You write for a living. This has to be the dream job that any sane person would love to have. Really, how great is this? You just sit down in front of the computer and… and… um… okay… that blank page looks awfully, well, blank, doesn’t it? And that clock… how the heck did it get that late?

First thing, when you hit The Wall, push back, get up and walk away. No, this is not giving up, this is research. Writing is not exactly a physically challenging occupation, is it? Well, unless you routinely chisel your copy onto basalt. No, this is a head thing. So, you need to think it through. If you’re like most bloggers, you write your entries in your mind first, anyway.

1. Go Someplace You’ve Never Been Before

All of us are creatures of habit, so it is an absolute dead certainty that there are dozens and dozens of places you have never had any particular reason or desire to visit. What, exactly, does a quilting store sell, anyway? How does that key-copier machine at the hardware store work? That little restaurant has been there for, well, forever. Yet, whoever eats there? And how did it get that strange name? Who’s the cook? Okay, point made. Use your imagination; you’re a blogger, for goodness sake.

2. Today Is the 343^rd Anniversary of…

Somebody once defined history as: “Just one damned thing after another.” Well, yes, that might have been written just a little more elegantly, but it’s still technically true. So, let’s see, today is the 343^rd anniversary of the last entry that Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary. Here was a guy who was not only an important government officer in London during some very dramatic times, but he took the time to write his diary in code. And, then, this is the 1557^th anniversary of the day on which Petronius Maximus, the Emperor of the Western Roman Empire, was stoned to death by a mob? What? A crowd actually killed an emperor by flinging rocks at him? And what is this Western Roman Empire about, anyway? Whatever the main subject or temper of your blog, there is something you can write about when you have all of human history in which to roam.

3. Revisit Your Own Past

Was there a blog entry you wrote last year, six months ago, even last week that you think might have just possibly been a little off? You think you might have gone overboard in your argument, or maybe missed making a particularly good point? Perhaps some more information has come your way – did someone in the comments section of your blog gave you a lead that you didn’t have when you originally wrote your article? It’s worth going back over previous ground, particularly – this is challenging, but actually an interesting exercise – if you’ve changed your conclusions. Maybe that bridge should have been built, after all. Re-reading your blogs from the past is not only a good exercise for your readers, but it gives you some insight into your writing style.

4. Go Visit the Neighbors

Bloggers are, by nature, competitive. There is always someone who has staked out a blog that represents the exact polar opposite from any other blogger’s position. The very existence of such a blog is a constant, gnawing, annoying pain in the side… Here’s an idea: Pick an agreement. Yes, not a disagreement, pick an agreement. Find a recent post on that blogger’s site and see what, in any stretch of the imagination, you can agree with. Then write a post. Agreeing with your sworn blood enemy. This will not only make that other blogger absolutely crazy, but is a lot of fun. Plus, watch the traffic to your site spike as word gets around that you are the cleverest blogger in the world. (Here’s a freebie – and one which will certainly become widely quoted – “Well, she wouldn’t steal a hot stove.”)

5. Thank Somebody

The word “hero” has been both underused and overused. Some people are called heroes for just doing their jobs. Other people do the most amazing things and are never recognized. Whatever the subject of your blog, whatever your stance or attitude, surely there is someone, somewhere, sometime who has done something that just rocks you back on your heels in amazement. Well, you have the skills, the technology and the audience to tell their story. Some people only have their names written on their birth certificates and their tombstones. And, for many, not even that.

Frankly, most people who aren’t professional writers – bloggers or otherwise – would ever believe just how difficult it is to write. Yet, its one heck of a job, isn’t it? But, we are the great-great-great-grand-somethings of those ancient storytellers who sat around the campfires and told their stories. They did it; we do it. In the end, it’s just a matter of showing up at work, and putting one word after another.

Which Point Above Applies To Your Blog?

Share in the comments below which point you plan to use and how you’ll incorporate it into a future blog post – consider this a free advertising opportunity for your blog!

Guest post contributed by Harry French for www.bloggingtips.com. Harry is an SEO expert and freelance writer who focuses on lead generation for businesses by getting more traffic, leads and sales.