One of the most common questions I get from writers is how do you write so many blog posts daily? I have several blogs and also write for clients. Besides the time aspect, which we’ve talked about before (I write in time blocks), I have a lot of places that I get ideas from.

Google Alerts

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Google alerts are a time saver and good way to spark ideas for your blog posts. Best of all, they are delivered right to your inbox.

Use StumbleUpon

StumbleUpon is a great resource for promoting your work and also getting ideas. Just take a “stumble” sometime and visit all the different sites out there, and you’ll be inspired.

Calendar Days

I have several great resources that could work for writers. There seems to be a special day you can comment on or write a post about almost daily. Check out some of the special days people create and see how you can comment on them or add them to a blog post.

Comments and Emails

Readers here give me a lot of ideas, and that’s true for most of the places I write for. You are all passionate people who want to learn and get your points across, and I’m sure your own readers are the same. Use them!

Ask for Input

Well here’s an obvious one. If you want ideas, ask for them. Find out what your readers are most curious about, or if they have questions you can answer.

Twitter

I use Twitter two different ways when it comes to ideas. I’ll throw a question out there, like “What do #writers want to get more info on?” or I’ll just do a search and see what people are talking about. It’s a wonderfully dynamic place to get and share ideas.

Take a Stand on Something in the News

If you see something in the news that can be related to your blog in some way, comment on it and make it a post. For example, when Netflix did their recent price hikes, I was able to relate that lesson to the freelance writing world.

Your Everyday Life

So much happens in the course of your daily schedule, you might miss some opportunities just because you’re so busy. But pay attention, because little things can often kick off an idea for a post. I did that recently when we hired a plumber, and the way they went about charging me for service. I thought about how this related to setting rates in the freelance world and wrote a post about it.

Teach Something

Do you get people asking the same question over and over? Maybe it’s time to tell what you’ve learned for everyone. That’s what happened with the post, “I want to write an ebook, how do I start?” I got that question over and over again from people, and while I don’t have all the answers, I do have some to get you on your way. I used that moment to teach what I knew and assumed others already knew. But you know what happens when you assume, right?

So don’t assume everyone knows the same stuff you do. I learn things all the time about writing and I do it every day! There are so many tips you can give someone, even when you don’t think you’re an “expert.”

Share Your Experience

Another good way to teach is by sharing a recent learning experience of yours. If you just went through something where you needed to research and find out answers, share them! You’ll save someone else time and you’ll have some content for your site as well.

Promote Your Books and Blogs:

• 21 Ways to Promote Your Book on Twitter
• Virtual Book Tours
• Virtual Book Tour Magic: The Secrets to Planning a Successful Book Promotion Tour

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We’ve got a wonderful giveaway today from author L.M. Preston. Ms. Preston did an interview with us a while back, and now we’ve got her book, Explorer X – Alpha to give away to one lucky reader!

Here’s a description:

For most kids, a trip to space camp is a trip of a lifetime, for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. Lucky for him, he was engineered to survive, thrive, and dominate. Without realizing he is being trained to conquer worlds, and manipulated under the guise of a camp, he unfolds the plot too late for a change of fate. Aadi’s world is shaken upon the revelation that life before camp was not what it appeared. This solidifies his plan to save them all from the company that seeks to control him, only for his rescue to end abruptly due to a freak accident on a field trip to Mars. The full experiment is set in motion when he and his co-pilot, Eirena, crash in a distant galaxy called Shrenas, where they change and realize the full extent of their power. Holding onto his humanity, in the midst of turning into a god is Aadi’s biggest battle yet. This turn of events causes him to put his childish thoughts away, forcing him to accept his change, and to decide to save a world, or to do what he was trained to do, dominate it. In the midst his struggles with his changes, his power is coveted by the warring leaders of Shrenas, and he is forced to choose sides to save a life, or to save himself. A decision that may prove just how much humanity he has left.

Want to win? Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, November 22nd. I’ll choose a winner at random and announce the lucky guy or girl the next day. Don’t forget to follow L.M. Preston on Twitter and catch up with her on her blog as well.