11 Sources of Blogging Inspiration

Inspiration Catches You Unawares — Bloggers Beware

Here are eleven ideas for blogging inspiration that I have found useful. In most places, I have also linked the relevant blog post that developed from a particular idea or inspiration:

1. Travel

Travelling broadens the mind and expands the outlook. In the 18th and 19th centuries, upper class young men were sent to tour the continent as a part of their education. Travel inspires not just travel bloggers but also people who write on other subjects.

As for myself, I have not written a travelogue yet but many of my posts began life as notes jotted down during journeys. I think it is something about moving out of your comfort zone that stimulates creativity.

On a trip to Oslo some time ago I found a pitcher of fruit water on the table of every home I visited. This inspired me to write a post Infused Water 101 for my blog. You can click here to check it out.

2. Leafing through magazines

Just turning pages at random looking at pictures and headings sometimes puts new ideas in my head. Thumbing through some health food magazines I came across lots of recipes for smoothies.

Wondering how they were different from milk shakes and juice I set about finding out. The result was my post Smoothies.

3. Books

Books are as important to me as breathing eating and sleeping. Although I write book reviews too, books manage to sneak into most of my posts. Being a foodie as well as a book lover, my post Food Moments remains one of my favourites.

4. Movies

My kids, husband and I love movies. A compulsive multi-tasker, I watch movies while doing things as mundane as tidying up, to as creative as blogging.

I love talking about them too. Check this out in one of my movie reviews by clicking here.

Movies provide a lot of stimulation. Situations settings and dialogues all can be sources of creative inspiration.

One of my favourite movie dialogues is from King Fu Panda

Yesterday is history

Tomorrow is a mystery

Today is a gift

That is why we call it the Present.

I intend making this the theme of a post one day.

5. Real life situations

Real life situations that may have irritated, amused or impressed me; any of these emotions is strong enough to generate a whole blog post.

Ranting about a pet peeve in a blog post is a good way of letting off steam. Once you start writing about a problem you sometimes think of a solution that helps yourself and others.

Like many others, I have always dreaded Monday morning and the beginning of the work week.. This resulted in a blog post which you can read here.

6. Odd bits of conversation

During a conversation with my son, the topic of Decision Fatigue came up. I grew so interested in the subject that I read up about it. This resulted in not one, not two, but three blog posts.

Sometimes a snatch of conversation overheard in passing sparks off a train of thought. You can then turn this idea into a blog post.

Photo credit Pixabay

7. The Daily News, talk shows etc.

Okay, I haven’t used this one myself so far, but I might one day. While watching people discuss issues you are bound to think of your own views on the topic. Write down your opinions, and, Voila ! You have a blog post !

8. Social Media,

All the different platforms like Twitter,Facebook, Pinterest , YouTube etc, will not just give you new ideas; they will also tell you what is “trending now’

I saw a YouTube video by Brian Tracy called Eat That Frog . This resulted in my post 7 Easy Ways to Eat That Frog Now. The post is entirely my own work but I got the idea from the YouTube video.

Pinterest, as everyone knows, is a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration. All the other social media platforms can provide blogging inspiration too.

9. Writing Prompts and Challenges

I used to be skeptical about writing prompts, thinking that they were only useful for people who had run out of topics. My friend Sadje who blogs at Keep It Alive persuaded me to try them.

The prompts led me to try Free Verse, a genre I had never tried before and never thought of writing. I wrote stories for Tell The Story challenge even though I had not intended writing fiction to begin with.

What I want to emphasize is that these writing challenges can bring out a lot of latent potential in you and are therefore an important source of blogging inspiration.

10. Other bloggers and blog posts

If there is a school for bloggers, it is other bloggers and their posts. You can learn a lot from browsing through other blogs. By no means do I advocate copying ideas or style. but there is no harm in picking up an idea or technique and using it from your own original perspective.

11. The best inspiration is the urge to write.

Ever since I could read. I have wanted to write books. Although I freelanced many years ago. I have yet to come up with a book. Resuming my writing career with this blog I still have a very strong urge to write. I think it is this desire to express myself that makes me find inspiration in everything around me.
Theresa, The Haunted Wordsmith said in a post :

“……remember that you already have many of the skills necessary to be the writer you want to be – whether blogger, author, poet, anything! Look around, see what others do, but let it filter through and see what works for you and your style. It’s okay to not take advice from “experts” and it’s okay to develop your own method.

Write On!”

You can click here to read the rest of Theresa’s post.

Like I said in the beginning, inspiration can strike at anytime.

Anything under the sun can spark your creativity. So it is important for bloggers to always have writing material or a device handy.

Inspiration Catches You Unawares — Bloggers Be Prepared.

What are your sources of blogging inspiration? What drives your creative urge?

I would love to find out.

I would be very grateful if you

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