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How do you overcome “Blogger’s Block?”

March 23, 2008 by Jenn Sierra  
Filed under News

Revised and updated from 11/14/07

“Blogger’s Block” is the new “Writer’s Block.” You know that feeling…you sit down to write a blog post, and just stare at the paper - except, now it’s the screen. You wait for the virtual muse to visit, only to be stood up, again. Don’t worry. You’re not alone. Other bloggers have had that same problem, and have written about what has helped them overcome it. Here are a few ideas:

Manaj Jasra begins a series on Blogger’s Block with these suggestions for places to look for inspritation - hot industry stories, relationships with PR firms, Google hot trends, correlating common interests, and guest bloggers. (Read more, here.)

ProBlogger also has some great ideas - change your environment, keep an idea journal, collaborate with other bloggers, and much more, here.

If that doesn’t do it, here is an entire collection, on the Creativity Portal, of online writing prompts and idea generators (hat-tip Blogger Buzz) sure to break you out of that rut.

I personally overcome this problem by reading. I have several feeds and social networking accounts that I keep updated, and read current news and events. Like Danno mentioned, when this question was posed in our FHK Facebook group, I too, often find myself writing about things that I disagree with in what I’m reading. As a conservative political blogger, I can find plenty of “inspiration” on sites like MSNBC or the Daily KOS. Or, as Danno said, it might be a case in which someone is just missing an important point…this can be a good blog topic to write about.

Answering questions that the readers have posed, or that you think readers might have is also a good source of inspiration for blogging, suggested Bill Bauer, of CreditWrench, in the same discussion. This can be especially helpful if you are an expert in a particular topic, as Bill is, or, if you’re learning about a particular topic, and want to share with your readers as you go.

What suggestions do you have for overcoming “blogger’s block?”

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4 Responses to “How do you overcome “Blogger’s Block?””

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  1. TRM on March 24th, 2008 6:37 am

    The ole’ BB, I know it well. I do keep a notepad handy and listen to talk radio, etc, and the always popular “enemy blog visits” those lefty loons never fail to provide nonsense to comment on.

    When all else fails, whiskey my freinds, whiskey gets the ideas flowing,,, :)

  2. Jenn Sierra on March 24th, 2008 7:56 am

    Hmm…hadn’t considered the “whiskey” strategy… ;-)

  3. Leslie Carbone on March 24th, 2008 9:33 am

    Good post. Here are some things I’ve found helpful:

    1. Pray.
    2. Read. Read the newspaper. Read blogs you love. Read blogs you hate. Read intellectual classics. Read literary classics. Just read.
    3. Keep a commonplace book. Include a list of potential post subjects. Record ideas, insights, observations, henids, questions.
    4. Check your favorite cable news channel, judiciously.
    5. Take a break. Exercise. Run errands. Change your setting; go to a bookstore, coffee shop, friend’s house.

  4. Stix on March 24th, 2008 10:08 am

    I think Scotch works better.

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