5 Tips, Tricks and Exercises for Brainstorming Content that Kills

There you are sitting at your computer…the clock is ticking and blank white Microsoft Word document is staring you in the face.  Why is it still blank?  Why have you not been able to produce one sentence of copy?  What’s wrong with you!?

Nothing, my friend.  You simply have a case of writer’s block.  Many writers (and most non-writers) suffer from writer’s block on a daily basis.  Sometimes, the words just don’t come out as easy.  Sometimes, it’s tough to jot down exactly what you want to say.  And sometimes, you were up too late the night before and the creative juices just aren’t flowing.

Don’t fret…You won’t suffer from writer’s block forever, especially if you have these quick tips, tricks and exercises up your sleeve.

1. Tear open a magazine

Need some article inspiration?  Magazines have some of the best how-to and top 10 articles out there, so why not peel your eyes away from the computer screen a flip through those shiny pages?  Scan articles for words that pop out at you—how can you link these words to your future articles?  Sometimes magazine (and newspaper) articles cannot be found online.  Try swipe filing some of these gems and repurpose them for your own killer online content.

2. Catch up on the blogosphere

You may have your top 10 blogs that you read every day, but why not explore the blogosphere even further?  Get out of your standard scanning norm and venture into other blogs that may have nothing to do with your topic or area of expertise.  You never know what you’ll find in the world online content.  It’s a jungle out there!

3. Writing team…assemble!

It’s cliché, but it’s true: two heads are better than one.  And you know what? Sixteen heads are better than two.  So why not gather your team together for a hardcore brainstorm session once a month?  Many times, the team at Inboun conducts what is called a “mad minute.”  A mad minute is 60 seconds of intense brainstorming.  Because you only have 60 seconds, every thought gets out in the open.  No editing allowed. No idea is a bad idea.  Get your team thinking—after all, you can’t do everything on your own.

4. Keep a trusty notepad

You had a great idea—but what was it? Those fleeting thoughts could transform into killer content, but only if you jot them down.  Keep a small notepad with you at all times (or for the tech-savvy, use your smartphone) to scribble down ideas you have while in the car, on the treadmill, out to dinner—wherever!

5. Think about your big problems (bummer, I know)

Everybody has problems—including your audience.  As a matter of fact, your audience may have the same problems that you do.  Think about these problems as use them as inspiration for your next article or blog.  Brainstorm different problems that relate directly to your blog’s topics and address them head-on.  Title these posts as follows: “Why your SEO strategy isn’t working” or “Why No One Is Reading Your Blog.”

It’s not rocket science

It’s just content science!  So when that fatal writer’s block strikes, try using any of these 5 tricks to get your brain pumping again.  You never know what you’ll come up with next.

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