AHHH I need a Blog Topic!!!

One of the hardest things you can do as a blogger is to come up with a post topic. Do you make it simple for newbies, technical, or something personal?  After figuring out a topic, now you have to write.  However, there is a difference in what you say and what will people actually want to read.

Blogging is not easy, but without it, all of our google searches to help solve problems would be much less fruitful.   It’s important to put your experience into written words to help others, and let’s be honest lots of us use out blog posts to remind ourselves of how we did the first time. So, I figured I’d take a minute and let you know what I do to come up with a topic. Maybe it could help others break into the blogosphere or fix their writer’s block.

First, I look at what I have done recently in my job.

Did I fix something?

Come across an error?

Did I find something I didn’t like?

Did I find something I really liked?

Did I just do something really interesting that I got excited about?

If those don’t help I move on to.

Is there something I wish I knew when I was starting out in SQL Server?

A tip?

An option I didn’t know?

A how to?

Nothing coming to mind to write about still? Then I move on to complete RANDOMNESS.  Yes, you read that correctly.   I will go into SQL Management Studio and randomly pick a check box or option and research, test and then proceed write about it.

Lastly, if I am still at a loss I’ll write something like this post.   Something I think might be useful to others that is just a stream of consciousness. It may not be ground breaking, but it might get someone else thinking or motivated. My point of this, is that not all blogs you create have to be ground breaking, technical, or even long in length. Just blog, say what you want to say.

It makes a difference in more ways then you know.

About Monica Rathbun

Monica Rathbun lives in Virginia, is a Microsoft MVP for Data Platform and Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. She has nearly two decades of experience working with a wide variety of database platforms with a focus on SQL Server and the Microsoft Data Platform. She is a frequent speaker at IT industry conferences on topics including performance tuning and configuration management. She is the Leader of the Hampton Roads SQL Server User Group. She is passionate about SQL Server and the SQL Server community, doing anything she can to give back. Monica can always be found on Twitter (@sqlespresso) handing out helpful tips. You can find Monica blogging at sqlespresso.com 
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3 Comments

  1. I hear you on this. I used to blog only when inspiration hit. Now that I’m doing it weekly (or more sometimes) it’s almost harder. On the other hand, I’m finding now that I’m getting into the habit of it, it’s also in some ways getting easier. For one, I realize not EVERY post has to be awe-inspiring. So having 1-2 clunkers in there among the rest of my brilliance is ok.

  2. I hear you – I’ve restarted blogging, and I’ve quit multiple times due to boredom, lack of attention, and just not coming up with a topic and losing motivation.

    For the most part, I’m keeping a Trello board of ideas, and cherry picking good ones, using it to create more.

    I’m sure at some point I’ll look at what other people are writing and then put my spin on something that way… but right now I’ve got a few things to blog.

    Hope inspiration strikes for you 🙂

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