Priya Florence Shah
We’ve all been there. Bloggers with writer’s block. Having no idea what to put down for our next post. Wondering how to keep up with the next deadline, even if we’re the ones who set it.
I have gone through these phases quite a lot. But I usually manage to pull myself out of that funk by doing one of the things below. So here are 10 ways to eliminate writer’s block and get ideas for your blog.
1. Read… a lot
There’s no way around this one. If you want to create great content, you have to read… a lot. Don’t only read things you usually read. Get out of your comfort zone and read books, novels, non-fiction, anything that grabs your eye. Reading in a multi-disciplinary fashion can spark your creativity like nothing else.
2. Watch a movie
Movies are stories translated into a visual format on the screen. A good movie can take you to places you would never otherwise explore, and give you insights that you would never have access to. I love watching movies and find that they often get my creative juices flowing.
3. Listen to music
Good music has the effect of putting you into a creative zone, a relaxed state from where your best ideas can come. Make a playlist, or more than one, of your favourite musicians and songs and listen to it when you’re doing something like cooking or working out.
4. Explore nature
I can’t tell you how many times I have read this advice before, but it’s worked beautifully for me. I find that I am most inspired by beautiful landscapes, natural settings and just some fresh air. Travelling and vacations are some of my most creative periods.
5. Get away from your devices
Devices can be distracting to the point of killing all your creativity. For your creative juices to flow, you need some downtime. You need to let your mind wander where it will and focus on something other than emails and text messages. You need to daydream, and you can’t do that when you’re staring at a mobile screen.
6. Meditate
Meditation can put you in the perfect creative state of mind, called the Alpha state. I know it has worked for me in the past, especially when I used to practice a form of meditation called the Silva Method, created by Jose Silva. It’s pretty similar to the Indian yoga asana called Shavasana, which creates a deep sense of relaxation. You can learn more about the Silva Method and practice it here.
7. Play with your kids
One of my best articles, To Be a Champion, Become a Child, was written while watching my daughter play. It inspired me to see how kids think and react and it made me want to share my observations with others.
8. Embrace boredom
Sometimes great ideas come from just sitting and watching the world go by. If Newton hadn’t been sitting under a tree, would he have noticed the apple dropping to the ground? I’m only half kidding when I state that boredom is necessary for creativity to emerge. Remember when, as kids, you came up with some very creative games to play when you were bored? Boredom forces our minds to work harder and work out solutions that we would never have thought of otherwise.
9. Interview your readers
Often we end up creating content about things that WE want to write about. But your blog readers may be looking for other information that you’re missing out on because you can’t see beyond the tip of your nose. So, interview your readers. Have them fill out a survey and ask them what about their most pressing concerns. It will give you a surplus of ideas to draw from when creating your next post.
10. Check your blog analytics
This tip worked amazingly well for me when I saw a phrase that visitors were searching for in my blog analytics. I decided to jump on the opportunity by writing a quick post on it. It not only got me a new client, but the post also got syndicated on Monster.com. How’s that for inspiration?
You’d be amazed at the kinds of things that you can use to jumpstart your creativity and get rid of writer’s block. I hope the 10 suggestions above will help you do just that.
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