How do you keep your inspiration for blogging? How do you know what to post about?
I got this question on Formspring awhile ago and I thought I would answer it. Please note that this is only my opinion and what I've found that works best for me. There are a lot of blogs I love that don't do what I've said below.
First off.
Schedule
When I first heard of people making blog schedules, I was less than impressed. I assumed scheduling meant a strict adherence to features and it seemed so... constricting. I only started making a blog calendar last October and it's been one of the best things I've done. At the beginning of the month, I use the full-month calendar page in my planner to fill in random posts I want to do. It's really important that I have the entire month one page right in front of me. I like to see everythign at one glance and it gives me a visual aid in immediately seeing the holes of where I should fill in with a post.
I first fill in where I want to do 'A Word From Our Sponsors' post, so I can email the sponsors. Then I randomly fill in a Flashback Friday here or there. I then fill in some pre-scheduled posts(for instance, the Roma di Luna post was pre-scheduled) and then I write in posts about stuff I've done recently that I want to blog about.
Over on the right side I write in loose ideas for blog posts. Sometimes they are questions from readers that I want to expand on or subject I want to write about, school projects I want to share, photoshoots I've done, adventures I've gone on, or random stuff I've been thinking about. On or around the empty days, I refer to the list.
I don't stick to the blog schedule 100%, but it's helpful in keeping me on track when I can't think of what to blog about.
Keep your ideas fresh.
Sometimes when I'm drained for ideas, I read through my archives and look at posts that I really liked writing and creating. Something in the way I wrote or a project I did sparks something in me to do it again.
The other day I emailed my friend Brenna asking for her random journaling prompts for me to write about. She sent me back about five thought provoking questions. I don't know if I'm going to share everything I'm writing with those questions on this blog, but if it gets me writing again about deeper topics that I am all for it. Ask someone who isn't directly involved with blogging for ideas, you'll be surprised at what they'll come up with.
Think beyond 'blogging'. If you read a lot of other blogs, it's easy to become accustomed to what one should blog about. Don't feel like you can't bring up your geeky obession with science fiction or the fact you love Justin Bieber. If you're not sure what you've written or created is suitable for a blogging platform, try it anyway. Seen magazine features you like? Television show documentaries? Stories your grandmother used to tell?
My biggest piece of advice in regard to blogging inspiration is to look at your life(if that's what you're blogging about) and use it. YOU are the biggest source of content. Not the internet or trends or whathaveyou. If you don't have something to write about, then go do something worth writing about. I saw a tweet on Twitter from the Alt Summit from Designblag that was "Imagine water is your life. Blogging is the drain."
So, you don't have an exciting life or an adorably decorated house or a fancy camera? Well, then go read a book and write about it. Take your point and shoot outside on a walk and photograph shit. Learn to crochet. Watch a documentary. Make a goofy collage with catalog pictures.
Though I believe people should blog about whatever they want to(but photo credits are key no matter what), my favorite blogs are ones where the large majority of the photography and visual elements are created by the blogger. Blogs with beautiful photographs taken by the blogger really shine in an often over-saturated 'omg inspiration!' blogging community. I don't think you need to a fancy DSLR and tons of Photoshop know-ho, I've seen nice work blogging with point and shoots and occasional iPhone photos.
(Just want to note that I use my Tumblr as a place where I'll catalog inspiration. I don't have a schedule with that blog and use it however I feel like it. If I go a week without posting there, who cares. I follow a lot of my "real life" friends there and use it post about music and a little bit of politics and keep up with friends, and have fun. I really like having it.)
And I just have to say(and try to say) without being to longwinded. Your blog is not your life. It is an extentsion of your life. This is truth. Yours self-worth should never, ever be defined by your blog or how many followers you have or how pretty your blog design is. If you're actively seeking a beautiful life, I really believe the best "blogging content" is going to come from that. My life and the people in my life come first, blogging comes later in the priority list. I keep on doing it because I love to, but I try to remember where it stands in the grand scheme of things.
Know what you like to blog about.
This does not come easy. It involves experiementation, failure, irriation, and boredom. For instance, I do not like to put together 'inspiration' posts. I strongly believe in crediting all the photographs I post and honestly the energy it takes to find the unique, perfect photo with correct credits, saving the photograph to my computer, uploading the photograph, and typing out the credit is too much for me. I know it's silly, but I do not enjoy it. I get the end of putting a post like this together and I think about how I could have spent that time to go and take a photo myself or scour my archives for an unedited photograph to use. Every once in awhile I like to do a post like this. I like to make polyvore style outfits or a 'Things I Love' posts, but I really have to be in the mood.
I've learned I like to share my work or latest project, I like to write about stuff I did with friends(one of my fav. things to read back on!), and recently I've started to really like features.
I think the reason I've actually stuck with the features I use on the blog, is because I'm fueling the content. I love to do the hey, i know you! features because it gives me an excuse to take feature photos of a person. Plus they are people and artists that mostly haven't been interviewed before. It was a feature that I was at first scared to do. I didn't share my blog with most people in real life, so I was intimidated to bring it up. I remember nervously sending a Facebook message to Kip asking to interview him before we met and now he's one of my best friends and my business partner! I got to interview my grandmother and take photographs that I will cherish for years. I got to meet the awesome fellows of Apple Horse and I got to spend a few hours with friends that I probably wouldn't have spent if it weren't for the feature.
Same reasons I love the neglected 'The City and a Cup of Joe' feature, I had an excuse to try new coffeeshops and take photos and write. I like doing Flashback Fridays because, well, they're fun and who doesn't like a little alitteration? I like the A Word From Our Sponsors posts because I think the different monthly questions help differentiate from a regular 'here are my sponsors' post.
I've seen a lot of bloggers getting burnt out from 'features'. I think it's because they're either doing too many different ones, doing ones they are not passionate about, and letting a once-weekly mindset run their life.
Or take a break from blogging. I did it and it was so good for me. Your blog isn't your life and sometimes stepping back and realizing that will be the best kind of "inspiration" you can get it.
Anyhow. That's my two cents. Any thoughts to contribute?
