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Stuck trying to figure out what to write about on your blog or client post? Here’s help!
As a busy mom blogger, you don’t have hours each day to devote to your blog. Time is limited, so when you finally sit down to write, you must have a plan.
Otherwise you risk running out of time before you’re ready to hit the “Publish” button.
And then you’ll have to find another work session to get your post done.
To avoid that, and make the best use of your time, always have several blog post ideas ready to When your idea list is almost empty, it’s time to add more.
When you’re not sure what to blog about, you can just turn to your list. It’s a time saver for sure!
But how do you get ideas on your blog post ideas list in the first place?
Here are five ways you can find inspiration when thinking about what to write about.
1. Take a Walk
Personally, I find myself most creative when I’m outside. So if I can’t think of anything to blog about, I take a walk. I’ll have a couple of kids walk down to the creek with me.
Or I’ll head by myself to the barn. I can check on all the animals and get a good dose of fresh air at the same time.
On my walks, I’ll let my mind wander. I don’t try to write anything down at this point, I just think.
If you find being outside refreshing, give this strategy a try. Just head out and bask in the fresh air and let your mind wander. Then come in and sit down – did inspiration strike?
2. Play with Your Kids
Kids have a ton of energy. They love playing! And when you put your phone down and actually focus on the play, it’s so refreshing.
Play is how kids learn, and I’m pretty sure adults learn through play too. It helps you look at things through a different perspective. And notice things you didn’t notice before.
And since much of play involves creativity (dress up, house, astronaut, etc.), your imagination gets activated.
Many of my favorite blog post ideas have come to me while playing.
3. Think About Lessons Learned
Try to make connections between your niche and what you’re doing throughout the day. You’ll be amazed at what you come up with!
I’ve written several posts on lessons I’ve learned from reading books or watching movies. Even lessons I learned while driving our school bus has inspired a post.
Your brain is constantly learning. Take time to think about lessons you’ve learned recently, how they apply to your topic, and then write them up and share them with your readers.
4. Ask Others
I enjoy brainstorming post ideas with my kids!
Getting someone else’s perspective always helps. If you’re married, you can also ask your husband (if he reads your blog). He might have some unique ideas.
If you have an email list, you can also survey your readers. What do they wish you’d write more about?
4. Read Comments
Comments are another source of inspiration when you don’t know what to blog about. When you’re brainstorming, go back to your older posts and read the comments.
See if there were any points you missed in your original post, or if your readers had any questions you could answer in a new post.
5. Brain Dump
Once you have some ideas percolating, it’s time to brain dump. Get out a piece of paper and a pen. Then just write. Jot down as many random ideas as you can.
You can do this on the computer of course, but there’s something about actually writing that helps me.
It’s a completely different experience than typing, and much more conducive to brainstorming (at least for me!)
During this stage, write down every idea. Even if you don’t think you’ll ever use it, include it in your list. You never know when an idea will become valuable.
When your thoughts are all on paper, walk away for a few minutes. This way you clear your head and put a little space between you and your ideas. This helps your brain to be more analytical in the next step.
When you come back, be ready to make sense of it all. Start by looking for patterns. Often list posts come together from a brain dump. It’s also when you can begin to map out a series.
Add Your Ideas to Your List
After spending time manipulating the information from your brain dump, it’s time to turn it into a usable format.
In my house, a paper list won’t last long. It’ll either get accidentally thrown away, get drawn on, or get eaten by my son with Pica.
So if your house is anything like mine, you need to get it into digital format. If you’re in a hurry, just take a clear picture of it and add them later.
Otherwise, add your ideas to a file. I prefer the notes app on my phone so I can always pull it up and add to it or view it.
Though this process seems redundant, you can think of related ideas while rewriting your ideas!
Flesh Out the Ideas
To cut even more time from the writing process, take time to flesh out some ideas.
When you have a few minutes throughout the week, pull up your list and draft an outline. If nothing else, brainstorm a couple of bullet points.
Even writing a few words down helps when it’s time to write. The less planning you have to do when you’re writing, the better!
Pick an Idea
Each Monday I sit down to write a post for this blog. I look at my list, and pick a topic. Then I start writing.
Sometimes, an idea just isn’t working at a particular time. For instance, this is the third post I worked on today. The first I realized wasn’t planned well enough, so I knew I wouldn’t have time to finish it in my allotted time.
So I saved it as a draft and will work on it more in the future.
The second post, I couldn’t come up with a title I liked. So it’s sitting mostly done in WordPress, waiting for the title to come to me.
Since neither of those posts were working today, I picked this idea from my list instead.
If I hadn’t had any backup ideas, I would have felt stuck. I would have continued to work on a post I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish. Or I would have tried to force a title that wasn’t working.
Having a list of ideas helps me when I’m not sure what to blog about. It gives me flexibility to pick and choose. If something isn’t working, I can pick another and try again.
Not Sure What to Blog About?
If you’re not sure what to blog about, try one of these methods. See what works for you, and then keep doing it.
I definitely recommend always having a list of ideas. Then when you have time to blog you won’t waste time trying to figure out what to write about.
What do you do when you’re not sure what to blog about? Let me know in the comments where you get your inspiration from.
Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
Genuine inputs Lisa Tanner. I am getting myself ready to jot down what is filling my mind these days. So many thinks are running through my head. I just need to pen it down.
Thankyou so much. Your words just inspired me to go ahead.
Love Sash
Thank you so much for reading Sasha. I hope you get lots of post ideas written down!