Endless content: the 3-step process for really shy people (that’s actually fun)
How to never be at a loss for topics again and love it
Awwww, ain’t he cute?
Don’t you want to be like this guy when you write?
I know not everything we write about is going to be sunshine and rainbows, but isn’t this where we want to be for the most part?
I know I do.
As much as I enjoy the struggle and the blood, sweat, and tears and wanting to tear what little hair I have left out of my rapidly receding hairline, I do want to giggle and laugh sometimes in my writing.
Seriously, props to the photographer who captured this moment. He makes me smile just looking at this (like my kids do 68.3% of the time).
And yes, this is yet another article about how to never run out of ideas.
You’ve been there, right?
It’s like starting that old gas mower your parents used to make you use to cut grass on your hilly backyard complete with a swimming pool before accidentally burning yourself on the exhaust trying to adjust the height…
I still have the scar.
The truth is that most of the concepts and thoughts that we share have been shared before and most likely will be shared again.
BUT
The difference is that I’ve never written about how I approach this.
Every new perspective is a fresh take from another individual with a myriad of slightly altered experiences from yours. Why else do we read so many:
- self-help books
- articles about growing an audience
- websites about the latest trends in topics we enjoy
even though one comprehensive one will do?
Because we like the people and resonate with their approach.
That’s only part of writing, though…
Here’s how I went from having no clue what I was going to write about to having dozens of drafts floating across my hard drive.
What are you reading these days?
If you’re on social media, and you’re just on a platform to share your ideas and thoughts, then you are only using it as a soapbox.
You might as well print it out on paper and distribute that on a street corner somewhere because you’ll get about as much interest…
At least a dog or two might come by and pee on the soapbox while you’re there. You’ll get crickets on the digital version because nobody pays attention to a self-centered, self-absorbed narcissist who’s only in it for themselves.
What I’m trying to say is if you want to always have more in the noggin tank, then read more about what others are saying.
- Read posts
- Read books
- Read articles
Read. Read. Read.
Most people whine about the dearth of ideas in their head. It’s because there’s not much going on up there except for “when food?” or “when sleep?” or “when poo?”…
Sorry, I have a 6-year-old and 2-year-old, and these are the things I have to focus on for the foreseeable future!
It’s why I read the things I just mentioned; so I don’t devolve into a doting dad who only runs around the house cooking and cleaning so that mommy doesn’t eat her young. Parenting is tough, mmmm-kaaay?
Cultivating this habit alone keeps your brain humming, but you know what really kicks it up a notch?
Acknowledge the work
The beauty of social media is that you get the added bonus of actually having the magical option of reaching out to the author directly for a chance to ::gasp:: engage with them on a personal level!
Remember when you had to write letters to your pen pal in the third grade to some kid named Timmy in Illinois?
You’d write your cute little stories about what you did on a daily basis and what your favorite color or dinosaur was. A few weeks later, the teacher would hand you a response with an equally fun description of his favorite cartoon or what the weather was like…
Or at least that’s how it was the early 90s. These days, kids just drop into a Fortnite server to meet other kids across the world and scream at each other.
Ahem, I digress.
Back to what I was saying, if you resonate with the article or post or book, then you can now seek them out on social media or response directly with a comment. Just the act of doing so means you most likely have had a similar experience or share the same thoughts as the author.
Be human. Reach out. Let them know how much you enjoyed it (or disagreed with it, free speech and all, but keep it classy).
Here’s what separates the good stuff from the great stuff.
Sincerity and specificity in engagement
Remember in school where you’d all stand around in the playground and just chat and there’d be that one kid standing a little too close to the biggest of the bunch who’d act as the “yes” person?
“Yeah.”
“What he said.”
“So cool.”
That poor kid. The one with nothing to add but desperately wanted to be heard and acknowledged.
Don’t be that kid in the comments section.
In improvisational acting, there’s a powerful word for all who have this problem (inner child included):
The word “and”.
If you are inspired to comment, this is where the potential for infinite content really shines. Don’t just let the author know you enjoyed their ideas…
- Let them know WHY you enjoyed it.
- Let them know HOW you felt when you read it.
- Let them know WHAT you really liked (or didn’t like) about their take.
Not doing so is the equivalent of handing out the oatmeal cookies without the cream filling, the buns without the two all beef patties, the dumplings without the yummy, sweet pork center, in short…
YOU ARE DEPRIVING THEM OF THE GOOD STUFF.
Genuine appreciation and gratitude go a long way towards locking in what you read. Taking action on it doesn’t hurt either.
Who knows? You might make a friend or mentor or a partner of some sort!
Here’s the wonderful part: it’s a two-for-one special.
- You cement the idea for future content through the act of writing a thoughtful comment.
- You have a chance to make a connection with a like-minded individual.
Pure magic. Extra gravy. Ooey gooey goodness.
Here’s the kicker if you want infinite joy in writing…
In the end, it’s up to you
Ah, the beauty of choices.
To read. Or not to read.
That is the question.
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to peruse
The words and phrases of outrageous thoughts
Or to go a step further amidst a sea of nobodies
And by commenting stand out.
I’ll stop before I get skewered by every literary critic on Medium for bastardizing “Hamlet”, but you get the idea.
Finding infinite content isn’t hard once you get going:
- Find stuff you like to read or consume.
- Find the social media account of the author.
- Drop a comment about the work and share your take down the line.
I was terrified to do this when I first started out, but it has given me virtually no end of stuff to write about (and my drafts page here is getting overfed thanks to the incredible ideas and inspirations from all of you)!
Oh, and in case you didn’t realize it yet, this is what true networking looks like as well…another thing that I hated before starting here (job fairs anyone?).
Bottom line: you’re not alone…not ever alone…not here at least.
Or you could just keep wracking your brain for stuff alone.
Your move. We’re a social species. Reach out.
Thanks for reading to the end!
Remember that pickles taste better when they’re still floating in the brine. Don’t accept substitutions.
If you’re interested in more tidbits I dig up from my mind, feel free to find me on X or sign up for my newsletter.
P.S. This is 100% organic brain food. No added preservAItives. Buy local and consume with caution.