Reviving a Tired Blog: Advice for (Not So Beginning) Bloggers:

At the blogging event last night at Baila’s in Modiin. I promised to help bloggers become more creative. I don’t know whether I kept my promise, but I woke up full of new ideas. I hope the rest of you feel the same.

Some of you mentioned that blogging has gotten harder. Perhaps your interests have changed, or you’re done saying what you wanted to say. Even if you have fresh ideas, your style or approach might be stale. You feel it and your readers do too. It can be hard to break out of a pattern that used to work. Even if you succeed, you worry your readers might resist change.

Here’s a suggestion to get new blogging ideas: Choose a quiet time where you won’t be interrupted. Take a piece of paper, or open a document on the computer. Turn off the internet. Write at the top of the pag: “100 Topics for Blog Posts.” Keep writing until you have 100 ideas.   Don’t censor yourself or worry about repeats. For more details about this exercise, see the Lite Mind website.

When you have finished, look over your list. Even if you don’t end up using most of the ideas, the list should give you a fair idea about what interests you at this point in your life. And that is probably what you should be blogging about.

What will your readers do when they find your blog heading in  a new direction? Some will stay with you. Readers often get attached to bloggers and their writing style, no matter the topic. Don’t worry about the others. Even the most vibrant, successful blogs lose readers all the time. If you are passionate about your subject and put care into your posts, new readers will find you.

It was a pleasure to meet and talk to all of you. Some of us only met for the first time, but we still know each other well through our blogging.  Special thanks to Baila and her family who made us comfortable. I didn’t even mind when Ozzy jumped on me.

Here is the list of attendees:

Baila: Ill Call Baila
Leah Goodman: Trilcat
Mrs. S: Our Shiputzim
Kate: One Tired Ema
Dena Lerner: Israel Restaurant Review
Rachel Ben David: West Bank Mama
Abbi: Confessions of a Startup Wife
Rona Michelson: Dr. Savta’s Weblog

More posts on blogging and writing:

Israeli Bloggers Event with Jacob Share

Blogger’s Evening in Petach Tikva

Advice for Beginning Bloggers: Allow Full RSS Feeds

Advice for Beginning Bloggers: Blog Under Your Real Name

Advice for Beginning Bloggers: Linking to Earlier Posts

Writing Exercise: Show, Don’t Tell

Comments

  1. Some of my blogs, I write all posts on motsae shabat, and schedule them to show, one a day, to improve ranking. Recommended.

  2. Some of us only met for the first time, but we still know each other well through our blogging.
    Very true!

    Thanks for a truly wonderful evening and for your informative talk and excellent blogging tips.

  3. It was fun, wasn’t it? You say you woke with up new ideas? Even newer than the ones you presented? Please share!

  4. It sounded great – wish I could have been there.

    Love your ideas for getting the creative blogging juices stirring. I will have to try the exercise.

  5. A blog isn’t a kid; you can drop it if you’ve lost interest.

    Invite people to join your blog to take off pressure.

  6. I love your idea of the “100 topics for blog posts”. i’ll have to try one of these days. Why do the days only have 24 hours?

  7. Hasya Ya'ara says

    Those were great ideas. Thank you so much for sharing. I feel inspired to start writing some new posts now.

    Hasya Ya’ara

  8. Sounds like a fun and productive evening!

    I’m looking forward to more informal blogging events.

    The Post-Pesach Picnic in Park Gilo is coming up soon!!

    Hope you’ll come!!