writing Archives - Tammie's Take~

Got Writer’s Block? Here Are Seven Ways to Get Creative Ideas Flowing

Reviews · May 8, 2018

Blogging is a wonderful activity. There are many benefits of blogging such as developing writing skills, networking with new friends and even learning new things. However, as a blogger, you’re usually tasked with coming up with creative ideas or even stories to tell that your audience will be interested in.

Even if all you write about is yourself and your day, being able to frame your blog post with a narrative can help you get more readers and ultimately improve your chances of getting noticed. You might not necessarily care about being noticed as a blogger, but it does come with many unique advantages such as networking with figureheads and industry veterans that could open up more career possibilities in the future.

So whether you’re just a casual blogger or someone that plans to turn their writing into a source of income, here are seven unique ways to get your creative juices flowing.

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Get yourself a laptop and go exploring

If you’re only writing your blog posts on a desktop computer then it’s time to go mobile. You can pick up a cheap Chromebook that is lightweight, has excellent battery life and is perfect for blogging. Alternatively, you could use a cheap laptop to type up your blogs, or even a tablet with a keyboard cover such as the iPad. These will allow you to explore and type as you go along. Even if you don’t type up the full blog while outside, you can always jot down ideas and flesh them out when you get home.

Network with people on social media

Social media is the perfect partner for any blogger. Not only will it allow you to spread your blog posts, but you’ll meet plenty of unique people over the internet that can help you develop fresh new ideas. Discussions with people over social media can inspire you to write new posts on topics that you have spoken about, and it can also help you get involved with different circles that speak about interesting subjects that are worth exploring and turning into blog posts.

Read the news and the latest discussions

Current affairs are always a good place to look when you need ideas. You can always spin something that is relevant to the news and adds your own twist to it or your opinion. The latest discussions on social media or communities that you frequent are also good places to look for inspiration.

Get inspiration from other blogs and websites

If you’re a dedicated blogger then you probably have plenty of other blogs favourited and bookmarked. These can help you generate new ideas and you can even get in touch with those bloggers and suggest collaborations. Many people are in love with House Method because it’s a varied blog with plenty of unique posts and information, and cooperating with such a blog can help you generate lots of new viewers as well as write fresh new content.

Inspire others with your knowledge

If you have knowledge about something then it’s never a bad idea to share it with your blog. Whether it’s a new skill you’ve learned or something you consider yourself an expert in, teaching your viewers something is generally seen as a fantastic way to add new and original content to your blog.

Take a travel break and bring your blog with you

If you blog as a hobby or side activity, then why not take a break from your main career and give yourself some space by going on holiday? To make things better, you could take a portable device with you such as a tablet or laptop, arm yourself with a camera then blog about everything and anything you see. There’s plenty of inspiration to be had when you go exploring, and it could even trigger the start of your very own travel-based blog.

Ask your readers what they want to see

Building engagement on your blog is important if you want to see repeat readers. Your readers and comment sections could spark plenty of useful discussions and they could even give you some useful ideas to help you get started with a new series of blog posts or a fresh category. Asking your users what they want to see can be a great way to build interest and new content, but you need to limit how many times you ask because the last thing you want is to appear incompetent or unoriginal to your viewers.

Mistakes All Blogger Make

Reviews · December 18, 2017

There are over 440 million blogs on the internet. Two million posts are published every single day, by people all over the world. Blog niches exist in every subject imaginable, and even large businesses are adding blog sections to their websites as they’ve realized how effective they can be. Bloggers can build trusting relationships with their readers, which allows them to create successful businesses, and more people than ever are proudly listing “blogger” as their profession. A serious blogger can work with huge brands, meet celebrities, get to try some of the best products and earn serious cash.

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In spite of this, new bloggers continue to make the same mistakes. Whether they want to blog as a hobby or turn it into a career, these mistakes can hold them back and hinder their progress. Let’s take a look at these errors and ways to avoid them if you are starting your own blog.

Thinking it’s Easy

This has got to be the number one mistake new bloggers make. They see others running successful blogs and getting great opportunities and assume it’s easy. They imagine that they are constantly getting approached by brands and that they get sent free things. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

These bloggers work for hours every day, writing, taking photographs, editing and publishing their work. They then spend even longer promoting the posts, growing their social media followings and giving the appearance of being online all of the time. To work with brands, they have to put themselves out there and pitch. To do this they need to find the right contacts and initiate relationships, and even then, they may find that most of their pitches are rejected or ignored. When a company send them a product to review, they have to put hours and hours of work into completing this review and claim the worth of the product as earnings on their tax return. Far from getting something for nothing.

The mistake of thinking that it’s easy sees up to 95% percent of bloggers give up within the first year, as soon as they realize that it’s not as simple as they thought.

Thinking People Will Read It

The second mistake, even for those that get past the idea that it’s easy, and are willing to put in the effort, is assuming that people will read what they write. They won’t. Without promotion, you may find that absolutely no one reads your content. Even with constant social media promotion, as well as finding other places, such as forums, to show off your work, you may find that the viewers trickle in and that most of them spend around 15 seconds on your site, without actually reading anything.

It takes time. Don’t stress over your stats. Write well, take your time, enjoy it and eventually, those numbers will start to increase.

Not Having The Right Help

When you first start your blog, you have to choose your platform. This determines how your blog will work, what you’ll need to do, and how much control you’ll have. You can migrate to another service later, but this can be tough, and you may lose some work and more readers. So, it’s a good idea to get it right in the first place. You could blog on Blogger or WordPress, build a website on Wix or start an ecommerce store with Shopify. Click here for more information about website builders, and try to think about what you hope to achieve with your blog and where you want to take it in the future before making your decision.

Not Creating a Brand

Many new bloggers spend the first year constantly changing their Logo, color scheme and theme if they choose one at all. This is one of the main reasons they struggle to grow; people just don’t know who they are. To be taken seriously and get remembered, you need to create an instantly recognizable brand, and it’s worth doing this at the very beginning. Spend some time thinking about how you want your site to look, make sure it fits your niche, style and writing voice and that it clearly defines you. If you struggle with the creative side of things, hire a freelancer to help you.

Writing Like Everyone Else

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It can be very hard to find your voice as a writer. Especially if it’s something that you’ve never done before. Bloggers often start out reading other blogs and trying to write like them. But, it’s important to realize that with millions of blogs, most things that you write, are already out there. What makes your blog different, and your content stand out, is you.

Being A Pro With Promotion…

Reviews · April 26, 2017

In the cutthroat world of business, you have you stay ahead of the game and find ways to be head and shoulders above your peers and competition. Business is difficult, and you need to find the latest method to make yourself heard. Marketing companies are a dime a dozen now, and yet while there are new(ish) methods to utilize the great communication tool that is the internet, what are the best ones out of the new and the traditional methods?

Podcasting

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A lot of people view the podcast as a niche service, but the great benefit of using a podcast is that it is a great way to get a dedicated fan base. It is a slow-burning method, but for those that think their business can benefit from a talk radio style format to discuss issues that are important to the industry, and there is a demand for such information, you can guarantee that the people who listen to your show will stay dedicated to it. As a result, they will be more inclined to use your services or buy your products.

Blogs

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Blogging has been around for a while, and although it used to be a format confined to the casual Myspace user, it has now been a versatile and essential marketing tool. Posting blogs on a regular basis can garner a fan base, but it can also be a useful tool for connecting with customers. From the perspective of any business, it is something that should be used as an exercise in developing your business’ tone of voice and personality, which will help to increase your brand recognition and nurture a supportive and dedicated customer base. Blogging doesn’t have to be a difficult task. There are sites like http://blogging.com where you can learn how to blog and what to do to help promote it on a large scale. The blog has been used as a tool for many business’ and writers to fine-tune their online reputation, and it’s something you need to start doing.

Vlogs

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As a natural extension of blogging, many people have used vlogging as a leap from the 2-D to the 3-D way of marketing their business. Vlogs are basically a video version of blogs, and as a result, the scope of increasing your brand or personality is much easier, but also requires a lot more prior thought. Vlogging, when done right, is a much more immediate art form than any other one online. But there is a bigger chance of getting it wrong. You can do promotions for a business like an explainer video, or you can simply do a piece to camera on a regular basis, keeping customers or followed updated on the latest developments. But you need to be a lot more controlling of what goes in front of the camera, which means a lot more investment in every aspect, from the writing to the look of the vlog. While a blog is a piece of writing, and podcasts are audio with writing, vlogs take it one step further. Each method requires planning, and you need to choose which ones suit your personality and image.

#Blogging For Beginners: 5 Key Questions To Master Your Craft

Reviews · March 27, 2017

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Developing your first blog is a very exciting process for any creative individual. However, it’s imperative that you build a framework engineered for success. Otherwise, investing your life into the project is a little pointless.

As an inexperienced blogger, it’s good to know that the digital arena is very flexible. Nonetheless, you’ll still need to focus your attentions on key areas to generate the response that your hard work merits. Use these five questions to spur you on, and you won’t go far wrong.

What Is The Purpose?

It might sound a little obvious, but having a plan of action is key. Is your blog a platform to connect people together while expressing your views on a subject? Or is it something that you aim to utilize as a moneymaking venture?

Knowing what your blog sets out to achieve is key, and will aid the website creation and hosting process. Fail to prepare, and you essentially prepare to fail. Ensuring that your blog is designed to accomplish its aims will create a far greater platform for success.

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Who Is It For?

The quality of your blog will ultimately be decided by its readership. Even if money isn’t on your mind, traffic levels and user responses will have a huge influence on whether you deem the project successful or not.

Finding ways to generate new visits is vital. However, mastering the art of gaining repeat readers is the true key to victory. Not only for the numbers, but also due to the fact this hardcore following can direct the blog’s evolution.

What Should It Look Like?

Imaginative and engaging content is vital for the long-term success of your blog. However, it’s important to realize that users will judge the platform from the second they open the website. Therefore, ensuring that it looks great should sit top of the agenda.

Again, choosing the right platforms is key. In today’s climate, though, you need to remember that a large percentage of your audience will access the data via their smartphone devices. With this in mind, launching the blog as an App can be an extremely useful way to stay open to all. At the very least, the site should be optimized for the smaller screens.

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How Can The Platform Grow?

When first starting the blog, most creators will think solely about short-term aims. In reality, though, a successful platform will be geared towards sustainability. Given that the entire industry is growing at a rapid rate, it’s imperative that your platform evolves alongside it.

This could involve taking on extra writers, launching a sister blog, or various other tasks. Either way, allowing the site to become bigger and better over time is the only way to build long-term success.

What Equipment Do I Need?

Once the blog has been launched, you could produce content with nothing more than a laptop and internet connection. In truth, though, imagery brings it to life. Equipping yourself with a decent camera is vital. Whether you use it for photos or videos doesn’t matter. That added personality will have a telling impact.

Working online allows 24/7 communication too, especially if you have a strong social media presence. A portable battery charger, internet dongle, and phone Apps are all killer additions for your blogging platform. Embrace them, and your prospects will look better than ever.

The ‘Write Way’ To #Blog

Reviews · March 24, 2017

Is there a wrong way to blog? In a way – yes. By not committing to a regular and consistent schedule. While there is a right and wrong way to do almost anything – the wrong way to blog is to avoid it altogether. The right way to do it? Write.

Why blog? Well it can be a passion, a hobby – it can be the business you run from home or as part of the business you are already running. Blogging is content!

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Content creation is a key cornerstone of any business marketing plan. Even the greatest products and services on the market can’t market themselves!

A blog and the content posted onto the blog (videos, podcasts and written content) creates interest in your brand. This interest can build into interest, or even a sale of a product. Sometimes – it is the blog that is technically the product, with visitors visiting your web page just to read your blog! Products are sold as an aside – this is called merchandise. The content created and cultivated by you might just make you some money!

What should you write about? Well, it really does depend on why your blog exists in the first place. If you want to write about technology, you’ll cover all manner of things from computing to gadgets and coding to inventions & science. Find brackets that you can fit yourself into. Some blogs might specialize and write about sports teams, or a single sports team. If it’s a personal blog, it depends on your interests. If your blog is professional, it depends on the industry that your business is based in! Companies that manufacture sports equipment will naturally blog about sports! It’s all situational.

The foundation of every blog is the internet – it has to be! The internet offers a lot of avenues for expansion, collaboration and marketing. Your blog should have social media accounts so that you can share your content across multiple fronts to increase your followers and thus your view count.

We mentioned product’s a while ago and some blogs do sell merchandise – that means you need to be a dab hand at packaging and postage too. Even if you aren’t – running a blog online requires you to have some form of home office address to conduct your business on. Assess your needs and if you are selling, make sure you can get your products out efficiently.

Now, your writing. It needs to be authentic and truthful, no matter if you are presenting a blog in a personal or professional environment. If you’re personal and you’re laying on the constant hard sell, people will get turned off of you. If you’re not professional enough in a business environment people will turn off of you easily. Just be yourself above all and tone it up or down depending on your writing environment.

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Above all – be consistent and write to a schedule. Like a radio show people will be tuning in on a consistent basis for your writing, so don’t let your followers down!