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What To Do When the Well Runs Dry

What do you do when the well runs dry? By that I mean when you reach "blogger's block" and you just can't think of anything to write about. That happened to me recently and I needed some inspiration. It came in the form of a memory from childhood. I grew up in rural surroundings. In our small, close-knit community there was a building we referred to as the "community" building which was used for gatherings of all sorts by people in the area. Outside the building was a old hand pump water well. In order to draw water you had

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2005-06-25
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What do you do when the well runs dry? By that I mean when you reach "blogger's block" and you just can't think of anything to write about. That happened to me recently and I needed some inspiration. It came in the form of a memory from childhood. I grew up in rural surroundings. In our small, close-knit community there was a building we referred to as the "community" building which was used for gatherings of all sorts by people in the area. Outside the building was a old hand pump water well. In order to draw water you had to pump the handle. However, before doing that you were required to first "prime the pump." There was always a bucket of water sitting next to the pump and everyone knew its purpose. You would pour just a little bit of water from the bucket into the pump in order to prime it. Otherwise, you could pump all day long and not get a drop! However, when that was done, within a few short strokes of the handle water would come gushing out. The same thing is needed from time-to-time as it applies to blogging. Occasionally, you need to "prime the pump." Here are a few tips to help you:
  1. Take time off from blogging. Sometimes the well does run dry and just getting "AFK" (away from keyboard) is the best course of action. Go fishing, shopping, read a good book, get some extra sleep, or 101 other things you want to do, but don't blog! You'll be amazed at how just living life will provide all the inspiration you need.
  2. Read other blogs. On my blog I have a "blogroll" of favorite sites. Just reading what others have to say often stimulates thoughts I can take to my blog. I also use a blog aggregator called Bloglines, in which I have cataloged scores of RSS feeds from other blogs. It doesn't have to be blogs related to the same things you write about. Often, it's helpful to read non-business blogs. See what's happening in the world of politics, or read some of the gossip or many gadget blogs.
  3. See the world with blog-colored glasses. If you keep your blog on the back-burner of your mind, you'll often encounter things that happen in life that you immediately tell yourself, "I can blog that!" Just like a minister may weave an occurance from everyday life as an illustration into his sermon, use the events of your life the same way. People love stories, so tell them.
  4. Just start writing. Sometimes inspiration comes when you just sit yourself down at the keyboard and start typing away. Somewhere, amidst the ramblings a meme may develop, or a thought hit you and you've got the idea you needed for one other post.
Blogging is a craft and a discipline. To do it well requires routine practice. I find the more I write, the more I have to write about. It's almost like a cycle, though not a vicious one. The more I write, the more research I'm forced to do. The more research I do, the better I understand and grasp the topic at hand. The more granular I become with the topic, the more I have to write about. If you blog routinely, occasionally dry spells will occur. Hopefully, these tips will help you "prime the pump!" Happy blogging!
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