10 Ways to Get Ideas for Your Blog Posts

“You have to have an idea of what you are going to do, but it should be a vague idea.”
- Pablo Picasso

So you’ve got a blog, and you’re getting ready to write your next post only - oops - you’re stumped for ideas. Well, you don’t have to stay blocked for long. Here are some things I do that keep the ideas constantly flowing:

1. Notice little everyday moments and ask yourself, How does this apply to my blog’s theme?
You’re waiting in line at the supermarket. Notice what’s happening around you. Notice how the cashier smiled at you, or how long the line is, or how many candy bars there are. What does any of it have to do with your blog? Can you make any associations?

2. Use photos to trigger ideas.
Can you take pictures with your cell phone? If so, start snapping photos of things that interest you as you journey through your day. Or flip through a magazine and look at the pictures. Ask yourself what the photos have to do with your blog. Let’s say you find a photo of an empty park bench. If your blog is about health, the bench might inspire a post about getting proper rest. If your blog is about marketing, the empty bench might inspire a post about getting customers.

3. Use a book of quotes.
Buy yourself a book of quotes - maybe one that pertains to your blog’s theme - and keep it near your computer. When you feel stuck you can flip through it and find a quote that inspires you, then write an article expanding on it.

4. Find inspiration from comments on other blogs.
Last week I perused the comments at Christine Kane’s blog, and a woman mentioned her fear of creating artwork. Her comment inspired me to write my recent series about how to conquer these fears.

5. Eavesdrop.
When you’re in a cafe, or on the subway, what are the people around you discussing? What does it have to do with your blog? Jot it down and write about it later.

6. Get inspired by conversations with friends.
If a friend or associate calls you to vent about a common creative problem, and the conversation fits with your blog’s theme, it could inspire you to write a post filled with solutions to that problem. (Of course, you should never mention your friend’s name or betray their trust in any way.)

7. Blog about nothing.
When I sat down to write this post I had no ideas. My mind was blank. Then I remembered an assignment I once gave in my cartooning classes. Whenever a student was stuck for ideas, I had them draw a comic strip of their character having no ideas. Just draw them walking down the street. Next thing you know, like magic - boom - a clever idea suddenly appears in your head.

8. Ask your readers a question.
It might seem like passing the buck at first, but it’s a neat way to come up with a great post and get your community involved. After all, isn’t blogging about sharing information, wisdom, and resources?

9. Use the news.
What does the presidential race have to do with your blog? What does global warming have to do with your blog? At first you might say ‘nothing’, but keep asking that question - something will come to you.

10. Use the latest, hottest entertainment to trigger a post idea.
What does the new Batman film have to do with your blog? What does American Idol have to do with your blog? It’s a fun way to grab attention and a creative way to bring it all back to your blog’s theme.

Do you have any ideas to share? Any tricks up your sleeve? Leave a comment!