I wish it was easier to come up with something to write about! I have a blog over at aaronransley.com/blog that I'm trying to get off the ground, but it's tough to find topics to write about.
My process typically goes something like this:
- I want to write, and share with the world!
- Oh, I'll write about XYZ from work!
- Wait, I can't really share that because it's Company Secrets.
- Maybe I'll write about this cool tech I used!
- Ok, now to just make it abstract enough that it isn't Company Secrets.
- Hmm, this is really watered down.
- These 19 other blog posts do a much better job of explaining this concept.
- I shouldn't waste anyone's time. 😢
Next, I'll pivot to something more pet-project in nature:
- I want to write, and share with the world!
- Oh, I'll write about XYZ personal site!
- Wait, this project is so simple that it doesn't warrant a blog post.
- I should work on more important side projects, things with value!
- Wow, that would take a lot of time. I spend so much time at work on Company Secrets.
- Am I wasting my life working on things I can't share?
- Oh look, 14 new tools from prolific makers on Twitter!
- I'm not smart enough to fit in. 😢
Ok, one last try. Maybe I'll write about this very thing! Everyone has feelings, right?
- I want to write about how I want to write but can't quite get there!
- Ok, here are some Real Thoughts in lists. This is good, I am being honest.
- Wait, this honesty stuff isn't as easy as the LiveJournal days.
- If everyone sees this, will they think I'm a
0.1x Beta Professional? - What if I keep adding items to this list, to make it—like—a thing?
- Hmm, this is kind of working. I'm almost to 8 items.
- What if I just pressed Publish and didn't worry about it?
- Then I'd have done it! I'll have written and shared! 😊
Am I really going to do this? Why is it so scary?!
Let me just preview things here... Is my Markdown formatting working OK?
What about the Hot Takes from The Internet?!
Whatever, here we go.
Oldest comments (4)
Damn! You are speaking my mind here!
haha, nice one!
btw, your site is beautiful!
I've made the best experience and had the most success with my blogs (even if it's just some modest success) when I had a clear why and a clear topic to write about. "Choose your niche", they say.
From there, write down 50 topics you'd write about.
Choose one of the topics, make your research. People writing about? That's actually good and means that the topic is in demand. Get a unique or slightly different perspective and go write that thing. Consistently.
Beautiful advice, thank you so much Richard!
Haha, I feel this! I'm down to one blog post a year now on average. Wanting to recover, but it seems everyone else out there is doing something different, and I get no reactions on what little I do write.
Your gif game is on point btw, I think 😁