Twitter and Friend feed.
Still, these ideas hold up on my end of the spectrum as well. I started using Google Calender to have a running show schedule to keep myself honest and not slag off show production.
I always start my day in Google Reader, if I ever get back to proper blogging, I will have to use your techniques.
Cheers,
Eban
I don’t have to “find” a subject. It found me. I developed Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) a chronic, progressive neurological condition with no cure or viable treatment. The 24/7 pain is unbearable. I blog to get the word out, to support others, to find help and basically post anything to do with the neurological nerve diseases.
So, I have plenty to blog about. Until I can no longer use my computer, I will not give up! I have no hands to use, I use a voice to text program to type for me. I can barely walk so I do this from my bed with wireless. But I will not quit!