ProBlogger: Final Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Finishing Every Blog Post You Start

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Final Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Finishing Every Blog Post You Start Posted: 25 Jun 2020 05:11 AM PDT The post Final Step to Beating Writer's Block: Finishing Every Blog Post You Start appeared first on ProBlogger. This post is based on episode 87 of the ProBlogger podcast. While it's relatively easy to include images, audio and even video in posts these days, most blogs still rely heavily on written content. Which makes writer's block a real problem when it hits. That's why I've spent the past few weeks talking about the steps you can take to beat it, from finding out why you're stuck to coming up with fresh ideas and getting the words flowing. And this week I'd like to wrap up this little series with the final step to beating writer's block: finishing every blog post you start. Draft issues Whenever I speak to bloggers at conferences, one question I love to ask is, "How many draft posts do you have in WordPress, or whatever blogging platform you use? How many pieces of content have you started but never finished?" I'm always amazed at how many bloggers have half-written posts, and how many half-written posts they have. Mind you, in the early stages of ProBlogger I had a lot of unfinished posts as well – 93 to be exact. Some were nothing more than titles and a couple of dot points. Some had introductions, but not much else. Some were almost done and needed only a conclusion, an image or some further reading links. And some were actually complete but never published because I didn't think they were ready to go live. Obviously I was having a problem with completing posts back then. But even now I find completing posts a struggle sometimes. And judging by the answers I get to my conference question, I'm not alone. What's stopping you? So why do so many people struggle to complete their posts? Personally, I struggled with having too many ideas to write about. Before I'd completed one post I was already thinking about the next. In fact, one longish post I write sparked so many ideas that I started writing seven other post before I'd completed it. Now that may not seem like a problem, especially when you're struggling to come up with any ideas. But it can have you jumping from one blog post to the next and never completing any of them. Some bloggers struggle with perfectionism. They don't think their posts are good enough to publish, and they either continually tinker with them or abandon them completely. Others lose interest in what they're writing about before they finish the post. I struggle with this sometimes, particular when I'm working on a really long post. Some of these posts can take days or even weeks to write, and it's easy to get disheartened by how long it's taking. Premature publishing But some bloggers have a different issue with completion – they hit 'Publish' before their posts are ready to go live. Some of them don't have quite enough depth, or aren't providing as much value as they could. Sometimes they need a better title, introduction or conclusion. And some just need a final proofread to fix up the typos. Unfortunately, while publishing these posts solves the completion problem it can also damage on your brand, which can then make you feel hesitant about publishing any more. So how can you keep completing those unpublished posts and getting them up on your blog without compromising on quality? The way forward The simple (and obvious) solution to this problem is to change your mindset and be disciplined about your blogging. In other words, you need to make yourself sit in front of the keyboard and complete those posts. Which means setting aside some time to do it, just as you would for coming up with your ideas and getting into the writing flow. In episode 40 of the ProBlogger podcast I shared my weekly schedule, which includes three sessions for editing, revising and completing blog posts and other tasks. Why? Because if I didn't put that time aside, those tasks would never get done. I spend these sessions looking for a good image, adding some depth (or links to further reading), or editing and proofreading. I may also be finishing off a podcast, completing an eBook or adding the final touches to a presentation Creating a checklist My other suggestion is to create a checklist that will not only help you complete your posts, but complete them well. A checklist like this will: help you improve your posts stop you from publishing posts before they're truly complete help you avoid perfectionism by knowing you've done everything you can to get it ready for publication. So what should your checklist look like? Well, here are nine questions you should ask yourself before you hit 'Publish'. 1. Does this post matter? This is probably the most important you should ask yourself before your post goes live. The post should be meaningful, and provide value for your readers. And if it doesn't, then you should probably keep working on it until it does. 2. Is the title good enough? A good title can draw people in, which is particularly important when it comes to search engines. Is yours good enough to do that? 3. Does it have a strong opening? Does your post start well? Will your introduction intrigue people, and make them want to read on? 4. Have you clearly explained your main point? This may well depend on the type of post you're writing. But regardless of whether you're teaching something or stating your opinion, you need to let people know why they should read your post. 5. Does it have an appropriate conclusion and/or call to action? While your posts should always have a strong opening, they should also have a strong ending. Does yours sum everything up nicely, and encourage your readers to take action? Or does your post simply… stop? 6. Could you add more depth? Could you add more value by providing some further reading, adding another quote or giving another example? 7. Have you invited your readers to interact, respond and/or share? Have you given your readers a way to join the conversation and talk about the topic? Have you asked them to share your information with others? 8. Have you proofread it? Have you gone through it one last time to weed out any spelling or grammatical errors? 9. Could you make it more visually appealing? Is there a better image you could use? Would it be worth embedding a video, tweet or Instagram post? Could you improve the formatting? Do you need to break up the text with more headings? Ask for help My final suggestion is to get help with completing your posts where you can. Obviously there are some parts of the blogging process that you need to do yourself, such as writing posts and recording podcasts. But some of the completion work can often be done by someone else – editing, proofreading, scheduling, and so on. We have part-time editors at ProBlogger and Digital Photography School who help with not only my posts, but also those of our other writers. They even help with editorial strategy and planning. Fortunately, I'm now in a position where I can hire people to take on these roles. But that wasn't always the case. At one point, another blogger and I made a deal where we'd spend ten minutes reading each other's posts and providing feedback. While that often meant pointing out typos and grammatical errors, it also included suggestions on adding images, subheadings, or links to further reading. Do you know someone you could make a similar deal with? It could be another blogger, or just someone who would be willing to look over your posts and provide some quick feedback. How low can you go? How many unfinished blog posts do you have at the moment? Hopefully it's nothing like the 93 I had all those years ago. But what I'm hoping even more is that you'll now be able to take another look at them, complete them, and get them published. Let's see how close to zero you can get that number. This is the final post in our series on beating writer's block. What did you think of the series? Did it help you get unstuck? Let us know in the comments?   Photo by sporlab on Unsplash The post Final Step to Beating Writer's Block: Finishing Every Blog Post You Start appeared first on ProBlogger.

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ProBlogger: Third Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Getting the Words Flowing

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Third Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Getting the Words Flowing Posted: 18 Jun 2020 03:59 PM PDT The post Third Step to Beating Writer's Block: Getting the Words Flowing appeared first on ProBlogger. This post is based on episode 86 of the ProBlogger podcast. For the past couple of weeks I've been talking about beating writer's block. I'm sure every bloggers faces it sooner or later, and to be a successful blogger you really need to know how to deal with it. We started off by learning about the different types of writer's block, and how to identify which one you're dealing with. And last week we talked about how to deal with a major one – running out of ideas. But now that you know how to keep coming up with fresh ideas, it's time to take the next step: getting the words flowing and turning those ideas into posts. So here are ten things you can try to not only get the words flowing again but also keep them flowing. 1. Mix up your environment Now this is going to mean different things to different people. I like white noise, and so I used to head to a nearby café quite a bit. I found the clinking of glasses and the nearby conversations helped me get into the flow of writing. But I understand that might sound like your worst nightmare, and that you need a much more controlled (and probably quieter) environment. My wife Vanessa loved going to our local library, not only to get out of the house but also to get away from the noise and distraction of our children. (And me, quite possibly.) So if you're finding it hard to get the words flowing where you are, try creating a different environment. That could mean anything from changing your location to having music or even the television playing in the background. It can also mean creating a distraction-free environment by disconnecting yourself from the internet and switching your phone to silent. 2. Try freewriting While I don't do a lot of freewriting, it's still a great way for me to get the words flowing again when I'm stuck. I'll get up early in the morning (so I don't have any distractions), and just write about whatever's on my mind. It might be about work or the business. It might be personal. It might be silly, and make no sense whatsoever. It might be about my children, or the movie I saw recently. You might write about similar things. Or you might write about something completely different. In the end it doesn't matter what you write about. It's about the physical act of writing, and getting your thoughts (whatever they may be) down on paper. Because the more you do it, the easier it becomes. And sometimes those random thoughts that pop into your head can become a great idea for a post.. 3. Write for one person As much as I love having a large audience, sometimes the thought of hundreds or even thousands of people reading the post I'm working on makes me freeze up. What if they don't like it? What if I say the wrong thing, or offer the wrong advice? What if I make their lives worse instead of better? Fortunately, I've come up with a solution. Instead of thinking about all those potential readers, I pretend I'm writing my post for one person. Now that person could be a persona who represents your readers, or it could be an actual reader. Many of my ProBlogger posts started out as responses to readers' questions. And some were my actual responses to readers' emails (after removing any identifying information). And that's another advantage of writing for one person. Your blog will come across as being far more personal because you're writing an individual instead of a crowd. 4. Get in touch with a reader's problem, need, or pain point Some of my best posts have come about after talking to someone about an issue, problem or challenge they're having. And while I don't like the idea of anyone suffering, knowing I may be able to help those who are suffering inspires me to write. So as morbid as this advice may sound, start hanging out in places where people are in pain. Forums are a great place to start because people often go there to share their problems and ask for help. Read their story, and allow yourself to feel their pain. Then see if you can come up with a way to help them, whether it's by offering a solution or simply letting them know they're not alone. And then let that desire to help inspire you to write. 5. Get into a rhythm Make sure you schedule regular writing time into your week, ideally at the same time every day. That might mean every day, every weekday, or perhaps every Saturday or Sunday. And try to choose a time that best suits your writing. My 'golden hours' are in the morning, and so that's when I schedule my writing. The most important thing is to make it a regular thing so you can get into a rhythm with your writing. 6. Set deadlines Last week I mentioned a blogger who comes up with more than 100 post ideas every January, and then schedules them all to create her deadlines. Now, how do you think she'd go writing all those blog posts if she didn't have those deadlines? A lot of bloggers create their schedules by setting up an editorial calendar. We use CoSchedule for both ProBlogger and Digital Photography School, which helps us visualize our posts and when they're due, as well as how they all fit together. But you can use any calendar tool, or even paper and pen. I generally write my posts a week or two in advance. (Some bloggers plan their posts a few months in advance, or even longer.) It allows me to plan ahead, but also gives me the flexibility to be spontaneous. So set yourself some realistic deadlines, and then push yourself to meet them. 7. Stimulate and inspire your mind Food is fuel for your body. And the better the fuel you put into your body the better the performance you get out of it. But while your brain also benefits from good food, your mind needs a different kind of fuel: stimulation and inspiration. For me, some of it comes from learning, being mentally stretched, and having good conversations (and laughs) with people. So whenever I can I listen to podcasts, read books, and watch movies and documentaries. And not just about topics I write about, either. For example, I often listen to the Hidden Brain Podcast, an NPR Hope podcast on human behavior. It's not really connected to what I write about, but I always get ideas while listening to that particular podcast. I also listen to comedy podcasts, regularly watch TED talks, and read novels. These activities not only fill your mind with new information to draw ideas from, but also give you a mental break from your work. And it's often when you're not thinking about your topic that you get great ideas (just as you often do while you're in the shower). Of course, you should also keep up to read up on your those lightbulb moments. 8. Use outlines Most of my blog posts start with some kind of outline. I'll start with the need or problem I'm trying to solve, and then come up with a list of things I want to say about it. That list starts out being very light – a few words for each point I want to make. I then work through the list and expand of each one. Sometimes I don't have much to say about any of them, in which case I simply publish them as a list post. But I usually find I can expand on each one quite a bit, and it becomes a long-form post with segments and/or subheadings. Once I've finished writing the 'meaty' part of my post, I'll turn my attention to the introduction. I usually write my introductions after writing the main section, as I generally talk about the need or problem I'm addressing and how the reader benefit from reading my post. From there I work on the conclusion, which is usually a call to action, and finally the title. Of course, this isn't the only way to write a blog post. Michael Hyatt has a six-point template for his blog posts. He starts with a compelling title, followed by a lead paragraph, a relevant image and a personal experience. After that comes the main body of his content, and finally a discussion question. If you've never used an outline or a template before, why not give it a try? 9. Write in a different style When my writing gets stuck, I sometimes challenge myself to write a different type of blog post. And I find that approaching the information from a different 'angle' usually gets the words flowing again. So if you always write 'how to' content, try writing a story post. If you always write personal posts, try writing a review post. Varying the length of your posts can also help. If you always write long, meaty posts, challenge yourself to write a 100-word post. And if all your posts are relatively short, try writing a 2000-word post. Once, when I was really dry, challenged myself to write in the third person. And the result was 5 Things You Should Know about My Dad the ProBlogger, a post written in the voice of my son who was one at the time. Setting myself that creative challenge got the juices flowing again. It was fun, and it got a great response from my readers. So whether you choose a different type of post, a different length or a different voice, give yourself some sort of challenge. You may find it helps you get back into the flow better. And you'll learn more about writing as well. 10. Talk about what you're going to say out loud My final tip is to do something that might have people thinking you're a little bit crazy: compose your blog post by speaking out loud. I go for a walk most days. And during those walks I often recite the blog post, talk or keynote I'm working on out loud. I'm sure my neighbors all think I'm a little bit crazy, but sometimes I think best out loud and need to say it before I can write it. Another tactic I use sometimes is to jump onto Periscope and talk about an idea that's half formed in my mind. Having that conversation about it i(even if it's just a one-way conversation) gives me inspiration, and what I'm working on usually turns out much better as a result. Another option is to publish your outline on social media and ask people for feedback. The responses you get may not only inspire you to finish the post, but also help you flesh it out and make it better.   In an ideal world you'd never suffer from writer's block, and so you wouldn't need to know any of these techniques. But I don't know of any blogger who hasn't become stuck at some point or other, and I hope these techniques can help you get your word flowing again. But I realize these all come from my own experiences. What techniques have you come up with to get the words flowing again? Please share them in the comments.   Photo by Mazhar Zandsalimi on Unsplash The post Third Step to Beating Writer's Block: Getting the Words Flowing appeared first on ProBlogger.

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ProBlogger: Second Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Coming Up With Fresh Ideas

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Second Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Coming Up With Fresh Ideas Posted: 11 Jun 2020 05:12 AM PDT The post Second Step to Beating Writer's Block: Coming Up With Fresh Ideas appeared first on ProBlogger. This post is based on episode 84 of the ProBlogger podcast. In last week's post I talked about the different types of writer's block I've suffered from over the years, such as: having no ideas to write about having too many ideas to write about continually being distracted starting posts, but never finishing them. This week's post is all about conquering that first one: having no ideas to write about. I'm going to show you how you can come up with fresh ideas to write about, and keep your blog exciting and useful for your readers. Solving a common problem Running out of ideas is a common problem for bloggers. When you start your blog you may have dozens or even hundreds of ideas in reserve. But sooner or later that reserve of ideas runs out, and you start to think there's nothing left for you to write about. Every idea you come up with has already been covered by you or someone else. And the ideas you once had are replaced by questions. "What can I write about that's fresh?" "What topics will have a lasting effect on my readers?" "How can I stand out from everyone else?" Some bloggers found the struggle so hard that they gave up blogging altogether. But the truth is there's always something new to talk about, even if it means talking about an old idea in a new way. Changing someone's life What topics will have a lasting effect on your readers? Anything that will change their life. I'm sure you've all read at least one blog post that changed your life in some way. And chances are you started reading their blog more often as a result. So writing a post that will change other people's lives is nearly always a good bet. Not sure how to go about changing their lives? Have a listen to episode 11 of the ProBlogger podcast, where I talk about identifying the change you want to make and mapping out the journey you want to take your readers on. Solving a problem Another great way to come up with ideas is to think about the problems your readers are having and how you can help solve them. Both ProBlogger and Digital Photography School were built around the idea of educating people and trying to solve their problems. And looking at my most successful posts, nearly all of them do just that. But not all problems are solved through education and knowledge sharing. Some people may feel they're alone, or that no-one else is going through what they're going through. And so writing a post where you admit you're dealing with the same or a similar issue, and encourage them (and others) to share their story could help solve their problem. Others may simply be bored, in which case an entertaining blog post may be just what they need. Thinking about people's problems (and writing posts that help solve them) not only gives you plenty of ideas but also creates a lasting impression. Solve their problem once, and chances are they'll come back the next time they have a problem. But how do you find out what problems you should try to solve? Start with your own problems If you've managed to solve a problem you once had, a blog post about what it was and how you solved it could help your readers solve it as well. Even if you haven't solved it yet, write a post about it. You could help others going through the same issues simply by making them feel less alone. And who knows? One of your readers may have the perfect solution. Frequently asked questions Whenever someone asks a question in a comment, email or conversation, make a note of it. Over time you may find some questions are being asked again and again by different people. Writing blog posts that answer them will help not the people who asked the question, but also those who didn't ask the question (but still want to know the answer). How are people finding you? Look at the referral information your analytics program (e.g. Google Analytics) is collecting for you. Did anyone ask a question when they typed in their search term? If so, could you answer it (or at least talk about it) in a blog post? (Unfortunately, Google no longer provides all the search terms people entered to find your blog. But what it does provide can still be quite useful.) What are people looking for on your blog? Do you have a search bar on your blog? If you do, what are people searching for with it? Again, your analytics program should be collecting this information for you. Unfortunately, finding out what people are searching for within your blog isn't quite so straightforward. But rather than try to explain how to do it here, I suggest you read a post I wrote about Google Analytics, which includes information on how to identify these types of searches. There's no harm in asking The best way to find out the questions people have and problems they face is to ask them directly. You can do it by running a survey, creating a poll, running small focus groups, and even emailing or phoning some of your readers. Just keep the questions open-ended so people can talk about their problem or issue in their own words. Look at other sites in your niche You probably know about other blogs, groups and forums that are related to your niche. Spend some time in them and see what people are talking about. Chances are you'll come across a comment that gives you at least one idea to write about. And don't be afraid to use other people's blog posts as springboards for your own. If some has written a post with seven tips for doing something, there's nothing wrong with linking to it and saying, "I found these great tips in another post, and thought I'd give you a few more". Don't forget social media Social media is a goldmine when it comes to finding questions you can answer in a blog post. People are always asking for advice, and you can easily find the questions they're asking simply by searching for keywords related to your niche. Some final tips As much as we'd all like these ideas to just pop into our heads, the truth is you often have to make the effort (and the time) to find them. So my first tip is rather than having to do it every time you write a blog post, put aside half an hour or so and try to come up with as many ideas as you can. One blogger I know comes up with an entire year's worth of blog post ideas every January. (She writes two blog posts a week, so that's 104 ideas she has to come up with.) She even puts dates on them all to create her deadlines. Which brings me to my second tip. Make sure you have a system for capturing all those ideas you come up with. It could be something as simple as a notebook you carry around with you, or something like Evernote or Dropbox. Just make sure you capture those ideas as you get them, because those ideas can be fleeting. And those ideas can often pop into your head as you're writing your posts. You may think of a tangent you could take, or something you've written could lead to a question you could answer in a future post. Or you might suddenly think of a completely different angle you could take with the same topic or material. Just make sure you write them down. Hopefully you now have some ideas about what you can do to come up with new… well, ideas. I look forward to reading the results.   Photo by Kaizen Nguyễn on Unsplash The post Second Step to Beating Writer's Block: Coming Up With Fresh Ideas appeared first on ProBlogger.

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ProBlogger: First Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Finding out Why You’re Stuck

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First Step to Beating Writer’s Block: Finding out Why You’re Stuck Posted: 04 Jun 2020 05:00 AM PDT The post First Step to Beating Writer's Block: Finding out Why You're Stuck appeared first on ProBlogger. This post is based on episode 83 of the ProBlogger podcast. This week I want to talk about writer's block. Actually, I'll be talking about it for the next few weeks. It's such a common problem for bloggers, and it can really mess up your plans of having a successful blog if you don't learn how to beat it. Notice that I said "beat it" and not "avoid it" because I'm not sure you can avoid it. Every writer faces it at some point or other, including me. And so over the next few weeks I want to share some tips and help you tackle it from different directions. Sally's story A while back I received an email from Sally, who asked: "Do you have any tips for bloggers with blogger's block? I really want to take my blog to the next level, but I'm completely stuck. Every time I sit down to write, nothing comes. And the more it happens, the more stressed I get and the less the words seem to flow." I could almost feel Sally's frustration as I read her email because, as I said earlier, writer's block hits us all at some point. And so 'd like to talk more about the issue, and how you can get the words flowing again. You have no idea Over the years I've learned there are different types of writer's block. And the first step to beating it is to find out what type you're actually dealing with. The first type of writer's block is what I call an ideas impediment. You sit at the keyboard ready to write, but you have no idea what to write about. I think this is the type of writer's block Sally was experiencing when she wrote her email. She wants to write, but she's struggling to come up with ideas on what to write about. And that struggle can be extremely frustrating. When you've been blogging for a while, coming up with something new to write about can be extremely difficult. You may even reach the point where you're convinced you've written about every topic you could possibly cover in your niche. I've been writing about blogging since 2004, and about photography since 2007. So believe me when I say I know how you feel. (Next week I'll be talking about various ways to break out of this line of thinking.) The writing's not on the wall The second type of writer's block I've suffered from is hitting the wall, where you have plenty of ideas but can't get into the rhythm of actually writing content. And often it happens because you have too many ideas. This is something I struggled with a lot when I started ProBlogger. I had so many ideas on what I could write about that I couldn't get into the flow long enough to write about any of them. It also happened when I tried writing all of my content at night. I know some of you find it the best time to write, but it's a horrible time for me. I produce much better content in the morning. Fortunately, in this case the solution was relatively straightforward. I simply reorganized my schedule so I had more time to write in the morning. And depending on when you're at your most productive, you might be able to beat this type of writer's block by doing the same. I also started setting myself deadlines, because I actually work to pretty well when I have one. Coming distractions Something else I tried that might work for you is to create an environment where you're not being distracted as much. Rather than use my main computer where I'd be constantly bombarded by Skype and Slack messages, I used my other computer in a café where there wasn't any internet. And while you may think a café would be the last place you'd go to avoid distractions, I found working there really helped me get into the flow. Of course, it doesn't have to be a café. You might find your local library is ideal. You might even find that simply 'pulling the plug' on your internet connection where you are does the trick. You may also need to turn your phone off or switch it to silent mode. (I'll be talking about this more in the next week or two.) Almost finished The final type of writer's block I want to talk about this week is what I call 'completion constipation', where you keep starting new posts but never get around to finishing them. And I'm embarrassed to admit this is something I've also struggled with over the years. I once logged into ProBlogger's WordPress dashboard and found 93 draft posts that I'd obviously started but never finished. I also had a notebook full of ideas I wanted to write about, as well as documents on my computer containing bullet points of posts. I wasn't having any problems with coming up with ideas, outlines or titles for blog posts, which may seem like an enviable position to be in. But for some reason I was really struggling with seeing any of my idewas through to completion. Whenever I talk about this I always ask my audience to share how many blog post drafts they have in their WordPress installation. And I'm always amazed at how many people admit they have 50, 100 or even 200 half-written blog posts. The problem seems to be that we all have so many ideas that we're constantly abandoning what we're doing and moving onto the next one. For me, the solution was to dedicate a little more time each week to completing, polishing and publishing all those half-written posts. (I'll be talking more about this in the next week or two as well.) What's stopping you? Where are you getting stuck? Are you struggling to come up with ideas? Do find it hard to get into the writing flow? Or do you also have a long list of unfinished posts? Let us know in the comments. And if you have some other suggestions for how to beat writer's block, please share them.   Photo by Aubrey Rose Odom on Unsplash The post First Step to Beating Writer's Block: Finding out Why You're Stuck appeared first on ProBlogger.

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