Do you remember as a kid, playing until time disappeared? Time would always fly by in what seemed to be an instant. I remember being sent to play at noon, and then before you know it, the sun is going down, and it’s time for bed.
Nowadays, it’s 30+ years later and this is still common place in my life. Whenever I sit down to write, 3 hours turns to 1, 1 hour turns to 10 minutes. It seems there is never enough time in the day for my writing. It’s just difficult to find the time.
I have been using these principals effectively with my writing for a while, and I figured I would share them in hopes of helping others.
1.Turn off the TV. This was a major one for me. It is almost impossible to “Get in the Zone” to create a blog post with great content when you have outside distractions.
2.Find a quiet place to blog, with minimal distractions. Den, bedroom, out on your deck or porch… I have even blogged in my garage.
3.Meditate 10 – 20 minutes before beginning to write a post. This helps me tremendously. You learn to filter out the ramblings of the day, and are allowed to focus on more of you blog oriented subject matter.
4.Take you Digital Camera with you, wherever you go. I have been a big violator of this rule, and as a consequence I have missed out on some stunning pictures that would have complemented some great blog posts.
5.Use a digital recorder, take it everywhere with you, inspiration for posts can happen at anytime. Conversely, a notepad and pencil work just as well.
6.Get alone with nature. Sit alone outside, in the mornings and listen, be aware of the birds and wild life, this really works well when you incorporate it with a meditation routine.
7.“Take you Blog for a Walk” Harness up the leash, get your digital recorder, or notepad and take a walk, even if it’s just around the block, or even in the rain. Sometime a physical change of a routine will spark some creative thinking. Let your mind drift away during your walk, this is the process I use to come up with upcoming blog post titles. Once I have some great Blog Post Titles, then I put them in the cue to develop them further at another time.
8.Take a drive to somewhere you have never been. Explore your local world, pay special attention to your surroundings, the nature, the city, and the people. You will find some interesting things that you have never seen before. Be observant to anything new.
9.Take a writing lesson from Hemingway; write 1 paragraph at a time. Write one, and walk away, revisit it in a few hours. You will have a new perspective on your post and be able to add greater content.
10.“Cook it, and then Cook it some more!” I really like this process of blogging. I will often get some great inspiration for a posting, and furiously write it, but then for what ever reason, once it’s complete, I know in the back on my mind it’s not “Post Ready” and theirfore it goes back into the Blog Folder Oven, to “Cook” longer. During this time I revisit, and make some tweaks and some changes, until I deem it Postable. Some times they sit for weeks until I am satisfied.
11.This one is simple…. READ… Read everything you can get your hands on.
Most of all, let’s never lose sight of the reason most of us began blogging, to express ourselves and to have fun, to enjoy the process of creation.
All of these tips I use on a daily basis, and they have served me well in order to try and create some great blog posts, on this site and others.
We would love to hear your tips and techniques. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments below.
