Tuesday, September 04, 2007

How to Avoid Blogger's Block

The results are in. Last week's informal survey has been evaluated and synopsized. With no further ado, here are the top ten ways to avoid blogger's block.

10. Recline your swivelly desk chair into the therapist's couch position.
"i get to sit and wax about things that i think about and never say in the course of a day. That might not always be meaningful to the reader, but it's a panacea for my soul." - jen

9. Move into a blogging state of mind.
"...if I think of something, I sit down and write it as soon as I can, sometimes building a "bank" of posts. Or I write down snippets of ideas. I also look online for writing prompts." - Mrs. Chicken

"I have a notebook of snippets, topics & ideas I write down as soon as I have them. If I'm stuck, I go back to that." - Lawyer Mama

8. Use your kids. Just because you've got nothing to say doesn't mean they've got nothing. "I guess on days when I really don't have anything to say, I can always report on something funny one of my kids has said." - Slouching Mom

7. Calling Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: a consistent style is good, but multiple personalities increase your odds of appealing to the masses.
"The blogs I tend to gravitate toward are the ones with the ability to write a humorous post one day, a sentimental one the next, a serious one the next, a frivolous one the next, and sometimes an angry one." - Andrea

6. Mine the resources of your grade school days. Photos. Assignments. Passed notes folded into uninspired origami.
"I love seeing photos of people from when they were young and dorky." - Fairly Odd Mother

5. Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Who needs CNN.com when you've got the blogosphere?
"The news. There's always something going on in the world to write about." - Mrs. Chicky

4. A picture can inspire a thousand words. Or it can speak for itself.
"I pick a recent (or not so recent) photograph and just try to connect it with what's banging around in my head." - Toyfoto

"When I have no friggin clue what to write, I post some of favorite recent pictures with captions." - Lawyer Mama

3. Write through it. Yes, it's the kind of advice that's meaningless when you can't even bring yourself within a ten foot radius of the computer keyboard. But once you situate yourself ass-in-chair, it's probably the best suggestion out there.
"I have long dry spells and I make myself write something, anything, even if it sucks - if nothing else that seems to get the juices flowing. I write more than I publish, some days are better than others." - Binkytown

"I think it definitely comes more naturally to some than to others. Count me amongst "the others." - my minivan is faster than yours

2. Harness the power of the open road. Luckily your brain is a hands-free device.
"The posts I compose in my head while commuting are better than what I actually squeeze out most times." - Michele

1. Transference. Avoid writing about what's really going on in your life by indulging in something carefree and kitschy like, say, a top ten list of ways to avoid blogger's block.
"It works! It really works!" - Binky

18 comments:

Amy said...

Love it! Just keep pushing through. It will break.

This was awfully clever.

S said...

ooh, i'm liking number one quite a lot. it's the psychologist in me.

it does really work, binky.

because this is damn funny.

Anonymous said...

You forgot, "When none of this works, blog about blogging."

Anonymous said...

What a great idea! See? You solved it all by yourself (with the help of a few friends)!

Jane, P&B Girls

Unknown said...

I have actually used ALL of these already, though I've noticed with #9, I have a lot of stockpiled ideas, but I never actually post about them because when I sit down to post, I've already got one in mind.

Great post! This is my first visit, though I don't expect it to be my last.

Fairly Odd Mother said...

Hey, I have one other idea---get the book "No One Cares What you Had for Lunch" by Margaret Mason----she has all these ideas for us blogging folk and more!

And, great post! I think your working through it on your own just fine.

Chicky Chicky Baby said...

Keep working through it, baby. It's got to end sometime.

Zellmer said...

Love it. Great idea.

When I can't think of anything good to write about, I just complain. There is never a shortage of things to complain about when you're a woman.

Girlplustwo said...

nice one, friend. i love how you incorporated everyone's thoughts.

toyfoto said...

you slay me.

Anonymous said...

This is perfect!

Especially since my blogging break, I've done nothing but think, eat, sleep, and dream real estate and home improvement, which is oh so boring.

Anonymous said...

And then every once in a while something will happen to just blast apart your blogging block.

This was a great idea for a survey :)

Lawyer Mama said...

I love what you did with the survey results!

PunditMom said...

Excellent advice!

Anonymous said...

The irony of this post grows with each passing day. :)

Anonymous said...

I've gotta tell you, I'm so glad you did this. SOOO helpful. Did you forget to mention booze? Booze helps.

Anonymous said...

Ha! Number one was totally my favorite.

Anonymous said...

What a riot. I will save this for those blog block days.

And of course, there is always You Tube. Because who doesn't like a good 80s movie clip or video about getting their eyebrows threaded.

Found you on New England mamas, I'm a CT blogger too! I'll be back, love your stuff.