What to Do When You Have NO Idea What to Post About
Hello Friends!
To be honest, I’ve been staring at my computer screen for a while and thought… “maybe this is what I should talk about today.” I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this problem from time to time!
I don’t plan out my posts too often, as I really like draw inspiration from the day. For example, If a song is really stuck in my head – then maybe I’ll do a music cover of it. Maybe there is a certain topic has been spinning around in my brain and I think other’s might find it helpful. OR maybe something happens that day (like my hardware wallet showing up in the mail) and I decided to do an unboxing video and talk about security.
Some days though… Nothing really seems to be grabbing me. What Then?
I should point out that there are lots of people who plan out their posts, and that strategy really works for them. Maybe they plan on Monday’s to do a post that is Crypto related, and Tuesday’s to post about fitness… or whatever it may be. I have tried this, and for me – I just feel more engaged with my own content when the inspiration is coming from the day. Both systems can work really well – this is just what I like to do.
It’s Okay to Take a Break
Consistency is touted as one of the main pillars of success on Steemit, and this is true, but taking a day off here or there can actually be healthy. If you are really not feeling like posting – then that is okay. Don’t beat yourself up, and don’t spend too much time worrying about it. Oftentimes, taking a break helps you to come back feeling even more charged and excited.
Stress is a creativity killer. If you are really pushing yourself to come up with something to post about, you will probably keep staring at a blank wall. If you just let go of the expectation that you need to post – who knows, maybe some great idea will come to you later in the day! I honestly think that people can feel your energy through a post as well – whether it is a video or written blog. If you are forcing yourself to do something, it probably won’t be very good.
Spend Some Time Learning
I love ingesting knowledge. I listen to a LOT of podcasts and am always trying to learn and get better at what I do. If I am feeling pretty dry on inspiration, it probably means that I need to plug back in to learning.
Maybe go listen to a couple podcasts, or sit down and read a book. Once you get your brain in the learning mindset, you might be surprised at how much it inspires you. It is my belief that it is difficult to create great content on a regular basis if you are not also learning on a regular basis. I think these two concepts go hand in hand. Would you want to see a doctor that hasn’t received any new training in 30 years, or would you rather see a doctor that is constantly staying up on current trends and medical developments? We aren’t doing brain surgery here people… but if you aren’t learning – your content will probably start to feel stale.
Read Through Other Articles On Steemit
When I’m feeling pretty low on energy or ideas to post about, I enjoy just hopping over to my feed and seeing what everyone else is up to! I am not in any way saying to steal someone’s idea, but sometimes it can be helpful to see what topics are really hot right now and what’s happening on the platform. Also, by engaging with other’s content, it takes your mind off the idea of posting, which as we discussed before – can help to release your creativity again. I personally think it feels really good to go through my feed and support my Steemit family by reading and commenting on their content.
Even if I still end up taking a break from posting that day – I still got to engage with the community and spend some time supporting others.
I hope that these tips help you in some way! If you find yourself staring a blank screen, It’s usually a good sign that you need to walk away for a while. By not putting on pressure on yourself to post, and plugging into learning or supporting others – You will probably find your groove again.
I’m curious… when you are lacking post inspiration – what do you do??
Xo, Lea
▶️ DTube
▶️ IPFS
Well said! I try to post at least once per day, but there are days it’s a struggle. Open mic on Sunday night is usually the only post I plan out
Haha same! That is my only “planned” post too. I think aiming for once a day is a great goal, but giving yourself grace when you’re having and “off day” is important too.
Thanks for listening my friend! 😊
Oh but when i don’t post something even just for 1 day, i feel so freaking guilty! Haha! I can’t deal with it! Haha
Hahah I get you girl! I really struggle with that sometimes too!
lol. You really shouldn't, most people are understanding. You have to step away every once in awhile. It's OK to be selfish from time to time ;) I choose not to post on weekends unless something interesting comes up that I would like to share.
Haha! I know, i can’t help it though.
ha ha ha, I feel like that too!
When I am looking for inspiration.... I watch @coruscate! .... off topic holy cow check her out: https://dsound.audio/#!/@melissakellie/20180301t130951844z-dsound-cover-a-thousand-years-sung-by-melissa-kellie
Wow, she has such a beautiful voice!! Thanks for sharing with me! I’m always love connecting with fellow musicians on here!
When I got nothing, I just produce a strange looking image and then ramble about nothing, humorously. That's always been part of my flow though, so people don't mind at all.
I don't plan my blog either. When I look back, sometimes I feel baffled. How in the hell did I manage to do all that?
Haha your comedic ramblings are part of your charm @nonameslefttouse! 😉 Pretty cool that you’ve carved out that space for yourself to just be creative and write.
Also, cool that you are more free form with your posts too! I think content usually feels more inspired that way. Besides, rules make me claustrophobic... haha
Rules, guidelines... I mean sure, I'll stop at a stop sign, but I stop there.
The freedom is nice. The door is wide open. If we pick one topic to blog/vlog about, such as trees, claustrophobia indeed; we close ourselves in. One can only say so many things about trees, then it's time to leave. People don't necessarily want to follow a tree either. They're following us, the blogger. That comes first. We can add that personalized touch to anything, including trees; then it's interesting.
By the way, I read the comments here. I saw that. I'd just like say, many of you ladies out there and yourself included are doing an excellent job. So keep it up! It's good to see, and that guy has no clue what the hell he's talking about.
Ugh THANK YOU. I’ve been getting more and more comments like that lately. It’s getting old.
Also great point about people following us as people/bloggers, not because we post about a specific topic. It’s a good shift in perspective.
I love that☺
I totally hear ya on the hit by inspiration except #openmic, and even then I have only managed two of them, because I am lame and don't play an instrument, so I have to ask hubs for help! (He is an amazing pianist!) I love that you always have something clever and creative to talk about! And your thumbnails are always on point! I am trying to improve, but I am still figuring out how I want them to look, or maybe they will always look different! Who knows!!?! This is a great bit of info if you are stuck on what to do though, and I do agree that ya just need a break sometimes!! :)
Well I guess Open Mic is a good excuse to jam out with your sweetie. 😉 I think it’s too bad that they recently changed the rules on open mic. I think there are plenty of great singers that don’t play an instrument!
Also thanks for your kind words on my post and cover photos! Some days I feel super inspired to do something a little crazy, and other days I’ve got nothing, so I just smile and add some text to the photo. 😜
I don’t think there’s any harm with playing around and finding what works for you! There’s definitely something to be said for switching things up to. If everything starts to look the same, then it can look like you are putting much effort in. You know to mean?
I think it’s a fine line between keeping a consistent looking brand and also keeping things fresh and interesting. Not sure with the right balance is, but I guess we all just keep learning and evolving as we go!
Yeah, I am not even sure about brand on here so much. I have tried to apply what I have learned on Facebook and YouTube, but Steemit is a whole different beast! Branding doesn't seem as important as interesting topic and catchy thumbnails, because once you have followers you are in their feed anyway, so the catchier your pics are, the better chance you have of attracting new followers!
Yeah I was pretty bummed when I saw that karaoke tracks weren't allowed! I have always been a singer alone, because I have done mainly stage acting, and ya don't need much above a basic plunking out your part knowledge of instruments to do musical theatre! But at least I conveniently have an accompanist for a husband, though I think he should just submit his own openmic of him playing, but he's too self conscious!
Oooh you were a theatre kid too!! Actually, I just dabbled in it a bit in high school - but musical theater were definitely some my best memories from that era.
I can definitely see how you would be brilliant on stage! You have so much charisma and depth of expression when you speak!
Good point about branding too. The “rules” do seem a little different here on Steemit then on other social media platforms.
Also, tell your hubby we want to see him play for open mic! He has one built in fan already!! 🙋♀️ He should check out @drewley’s page. He always has really beautiful piano entries for open mic. Maybe it will inspire him. 😊
I just wrote a post about this last week! There are TONS of places I go for inspiration: bookstore, magazine rack, my own life experiences, popular news websites, etc. I write down all the ideas that comes from these sources. That way, I always have a pool of topics to choose from when it comes time to write!
I just checked out your article and LOVED it! I like that you gave practical tips for places to find inspiration.
You seriously have such great content, cover photos and community engagement. It won’t be long before you are climbing the Steemit ranks my friend! ❤️
Thanks for the kind words, @coruscate!! I am glad you enjoyed the article! :D
Thanks for sharing. I love your first point the most, which is why I decided to take the weekends off, so both my voting power and myself and take a break.
Anyway, I've written a detailed post on how to generate over 365 post ideas. Would love to hear your opinion on it.
https://steemit.com/tutorial/@maverickfoo/how-to-generate-at-least-365-post-ideas-for-your-steemit-life-and-possibly-never-run-out-of-ideas-again
Woah, that is one hell of a quality post!! I’ll have to go back and read it in depth later, but there are a LOT of great points of inspiration in there. I’ll have to try out the website that generates questions on a topic. I can see how that would be incredibly helpful for content creation.
Thanks for sharing! 😊
Answerthepublic.com is totally helpful is identifying trending questions to write about. Plus, clicking on any of the questions will give you the Google results associated to that question, giving you a head start on your research!
My posts aren't the knowledge and attention grabbers like your impressive ones. I, at best, make people smirk, and at worst, make them wonder if steemit is a hell hole full of sex jokes depending on when you catch me.
The inspiration for (what I think of as) my more interesting stuff has come from other people. A picture, a gif, a story someone has told and I've decided that I can add more to it/reinterpret it another way build it into something they didn't see.
Though personally I'm waiting to see a dubbstep song from you on a ukulele. maybe with some dancing girls in back, sorry dancing men gyrating for no reason... (sorry back to the sex jokes thing, it's hard to get away from)
Hahah those visuals are too much. 😆 Maybe I can dance and play/sing dubstep at the same time? Sounds like a train wreck waiting to happen!
Ps... The comedy crowd here is pretty awesome. You could have picked worse spots to hangout on Steemit. 😉
I dunno about you but I thoroughly enjoy the imagery, I think it'll be lots of fun.
I do enjoy the crowd, lots of really good people.
I am the same way, sometimes I have no idea what I want to cook for my weekly cooking videos. I stare at all the recipes, and no of them stick out at me. For me, it helps to remove myself from it for a bit, and do something else for a time, before coming back to the task haha, usually works.
It’s funny how creativity and inspiration can work like that! It happens to me all the time too!
I’ll have to go check out your cooking videos now... I’m always looking for cooking inspiration. 😉
I know right? haha :) And then sometimes I get ideas for videos when I don't want them, like when trying to sleep at night...lol Have you seen the movie "The Greatest Showman"? "Every night I lie in bed, the brightest colors fill my head, a million dreams are keeping me awake." Yeah that sums it up sometimes for me, lol except it is a "million ideas" are keeping me awake. And then other times during the day...nothing! lol
Sounds like maybe you should keep a notepad on your nightstand so you can write down all of those late night ideas! 😉
LOL That is exactly what my brother told me to do...haha :) Great advice! :)
When I get stuck without content I've always found it useful to look at content of some of my fave peeps. I did FB Live show daily for a year and getting content could become a real struggle so inspiration came from other people's content, watching inspiring news stories or some weird moment of the day.
Great piece of advice! Looking at people you admire is a great way to feel inspired again. :-)
I kinda do a similar thing with music. Sometimes if I am running low on song ideas for covers, I look at some other cover artists on YouTube that I really like. I havefound a few artists that seem to have a similar style and vocal range to me, so it can be fun to see which songs they are covering right now.