The
main focus of today’s post is to help newbie bloggers who are working
hard to excel in blogging. Until me myself entered into blogosphere, I
used to think “how do people get ideas regularly to write about it?”And
this was my main constraint. I was afraid that I could not find an idea
and this is not my field. But once, I stepped into it, I was amazed to
find ideas clicking my mind. Of course, there cannot be any fixed method
that could guarantee a good idea but still we can have some methodology
of our own which can help simplify our search for ideas.Do you need to search an idea? :
Some
people really don’t need to search an idea. They have a clearer mind
and may have intuition as well. With good observation skill, you may
have a feeling that directs your mind towards topic idea. Topic for your
new post may be hidden in your previous one. You just need to be
mindful.
For example, two or three days back, a blog was posted by Mohammad about switching Blogger Profile to Google +. And the very next day, MBT’s Gold star guest author came up with a post on reverting back from Google+ Profile To Blogger…. An excellent example of seeing what is in front of you and waiting for you.
Searching an idea:
Ideas
are everywhere around you and even inside you. Yes, even inside you.
Feel free to write what attracts you. You may also subscribe to
different newsletters, journals and magazines to remain updated about
your field of interest. When you go through any reading material, most
of the times you will definitely have some questions in your mind. And
then you read more to find their answers. You may then share what you
have learned. You may also visit “FAQ” or “comment” section of your
website to know about peoples’ confusions and you may answer some of
them in the form of a post.
Belief your idea:
Don’t
get confused whether to write on a particular topic or not, just
because “Will people like it?”No! Not at all, go for your idea if you
heart is satisfied with it and believe me, you will write your best. You
don’t need to have some “revolutionary ideas”. Simple ideas, if
properly put together, generate great posts. And this brings us to our
next point… how to put all info together properly?
Plan your idea:
Once
you are done with the idea thing, now, the next step is to properly
plan it. Don’t start writing it right away. Take a paper and pen…sit in
some peaceful environment and think over it. Determine what do you need
to enter into it and what do you want from it. Or understand it as,
determine what do you want form it and then consider how you can get it
.i.e. what should be the input? What would be your resources? By
resources here, I mean whether you need to search on internet or
interview people or observe any phenomenon etc.
I
plan my posts by making a mind map and I feel that inputs are usually
my pillars on which my building will stand. So a careful selection of
inputs is highly important. You may plan in any other way, you are
comfortable with. But, don’t forget to plan.
Determine flow of information:
Now
you need to check if your content is interconnected or not. It should
follow a proper sequence and there should not be any jump to any point.
You may have gathered some raw material in the beginning which now seems
odd in your post… feel free to discard it. The flow should be as good
that the reader feels himself/herself in harmony with the post. Don’t
introduce sudden emotional hypes.
Put in the facts:
If
you are done with the above mentioned steps half of your task is done.
Your mind is now free to completely focus on what it needs to produce
with well defined inputs and outputs. And you can enjoy the clarity of
your mind with a spirit to achieve your desired target.
Guest Post by Aiman Khan. MBT's regular contributor.