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Everyone and their dog has a blog these days and though I follow many, there are few I actually feel add something to the web. They’re awesome because they’re creative, they’re different, they look at the world in a slightly unique way meaning the readers come in droves. This may be an oxymoron, but I’ve learned a lot on how to be creative by reading other people’s blogs. Here are my favorite tips on how to generate blog content by being unique and being creative:
Be controversial. I sometimes worry about what other people think, and then I look at Penelope Trunk and I stop caring.
Read. All. The. Damn. Time.
Google. You know when you’re with your friends and want to look something up? Write it down. For those of us without an iPhone, this helps us remember what was on our minds. Stuff that comes up in casual conversation is always important.
Be yourself. Corny, I know, but I’m starting to realize that the things that got me in trouble when I was younger (swearing like a sailor, arguing, mild attitude, and sarcasm) makes my writing unique, regardless of it’s complete lack of quality prose.
Check out editorial calenders. If you can find the calender for the magazines you read you can be way ahead of the game. A great thing about blogging is that you’re always ahead of print.and this means you can cover something months before the magazines get to it.
Go through old journals. I kept dozens of them when I was a kid and it reminds me what was important at the time. Good stuff.
Go back. The blogs that generated the most interest are the ones you need to keep your eye on. My best posts (in my opinion) never received comments, but if I look over the ones that did I know what readers want and can then expand on that. And in case you’re curious, my posts with tips or some form of bitchiness are the ones people read the most.
Relate the unrelated. When you have writer’s block take two topics in your “field” that at first seem unrelated (i.e. publishing and dating) and find a way to connect them to each other.
Argue. This is different than being controversial. Go through newspapers and blogs, take something that everyone’s talking about and write about it from the complete opposite angle. Ex: the book price wars.
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January 8, 2010 3:08 pm
Marian, these are all great ideas for sparking some interesting and creative discussions. I should print this out and stick it by my desk so next time I'm feeling uninspired, I won't be for long.
Thanks!
January 9, 2010 7:48 pm
Thanks for these.
I would add: Read BOOKS specifically (in addition to blogs). In a world where we're all just being influenced by each other's blogging styles, getting a steady diet of a different form/different kind of thinking might just help you write something fresh.
January 12, 2010 11:53 pm
Relate the unrelated. Very good advice. This is what I look for in blog posts and when I don't get I'm often disappointing, because I probably did learn anything new.
June 17, 2010 4:39 pm
Great tips, I will try to implement those on my own blog
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Grad School Zone
UVA (Darden) MBA Admissions Deadlines for 2010-2011
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The University of Virginia's Darden School of Business recently published its application deadlines for the coming admissions season. Here they are, followed by our comments in italics:
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