by So there you sit, cursor flashing on a white screen. Blink. Blink. Blink.
You put your fingers to the keyboard and feel the smooth plastic curving so that they make the perfect well for the flesh of your fingertips. Blink. Blink. Blink.
You have an idea; you start to type a few words and realize you have it all wrong. A few backspace keystrokes later, and you’re back at the start. Blink. Blink. Blink.
You have a plan to write more content; maybe you’ve even worked hard on your editorial calendar and are staring at a week or two of topics, titles, or half-finished ideas.
But you still need to write today. You need something so that you feel you’ve accomplished your goal. You need to fill the empty page with killer content that will leave your readers begging for more. You need to be on top, and without more posts, you’ll never make it.
Write Less and Write More
Huh? That heading makes no sense. Yeah, I can read your mind. I’m good like that.
Writing can be both fun and harrowing in the same breath. I love writing, but sometimes, when I plan to write more and get a bit of a back catalog waiting in the wings, I start thinking that I suck at this. I stare at the screen and don’t know where I’m going, why I want to go there, or how I will take us there.
Sound familiar?
I’m sure if you ask 100 bloggers, you’ll get at least 87 similar responses. Yep, that’s me. (This statistic is entirely made up, but it sounds like it should be about right.)
We all get stuck, even if for just a few minutes. We’ve discussed the idea in our post, “Need More Content for Your Blog? Start by Walking Away,” and we’ll probably talk about it many times in the future because it’s a real problem we all face.
While there are a million ways to work through this, and the post mentioned above dealt more with clearing your head, this post is more about filling it up.
Read More Blogs – Expand Your Library
One of my favorite ways to get inspired is to read some of my favorite blogs, check out a few I’ve never heard of, and see what makes them all tick. There are a million niche blogs covering just about anything you can dream up – and if you find something that isn’t covered, there’s probably an opportunity there.
Reading other blogs helps me write more because it gets me thinking. I read something I disagree with? I have a new post. I find myself bored with the layout of a site? New post. See something that is working for that blogger that I can improve upon? Guess what? That’s right…more content.
Think of it as inspiration…or perhaps competition if that’s what drives you.
Reading will not only help you write more, but it’s just plain good for you. Active minds keep us healthy. They teach us new ideas and ways to look at the world. And sometimes, reading is just fun (think of your favorite novel and how you enjoy picking it up, even if it’s the 50th time).
Writing is hard, friends. Writing often is even more challenging. But if you feel stuck and can’t write more, there is always a way to get unstuck and get to work.
What are some of your favorite blogs to read? Go ahead, I’m not against a little self-promotion here.*
* But if you decide to promote your blog, do us a favor and promote at least one other blog while you’re at it.
