A flow chart my daughter made for me after she proofread an article I wrote for SwimSwam.
Shout out to Ally Bean of The Spectacled Bean for her post yesterday. It inspired me to write about where we get our blog ideas, plus reminded me of the flow chart above that I used in an article called “Does Your Child Want to Swim in College” for SwimSwam. Ally had a flow chart in her post called “Is it a penguin?”
I used to write a weekly sports parenting column for SwimSwam. I came up with an idea every week for five years from my personal experiences, parenting mistakes, plus observing other parents with their kids on the pool deck. I’d get ideas from coaches and interview Olympians and coaches. I even got emails from parents around the world asking me for advice, which started a Dear Abby-type column called “Ask Swim Mom.” I began swimming myself and would ask my coach for ideas while I was hanging onto the wall. I’d ask my daughter to read my columns before turning them in and she had great advice (like adding her flow chart).
Swimming is a sport that lasts 50 weeks a year with practice six days a week, with a couple two-a-day practices thrown in per week. You can imagine how obsessed and focused swimming families can become. My goal with my column was to let kids be kids and own their own sport. In other words, parents need to back off.
Now, that my kids have left the nest, I no longer have the desire to write about swimming or parenting. I began my blog writing financial advice for women. I realized within a few weeks that nobody wanted to read that. Then I moved on to swimming, parenting and things that were going on in my day-to-day life. I’m still writing about my daily life, but life has slowed down. Sometimes my posts are photos of birds from my Bird Buddy or sunrises and sunsets.
Where do you get your ideas for blogging?
How has your blog evolved through the years?
Some days I have no idea what I’m going to write until I sit down to write. Some of my ideas come from other bloggers. Some from current events. I do a lot more writing about tv than I expected when I started
I also get ideas after reading other bloggers.
Thanks for asking! Like many aspiring writers, my first stories fell short of expectations. As an avid reader, I thought it must be easy to write a blockbuster. Wrong! That erroneous thinking served as my catalyst, sending me on a journey of discovery. Lodged between my ears was a question central to this quest: what story elements and structure contribute to a book becoming a bestseller? Along the way, I found others seeking the same information. My discoveries are the ides for blog posts, focusing on how to write a book readers will love.
Great answer. Thanks for sharing.
Great topic, E.A., and I’m excited to see what other’s share. Most of my blog posts are based on observations in real life or expanding off ideas in books, and sometimes based on a prompt I encounter. It can be challenging to come up with ideas sometimes.
My blog has evolved over time and it’s always whatever I need it to be, mostly a place to process my thoughts while avoiding illegible chicken scratch. 😂 Bonus points for connecting with like-minded friends.
I agree with your statement that a blog is a place to process our thoughts. I’m reading a book Vicki mentioned “Opening Up by Writing It Down — How Expressive Writing Improves Health and Eases Emotional Pain.” I think some of my blogging fills that need.
Interesting! I do think writing is a great outlet to help with alleviating the stress we carry with us. I’ll need to check that one out.
I’m just beginning it, but I like it!
I get my blog ideas from my real life, including books I read and things I see culturally. I know my blog has evolved but I can’t exactly say how
You also ask a lot of questions on your blog that get discussions going.
That’s my favorite part!!
My blog has gone from stories about my life for the kids, to daily life as a mom, to that plus being a working mom, to the years when I went back to college inspired by my own kids journey, and now into aging and retirement. It has always been centered on my life in some way. Honestly now I am a bit tired of random writing about my days. I would like to do more, write more on controversial topics and points of view but I wonder what the response would be? It feels that it would almost be easier/better to have a new blog to do that. Those sorts of things feel more important to me now but doing that is out of character for me on the current blog. So I jot down ideas and notes and let the blog sit quiet.
I’m with you. I think current events or controversial topics I’m passionate about would be interesting to write about. But I’m not sure my blog is the correct home for that.
In my head I have the knowledge that folks are used to reading certain things from me, that they are conditioned to expect rather normal topics based on what I have always written. However, I also know that it is my blog and I have a responsibility to myself to write what seems important to me, what I believe in and share what I feel needs to be said. Will people then choose not to read? Maybe, and I value the people who read my blog. I blog for the interactions with others so I question losing some of that. Yet starting an entirely separate blog means a big commitment and no guarantee anyone will read that! It’s really about figuring out how to introduce this new “me” into the mix without my appearing to have gone off the deep end 😉
I do have a second blog about swimming in Southern California called SoCalSwimHistory. I was asked by officials in my swim community to record some of the stories of people who were getting older and wouldn’t be around forever. I enjoyed doing that, but I’m no longer there physically or involved in my day to day life. You’re correct, a second blog is a big commitment. It’s possible. I also wouldn’t like to turn off readers that I have because I enjoy the exchange.
I sometimes say I’m self-prompting when it comes to blogging. I pay attention to what happens to me in life and how other people behave. I do lots of research because I’m curious. Then I sit down and write something. And when there’s nothing to write about I share flapdoodle and twaddle, like yesterday’s post. Thanks for the shoutout.
You’re welcome. How did you come up with “flapdoodle and twaddle?” What a unique name.
Oh I started saying that years ago when describing my blog. I don’t know where it came from, probably the recesses of my mind after reading too many classics.
Yes, it does sound like an expression from classics. 😊
I loved the ‘is it a penguin’ giggle, too – and I’d say your daughter’s flow chart/graphic was fab…no interest? Don’t push it. Clean and simple! I love hearing about your Swim Mom days…and your career as a journalist and PR pro. Whether you’re writing about birds, family, reminiscing or musing about the weather…it’s all good to me if it’s top of mind for you. Keep it all coming – whatever inspires you. 🥰
Thank you so much for your encouragement. I’m reading the Pennebaker book you mentioned. I find it fascinating. I loved my daughter’s flow chart too. It got a lot of comments and good feedback from SwimSwam readers. Right to the point.
I love that you’re loving the Pennebaker book. It’s one I return to again and again when I’m feeling stuck or unsure about writing. Somehow it gives confidence. Keep reading…tell me more when you’re done! 🥰
I will! I’ve just gotten started and it does make me realize how helpful writing has always been to me.
Yay! 🥰🥰🥰
👍🏼
I’ve been blogging for 5+ years and what I started with initially- blogging about weight loss, diet, exercise and health topics seldom make an appearance. I write poetry, fiction or opinion pieces in response to different challenges/prompts.
Isn’t it interesting how our initial ideas of what our blog should be change with time — as we do.
Yes it is interesting. I’ve just scheduled for reposting, my very first blog post for tomorrow.
I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks. 🙏🏼 I was pleasantly surprised 😂
😊
I’ve blogged steadily since about 2013. There was a point where I took off a year or so, and other times I’ve ebbed and flowed. Right now, I am in a flow, and have been posting a few times a week. I get a lot of good ideas from the challenges people host, and since I take quite a few photos whenever I go anywhere, I usually can find something I can use or even better, I can grab my camera and head for the woods.
I’m similar to you and have blogged since 2014 but very sporadically at first. I also like to take photos and they help me with ideas.
Such a great question and an interesting metamorphosis of your blog. My initial goal with my blog was to explore our daily life, the struggles and the things we’re encountering as we age. I was hoping to appeal to an older audience and figure out together how to live our best life. My focus is much the same after 5 years. Hugs, C
I still see your blog like that, but you’ve added all your travels, family and faith. That adds up to the best life 💕
I’ve been blogging for about ten years now. I’ve never had what you’d call a schedule… mostly I write when something inspires me, and mostly about this and that. Lately I’ve been kind of in an inspiration ditch. I have written several drafts, then not finish them because I can’t find the answer to “why am I writing this?” Hopefully I’ll climb out of the ditch soon because I love to write and especially enjoy the interaction each post elicits.
I totally relate.
I always knew my blog would cover a lot of topics, hence the name. For the first few years I was heavily focused on completing the 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks. I really had hoped to tell stories that would draw lessons from history we should learn from. I realize that idea is good, but not something I excel at. Mostly I like to tell stories, primarily about dead people or about myself (in the past, or traveling, but not so much my daily life). Like Deb, part of me wants to tackle some big issues, but I’m not comfortable in a controversial space. I save that for one-on-one, face-to-face.
I enjoy your stories and photos of people in the past. I admire the research you do.
I’ve never had a topic for my blog. I write whatever each week. Some people like to have a focus for their blog, which can be nice. Some people write about their lives. This is OK, but if it gets too depressing or boring I stop following. What we feed our brain determines our happiness level. Also, I work full time, so I don’t have a lot of time to read, if I do, it has to keep my attention. Last year, I didn’t feel like writing, but somehow I did each week. One post a week. That’s my limit. I found I was getting low, by reading posts that were way too long and/or the person was depressed in life. I had to do a real assessment on who I followed. Even if it had been years of following them, things change, it was time to move on. Reading Blogs is similar to magazines. Sometimes magazines we loved are not keeping our attention anymore. Our interests have changed. So, here’s to interesting posts in 2024.
Yes, I find some blogs I enjoyed at different times in my life. I look for an authentic and interesting voice.