5 Top Tips for Finding Inspiration

Have you ever just sat down at your computer, blog, easel, work bench and thought I don’t know what to do? I have. There are times I have sat and watched that dreaded cursor blinking for ages not knowing what keys to hit and where they will end. Some posts are obviously commissioned meaning that they are easier to write because they have a theme that I should follow and generally I only tend to write about things I know about. Often though, it’s the personal or non-commissioned posts that cause me to stop and think. What do  I want to write about? What do other people want to read? Do I want to write something that will bring people flocking or is this post purely for me? Sometimes, basically, the inspiration pool runs a little dry and it needs replenishing. So for all those writers, bloggers and other creatives out there, here are 5 ways I find inspiration.

Give it A Title

Sometimes I will get an idea for a post but I can’t write it. Why? Because I can’t think of the title. Weirdly, I cannot write a post if I haven’t cemented the title in my head. I’ll take the idea and just keep it in my head, rolling around words and thoughts all day. It’s kind of link having a mental puzzle and the words are the pieces and I have to keep moving them around and changing them until they all slot into place and it opens up the prize inside which is of course the ability to spill the words out through the ever patient, blinking cursor. So if you’re stuck, have a play with words, even on a piece of paper, until something clicks!

Read a Blog

Now you need to be careful because I am not saying to go and copy other people’s work because not only is that morally wrong but it is also plagiarism. However, everyone has a story to tell and reading other blogs such as Fishpools or Island Living 365 or The Parenting Jungle (a couple of my personal choices) can give you your own inspiration to write about personal experiences, product reviews or home interior trends for example.

What’s the News

A really good way of finding something to write about is my reading or watching the news. Let’s face it, there is an awful lot happening in the world at the moment and not a huge amount of it very positive. Not only should we stay up to date with world events but it can also spark a feeling inside of us when reading about something that has happened, be it empathy, outrage, fear or love. We can then act upon these feelings by writing down how they made us feel and why and these often become some of our best blog posts!

Map it Out

This one is a bit old school but it really works for me. I get rid of the technology, pull out the good old trusty notebook and a pen and draw a spider diagram (or whatever they call them these days in an age where you have to be careful not to call it a brain storm for fear of offending someone!) I start with the sections of my blog and the off of this draw various topics that people talk about, then my experiences of them, or ideas, thoughts and opinions I have had about things. Often this is just a collection of various words and even (due to my kitchen section) a list of what meals I have eaten in the past two weeks or where I have been. From this I often come away with about 10 blog post ideas which I then slot into my plan!

Get Up & Go

If you really cannot think of anything to write about then there’s only one thing for it. Get out from behind the screen and get out there and make something happen. Meet up with fellow bloggers and go on a photo walk. Go on a day out to somewhere local or see what local classes and groups there are to join. If you don’t get out there and do something and experience things then you’ll never have anything to talk about. Have your friends over for a coffee and have a chat or better yet, get a babysitter and go for a gin. I’ve got a couple of lovely mum friends and some of my best blog post ideas have come from talking to them over a gin and tonic! Or grab that perfect cup of coffee, (Wayfair created the guide to getting that perfect java) grab a pen and paper and just start jotting down ideas!

*This is a collaborative post.