Content Ideas When You're Stuck In a Rut

Writer's block is the end-all-be-all for bloggers and it can strike at any time. It is difficult to come up with fresh content every week. It is easy to fall into a writing rut; especially when you're burnt out on all of the excitement that life has to offer.

Unfortunately, creativity is not a light switch that can be easily flipped on once it has turned off. If you're anything like me, creativity strikes at the most random and inopportune times; like when it's 2 AM and you're on the verge of falling asleep.

In turn, creativity is not always there when you need it to be, which can lead to the aforementioned rut. So, what's a blogger to do when they're all out of ideas but still need to provide to their readers? Luckily, there are many routes you can take in order to inspire your writing.

• What’s going on?: This is a very important question for a writer to ask themselves when they are writing about relevance. Scroll through Yahoo! or the Huffington Post to see what is trending and what is happening in the world. Relevant content gets readers and you can either be informative on what is happening or you can give your personal opinion on it (i.e. “10 Reasons Why My Life Will Never Be the Same Since Blake & Miranda Split”).
• What’s going on? Part II: Not only is what's trending in the news and pop culture relevant, readers are also interested in what is going on with you. If they weren’t, they would not be reading your blog. So, give the people what they want! Do you have a funny story about something that happened to you recently? Or something that you have learned as you get older? People love to read stories and advice because it reminds them that other people may be going through the same things in life as they are.
• Go Seasonal: Every season there is opportunity for great content. Summer is a great time to write about local, outdoor events. Fall and winter are great for upcoming holidays. And spring is ideal for a revamp on yourself, whether it’s your wardrobe, career, or health. You could even design continuous post ideas that fit each season or month (i.e. “Top 10 Movies to Watch in October”).
• Immerse Yourself in Your Environment: This sounds super cliché, but something as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood can do wonders in terms of inspiration. Or, you could stay inside and sift through old photos, yearbooks, magazines, etc. in order to see different creative ideas in order to get the juices flowing.
• Look Around: It’s not cheating if you glance through other blogs to see what they have going on. I’m not saying copy what someone else is doing, but maybe they thought of something that will ring a bell for a different idea of yours.

All in all, the only way you can get out of a writing rut is if you want to. You have to be determined and disciplined to find that inspiration and harness it in order to create the content that your readers deserve.