I keep coming across blogs and books advertising that they will give you ideas for your blog and teach you how to come up with new ideas. BULLSH*T! I’ve read a few of such books, which I shall not mention here, but they have little or nothing to teach you.
For starters it’s your blog, you don’t need to read a book to get ideas. Just look around you and your life is filled with ideas. You just need to find a source of inspiration. However, if you really need ideas then just read the gazillions of blog articles available for free!
Another thing about these blogs is that they seem to harbor the notion that any successful blogger just needs to keep on creating. That’s so not true! Not creating is better than creating just for the sake of creating!
You must have something that you want to talk about, a point you want to get across or a message you want to deliver to your readers. Inspiration could come from anywhere; books, magazines, travel trips, daily life or even dreams.
Personally, my two favorite sources of inspirations are daily life and dreams. I love reading blogs and books that are true to normal life because that is something that you can relate to. Real life doesn’t have to be dull and drab, there are plenty of interesting things that happen in everyone’s life, you just have to take the time to notice them.
Dreams inspire me because my dreams are my goals. They give me an indication of what i want to achieve in real life. This may sound ridiculous but I keep a notebook under my pillow so that if I wake up in the middle of the night I could just scribble my idea in it. Seems to work just fine for me. Bet no book gave you that idea, did they? 😉
Happy blogging and writing, remember to Keep It Real! Don’t Just create for the sake of creating.
So, what inspires you?
Ria In The City 
“Another thing about these blogs is that they seem to harbor the notion that any successful blogger just needs to keep on creating. That’s so not true! Not creating is better than creating just for the sake of creating.”
Excellent advice. I noticed some of my favorite bloggers take a long while in between posts, but their posts are well worth the wait.
That’s so true. Awesome post on your blog by the way! Now that is something I would like to see freshly pressed! I have taken the liberty to post a link to that on my twitter, I hope that is ok with you:)
I’m with you about blogs. I blog when I have something to say. The creative process for me comes when it comes and it can’t be pushed. If I don’t have anything to say, I won’t blog. After all, what would I say? There’s millions of blogs and I believe each person wants to be read, but when you read the same thing time and again, (people copying ideas from other blogs) it gets rather old and I personally lose interest in the whole blog thing.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’ve come across so many blogs about writing that I literally want to scream. So many writers want to post advice on writing, but in my opinion, a writer doesn’t need advice. A true writer writes from a place that only an artist could identify with.
To create, whether deliberately or through inspiration is what we’re supposed to be doing. But there’s a difference between creating and thumbing through magazines to get ideas. To me, that’s not creating.
I totally get what you’re saying.
Agreed!I don’t get why there are so many sites on the so called ‘correct’ usage of the social media! and I don’t enjoy reading gossip either, it gets uber annoying after a while!
Great question… Wow. I’m finding inspiration around the strangest corners lately. Candles.
Choral Music.
Commercials.
Just to name a few in the “C” category. 🙂
Candles used to inspire me too until they burnt down my curtain *_*
I really liked your song May God Arise. The sound is very powerful and awesome!
Also, I read your post on inspiration and liked it. Wait I think I should comment about it there;) Oh! and I have been coming across such great HBR artciles recently that now I feel like subscribing to them!
I think that writing for the sake of doing it is ridiculous. The only time I blog is when I am really feeling strongly about something, or if I really have something to say. I think that you have an excellent idea with leaving a notebook under your pillow. I always tell writers they should keep a pen and paper available to them at all times because you never know when the inspiration bug will bite you.
Usually I use either my life, my kids, my job, my boyfriend or my feelings as inspiration. Recently I have started to become inspired by reading other people’s blogs. It’s almost like reading what other people have to say reminds me of things I’ve wanted to say, if that makes sense. Anyway, I can always tell the writers from the people that just want attention when they blog.
haha I was told I am eccentric when I first told people that I put a notebook under my pillow. I don’t know how to explain this but I really do dream a lot. Like a few dreams each night! Is that normal? Do you happen to know what it signifies? Is it a sign of an overactive imagination?
I won’t complain, I have received a significant number of views and followers this month but I strongly believe I need to write what I like while keeping it relevant. While it’s awesome to be recognized for your efforts I don’t think that’s the main point.
Ooh and I worked on a fried rice recipe for you 😛 I am going to blog about it soon. It will be different from my normal blogs but it’s worth a try! 😀
Eccentric for putting a notebook under your pillow? I don’t think so…then again people have called me similar things so maybe I’m a bad person to ask. LOL. Dreaming a lot to me is normal because I have always had multiple dreams per night. I am also a person that remembers my dreams very well, which I read not many people can do very well. I think that it is a sign of an overactive mind, which to me is never a bad thing. The funny thing is that I have always had trouble sleeping. My mind goes on and on and on so much that it seems to never rest enough to get a full night’s sleep! Uggh….
I will tell you first hand that the reason you have a good number of views and followers is because you always have something interesting to say. I never realized that blogging would allow me to meet people like you…with minds similar to my own. It’s actually pretty darn cool if you ask me. If you wrote a lot of non-sense your page might be full but your followers and views would be way lower. I take quality over quantity any day.
Wow so you worked on a fried rice recipe huh? Awesome! Definitely cannot wait until you blog that one. Not sure if you’re a fan, but I tried my hand at homemade macaroni and cheese for Thanksgiving and it was really good. It’s a simple recipe, but a great taste…let me know if you want it!
Thank you for your kind words! they made my day:) I was having a day from hell and it was really awesome to hear positive feedback and thank you also because that was the 100th comment on my blog!
haha yes it was inspired by your post How do you like your fried rice I have changed the recipe according to my own taste and it’s a much healthier alternative! I will share it soon:) and yes I would love it if you could share your recipe on macaroni and cheese! I love trying out simple recipes since I am not really a ‘kitchen person’.
I enjoy reading your blog and I do wish that you would update it more often!(: and I am happy that I chanced upon your blog and met you! I think it was through a post labelled Are you a hugger? if i am not wrong. Am I right?
I used to have trouble with sleeping earlier because I couldn’t stop thinking about stuff but I have trained myself not to do that. It used to make me feel restless and tired! How do you deal with it?
You’re very welcome…I meant every word! I’m glad that I was able to bring you a little joy on such a terrible day. I’m also pretty excited to be your 100th comment! Very cool!
I think that changing the recipe and making it according to your own taste is awesome. I was talking to my boyfriend last night about my cooking and I always think people will hate my cooking because I’m so picky, but he said that being picky is what makes my food good. I’m careful with what I put in my food and I never just “throw something together.” I guess I have to make sure I’m gonna like my own meal! LOL. I think that now I’m inspired by you again and I will do a short little blog on my macaroni and cheese. (there is a little story behind it…well there always is in my life! lol)
Thanks, I really will start to update it more often. The problem right now is that I either have to blog from work or from my cell, and I hate typing on a touch screen phone. When I get a laptop I’ll be blogging until my fingers don’t work anymore! LOL. Yes, we definitely met through the Are you a hugger post. That one drew me right in because I love hugs and affection.
That is my exact problem. I cannot stop thinking about stuff…especially when I’m stressed about something. I will lay down and my mind will drift to every little thing I forgot to do, or have to do the next day, or didn’t say during an argument, or shouldn’t have said during an argument, and on and on and on. Sometimes I don’t deal with it very well and you will see dark puffy circles around my eyes from not sleeping at all. I haven’t mastered dealing with it alone, but I don’t have that problem as much if my boyfriend is sleeping over. I guess he helps me get comfortable enough to ignore the constant rambling going on in my head.
Great point! I have been reading some blogs about blogging lately, but mostly for effective writing tips, not for inspiration. Inspiration can be anywhere, but some days it just isn’t. I’d much rather read a few high-quality posts than thousands of low-quality posts. I think blog readers can tell when your writing is genuinely inspired and you really care about your topic. They can also tell when you’re just forcing something out for the sake of it.
Here is a blog about writing that I enjoy reading http://goinswriter.com/
I think you might like it! Let me know.
I really enjoyed this post! My inspiration comes from life, and the people that I love 🙂
From what I have read your life does seem to be one of your greatest sources of inspiration! I hope to read more of you! Followed you by email!
It’s so true. The best things to write about are things you already know. I find the most annoying/ trying/ embarrassing things of life that happen to me have made for the best and most popular blog posts.
You’re right. Daily life is what anyone and everyone can identify with and laugh about knowing we’re all in the same boat 🙂
Great post! And thanks so much for subscribing!
Karen
Hey!
I liked reading your blog! I got there through BrookeandMcKenzie’s blog so really they are the ones that deserve the thanks 😛
Thank you for commenting! and I think I am going to take part in the give away on your blog, sounds like fun!:D
“This may sound ridiculous but I keep a notebook under my pillow so that if I wake up in the middle of the night I could just scribble my idea in it.” then I must be ridiculous because I too have one! And it’s orange *gasps*, not that orange means anything haha. But I really like this post 🙂 It has finally gave me a big slap to the true meaning of what writing’s really about and how creativity should never be forced. I think I’ve been doing that for too long….. And I realize that my diary entries are much more entertaining than the posts on my blog. It makes sense. Thank you for opening my eyes! Now, I will continue to stalk your blog because your posts are wonderful 🙂 Hope this comment isn’t way too long!
Orange is a funky color!
hahah no the comment isn’t way too long and even if it is, it was fun to read! haha you give me far too much credit but Thank you I appreciate it!:)
Why don’t you post your diary entries?
Hmmm…. that’s a mighty good idea! : o And you’re welcome! There’s never such thing as “too much credit” you know 🙂 Unless, you’re overrated which I’d have to say is a false statement because you’re underrated!