If I had a nickel for every time I Googled this…

For some reason, I never feel like I have a handle on what blog content I want to write next. I am always looking for the next big idea, and usually I seek it in those exhaustive lists of blog post topics put out by those blogs-about-blogging. Lists populated by stuff like “7 Things Making Cabinets Taught Me About Marketing!”

The thing is, even if you’re blogging professionally, writing is an endeavor that connects humans together. People who read your blog value what YOU have to say. This may be because they already know who you are and value your thoughts as someone they respect, or it could be because of the high merit of the ideas you write about.

Blog about stuff you have real opinions/expertise on. (This does not mean you have to be an expert (whatever that means) before you can write a single word; in that case I recommend admitting that there’s a lot you don’t know and providing resources for people who want to learn alongside you.) Write from your own unique point of view, because that’s what readers want to see.

However.

Knowing that fact doesn’t necessarily mean you know exactly what to write about next.

There IS an exercise that I have found helps me when I don’t know what to write about. I discovered it recently from Little Coffee Fox, who got it from a book. Just write 100 things– it’s as simple as that. Number a piece of paper and free-write ideas until you get to 100. It’s both harder and easier than it sounds!

If you need more help, I recommend making a mind map. You’ve seen them, they look like this:

Each bubble can have more bubbles coming off of it, in an endless fractal of related ideas.

Put “BLOG” in the middle and make a bubble for each broad topic you want to write about. If you use WordPress, these may be your blog’s categories. Keep making bubbles outward in a circle until you get to topics small enough to be individual posts. For example, BLOG -> Dogs -> German Shepherds -> Training your German Shepherd puppy -> Supplies you need for training your German Shepherd puppy. Go back and add this to your list of 100 ideas.

If you need even more help than that, I recommend scrolling through YOUR OWN social media pages. What do you usually post? What have you ranted about recently? What did you share because you agreed with it? What did you share because you DISAGREED with it? What inspired you? I’m not saying to steal other people’s posts word-for-word, but the emotions and thoughts you have while scrolling social media can be a big clue as to what you could be writing about. Add any insights to your list of 100 ideas.

Once you have 100 ideas (which might take a few sessions, despite what Little Coffee Fox says) keep them in an accessible place. Add more if you think of them. Make more connections. Write. Always write.

Break a leg!