I wonder sometimes if other travel writers and bloggers are like me. Because some weeks I just don’t know what to write or blog about. Then other weeks ideas are just popping in to my head and I’m not sure which idea to run with. So to help those ideas jump in to my head I do the following things. So if you are need ways to get article and blog ideas read on.
Read and Interact with Social Media
I find it very interesting to see what other writers and bloggers are writing and blogging about. And this often sparks an idea. Also, just seeing what people are up to can be a great source of ideas. In today’s world of social media I think it necessary to join the social media bigwigs of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and others. Don’t spend the whole day on these, though you can, I suggest you budget maybe an hour every morning reading what other’s have posted. It doesn’t work every day but often my inspiration is ignited by what other’s have posted. I don’t suggest your plagiarise anything you read, but you can write about the same topic.
Read a lot
I like to read, particularly printed magazines and the paper. I enjoy knowing what is going on in my local area and also around the world. Reading the paper and magazines lets me know what is going on and often prompts an idea. And it doesn’t matter what type of newspaper or magazine you read. A gardening magazine could lead to an article on indigenous plants to a particular area you are in or a garden show. While an architectural magazine could spur your interest to look at certain buildings in a certain city you maybe in. Even a trashy magazine showing a celebrity jumping in the waves of an exotic beach could lead to an article about you jumping in those exact waves. You just never know what might inspire you!
Watch TV and YouTube
I enjoy watching TV and just like magazines and the paper ideas often pop in to my head. It doesn’t matter what you watch as you will be surprised at what can pop into your mind. For instance, I love watching Hawaii Five-0. The show takes you to some beautiful places in Hawaii and this reminded me of the places I have been in Hawaii. And lead to my blog post Hawaii for first timers which is posted on my LiveWorkPlayTravel website.
YouTube is also another outlet you could watch to get ideas to write about. But like with social media, don’t watch too much as you might get so many ideas you wouldn’t know where to start.
Listen to the Radio and Podcasts
I often listen to the radio. Usually first thing in the morning to get the latest news headlines or while I’m driving. You hear some interesting stuff on the radio and in podcasts which could lead to things for you to write about.
Feedback and questions from the readers
Feedback and questions from the readers of my blog often prompts a blog or an idea for a blog. Answering my readers questions is a great way to meet my readers’ needs from what I write. But most importantly, gives me ideas to blog about. So if people comment on something you have written, respond and next time you could write the same post or article but from a different angle.
My favourite way to get inspiration for articles and posts – Get out and about
I’m a true believer in the belief you need to visit a place to truly write about it. By experiencing first hand different places you not only see the place but can touch and smell and use your other senses which you can include in your articles and posts. So I highly recommend to get out and about and interact with the world. I often go for a walk or a drive which clears my head and allows ideas to pop in to the spaces in my head that are cleared.
Write down any ideas
Most importantly, I have a note book that I write ideas in. I know, I know, it is pretty old fashioned I know, but it works. If I cannot find my notebook I often write on scraps of paper. But every so often I transfer all my hand written ideas into a spread sheet which enables me to not only list my ideas but monitor my ideas by showing what dates I have used them. My list also allows me to re-hash the article or blog post and know when I did it.
No matter where you get your ideas from, as long as you’ve got ideas means you are off to a great start. But the most important thing is to get writing. I’d love to hear how you get your ideas, let me know in the comments following.
Sharyn McCullum has been travelling all her life thanks to her dad who worked for an airline. She is a digital nomad who writes travel articles, blog posts, travel guides and has created a travel writing course to help others get the skills they need to write about travel also. She currently calls Melbourne home.
