We've all been there. The dreaded blank page, the empty document. Sometimes it can be hard to think of ideas for a blog post or article. Other times you may have a topic in mind but need help writing about it in an interesting way that will keep your readers engaged and coming back for more. Here are some tips to help you with the next time you find yourself staring at a blank screen.
1. Get out your brainstorming hat and list all of the article ideas that come to mind, even if it's just one word or phrase. Make sure to go beyond single words like 'the' or 'and' because simple words won't give you very much content. Phrases like 'The new iPhone' or 'Facebook privacy settings' will be better than just 'iPhone' or 'privacy'. Also try phrases of three such as, "What happens when I die? 5 afterlife myths debunked."
Sometimes inspiration comes from seemingly random places so leave your mind open to new ideas. If mentions their love for dogs in one of their podcasts or has a new dog costume on his show, you could write about the different services and apps available for pet owners. If your favorite band just released their first single from their new album you could write about the recently popularized music genre of 'fandom music'.
2. Scan through previous blog posts that did well and try to repeat the formula. I am not saying copy and paste but rather see what topics worked in your past articles and use similar subject matter. Maybe one post was very successful because it discussed how caring for a sick child led to some great recipes (Stuffed Carrot Muffins). Try to incorporate similar scenarios like selling products online (How would people sell food on Etsy? While this article didn't sell on Etsy, I did get some serious traffic from people who were interested in using Etsy for food products) or writing about different apps (7 Game Changing iPhone Apps for College Students)
3. Talk about trends which are happening right now. Maybe it's the latest product release by Apple or maybe it is a new celebrity trend like planking, health issues etc. You could also talk about an event that just happened that everyone wants to read more information about such as April Fool's Day where you can write funny stories or top 10 lists describing the best pranks pulled off this year.
4. Look back on pictures you have taken with your camera. Have you been snapping some awesome pictures of the food you are cooking or the design projects you are working on? These could make great posts! Maybe you could write about 20 Things I Wish People Knew About Etsy or 6 Simple Steps To Set Up A Tumblr. If it's an animal, try writing about their wild counterparts (What Do Dogs Dream Of?) which am sure I will be writing tomorrow.
If all else fails, write about something controversial that people can argue about Top 10 Controversial Historical Figures Who've Died At A Young Age
This really happens to me almost all the time, I even start writing my articles first before I give it a topic but all would be well...