A week or so ago, I looked at a new blog – well, newish as it replaces a previous blog by the same person – and noticed a few spelling errors. Knowing the blogger, I let her know about them and thought nothing else of it. A few days later, I noticed that Melissa had added a new post in which she talked about fixing those errors I had pointed out and the importance of proof reading.

This reminded me of how we can find blogging (or article or newsletter, etc) topics from the simple events that happen in our business and personal lives. Small events can remind us of important things or create a useful learning tool. So here are some suggestions for next time you are stuck on what to write…

• questions clients have recently asked you – e.g. I recently explained bleeds to a couple of clients and I have been asked if I do editing of articles (which I do!), and both of those could become a blog post
• tips you come across from other business people – for example, I shared some decluttering tips I gained from a workshop I attended
• mistakes you see in others’ work – not as a means of criticising others, but as a means of learning from their mistakes
• turning points and changes in your business – either just to let people know of them, or as a means of teaching others alternatives

By including little things in your list of ideas is a good way to increase the amount of topics you have to write about.

Use your words wisely!

There are apparently hundreds of carnivals happening so you’ll probably find one you like, or at least one on a topic you like!

It seems like a great way to find new blogs on interesting topics, and just to learn about a particular topic. Most carnival hosts review the blogs first so the blogs listed in a carnival should be relevant, good and spam-free.

So far, my blog is included in two carnivals:

The She Blogs carnival

Mothers in business carnival

What carnivals have you read and enjoyed?

{Additional content November 2009}

I have since been involved in a number of carnivals (list of some below) and find them a great way to find some very interesting blog posts and blogs. Some blogs I’ve found in this way and have taught me things and others have inspired me (including inspired a number of blog posts which usually involve a link back to the original post so those bloggers get an additional link from being in a carnival, too.)

It is easy to join carnivals, especially if you put good content into your blog in the first place. So if you haven’t joined a carnival yet, why not?

Focus Organic
email marketing tips
sales & management success
internet business techniques
Aussie bloggers
internet business
boot strapper
tip diva
achieving objectives

So I’m pleased to say there will be a Business Mums Network blogging for beginners intensive workshop in Melbourne in a few week’s time (17 November to be precise!) Lucie Battaini of MulitmediART will talk about choosing a blog and getting one up and running then I will talk about blog content – different styles, how to select content, etc.

Then we’ll brainstorm some blog topics for every participant, one by one. So those people will get to go home with the knowledge of how to start a blog that suits them AND have ideas to actually blog about. They’ll be experts in no time after this workshop and it’s under $100, too.

Hmm, speaking, providing notes – guess I’d better get writing!

Word Constructions ~ for all your business writing needs