Do You Suffer From Blogger’s Block?
I thought I would have a little fun this Friday and post my recommendations for curing “Blogger’s Block.” If you’re not familiar with the term, Blogger’s Block is similar to the Writer’s Block Virus — only not as serious or snotty. I happen to have a few friends currently suffering with this disease {clears throat, Bryan, clears throat}. Don’t worry, it’s treatable and Dr. Nathan is here to help!
Tip #1 - A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words
If you can’t think of anything to say, don’t say anything: post a picture! You can write a caption of your photo or photos — or ask your readers to “caption it” for you. I use Flickr as my online picture repository. If I’m ever at a loss for words, I go to Flickr to find an album that’s just waiting to become a shiny new slideshow on my blog.
Tip #2 - Read Much?
A sure-fire way to treat Blogger’s Block is to write about what you’re reading (if you can write a blog, I assume you can read). What catches your attention in the news? On other blogs? On the message board of your favorite TV show? Write a post linking to the site you’re reading. And if you’re more of a book reader than a Web surfer, don’t fear: I can’t think of better blogging inspiration than a good book.
Tip #3 - Dig Up Bones
Sometimes your favorite entries are worth a re-run. Go through your archives and find posts that were particularly memorable to you (if the entry already has some interest — i.e. comments — even better). You can republish the post with additional commentary or you can do a “best of” post: “5 favorite entries from the past year,” for example.
Tip #4 - Seek Out a Support Group
If you’ve got a particularly bad case of Blogger’s Block, enlist the help of your friends. Write a post on your condition and see what kind of comments you receive. Or even write your own suggestions for curing Blogger’s Block (like I’m doing). Sometimes just the act of putting your fingers on the keyboard helps in pulling your brain out of its freeze!
Tip #5 - Link Love
This tip is similar to the previous one: get help from your friends. But do it by listing your favorite blogs. Write a sentence or two about each blog telling what you like about it. It’s very important to be nice: you may want your friend to return the favor by linking back to you!
Bonus Tip - Tons of Tweets Does Not a Blog Post Make
With the rise of Twitter and other micro-blogging sites, I’ve noticed a trend: bloggers posting recaps of the day’s updates. This is just my opinion, but five random thoughts lumped together do not make a particularly interesting blog entry. Would you do a blog post of your latest text messages or emails? Five “micro-blogs” do not equal a blog! Let your “Tweets” stand on their own. Blogging and micro-blogging serve different purposes and require different writing skills. [However, the simple act of writing on Twitter could help with your Blogger's Block; again, the fingers on the keyboard principle.] I beg you, resist the urge to lump your Tweets into a blog.
Any other tips for curing Blogger’s Block? Dr. Nathan is interested in your remedies — even if they’re in trial phases.
