Ten Tips To Find Ideas For Your Pet Writing

Guest post by Blog Manager Robbi Hess

You've committed yourself to writing on your pet blog a few times a week. Great plan! But, now what do
you write about? It's a frightening thing… staring at that blank computer screen with your self-imposed writing deadline looming. What are you going to write about that you haven't already covered? 

Here are some tips to keep the idea factory moving along and your pet blog viable and the readers engaged:

1.  Stay involved in the pet community. Subscribe
   to pet-focused newsletters and other pet blogs.
2. Work
   on seasonal topic articles or “national awareness” days, weeks or months.
3. Look
   at a blog you did before and see if you can reinvent it. Can you add new
   information? Update the topic completely?
4. Are
   there any national trends? Can you make it local? For example, dog or other pet
   food recalls that cause health issues – talk to your vet and get more
   information to make it relevant and persona.
5. Is
   there something going on locally that you can use and turn it into a bigger
   piece? A breed-specific event locally? Talk to those in attendance and then
   spin it into a blog that your readers can relate to in their own hometowns.
6. Talk
   to the people you’re in line with at the coffee shop or veterinarian’s office.
   What are their concerns? What are they talking and thinking about? Answer their
   concerns in your post or use it to raise more questions.
7. Start
   a mind mapping white board. Take a general topic then branch out from that
   topic to others. Mind mapping is a great way to brainstorm and many times fresh
   ideas will spring forth if you relax and let your mind run free.
8. Look
   at magazines every time you go to the bookstore. Read magazine articles outside
   of your area of expertise. Yes, you’re a pet writer, but look at the trends in
   parenting magazines, for example, you’re likely to be able to find a way to
   spin a pet article for a parent-centric magazine for your blog.
9. Ask
   your friends and family what they’re reading, what they’re concerned with, what
   they’d like to see on your blog.
10. Get
    out of the house. Attend networking events. Take your dog to a different dog
    park and say hello to the people you meet. A change of scenery may help spark
    new ideas. 

What are your best ways for finding ideas?