There comes a time in every blogger’s life when the words just seem to be especially slippery. That is, you can’t ever seem to really catch them, no matter how hard you try! If you’ve ever experienced this, then you know what blogger’s block feels like. It can be really annoying, especially when you realize that it can get in the way of how you make money blogging.
Nonetheless, there are ways to fight that dreaded block, or even prevent it from happening. Here are a couple of tips that you can keep in mind so you never run out of words or ideas:
1. Get a change of scenery
Just being in the same place everyday and brainstorming in the same exact spot each time can become a drag, so why don’t you go for a change of scenery to freshen things up a bit? Instead of blogging from the same spot that you blogged from yesterday and the day before that, move to another place and write your article there. It could be as simple as moving from the living room to the front porch, or even going to a local coffee shop.
If you’re stuck to a PC and you can’t really change places, that’s not a problem. Although you can’t change where you work, you’re certainly licensed to take an occasional breather to help clear your head. Go take a fifteen-minute walk – you can even turn on the TV for some brief entertainment.
2. Move away from distractions
If you can’t work with a lot of noise going on, then you should naturally avoid spots that are hotbeds for distraction. If you have kids and keeping watch on them is taking a toll on your work, try to get a babysitter to help out once in a while. Move to another place in your house when people are watching TV, and avoid listening to music that might only serve to distract you.
The distractions can also come from within your PC: a lot of stuff on the internet and on your hard drive can make you veer away from the task at hand, and the minutes you spend getting distracted can translate into hours of lost time. Stay away from sites or programs that are likely to distract you, and try your best to focus on the task at hand.
3. There’s no need to be perfect
Your own perfectionism can actually be the cause of your blogger’s block. It isn’t that you have nothing to say – in fact, you do have some ideas and can write them down – but you feel like you always have to say it in the best way possible. While there’s nothing essentially wrong with this, being too meticulous can bog you down. The best tack is to just post good, informative entries that your readers can appreciate and find useful. Go easy on yourself, and the words will come easily.
4. Pre-empt the block
Prevention is still better than any cure, and this principle holds true even for blogging. To stop blogger’s block from even happening, draw up a calendar or game plan for each month, and fill it up with ideas for each day that you have to blog. Doing this will definitely keep you from having to think later on about what to blog next, and you can focus on how you’ll make money blogging.
Although blogger’s block can be really annoying, it’s not all that hard to get over it. All you need to do is keep these techniques in mind, and you won’t hit a lot of snags as you go on blogging. Just remember to take it easy on yourself, and the words should flow out in no time.