If you read this blog because you yourself blog, then no doubt you have your own reasons for blogging. If you're blogging because you love to write, then you're doing it for the right reasons. If you're blogging just to make money, then forget about it. Find some other profession. The truth is, readers will see through you, in your writing. At least, discerning readers will see through you. You may be the biggest jerk with the most inflammatory, hateful, closed-minded political blog (sorry, too many links to count here), but if your writing is passionate and your convictions are honest, your readers will return. Okay, you think you're a good writer, but can't come up with enough ideas on a regular basis. Well, besides keeping up with your area of interest, a few writer's tools may help.

In my collection of writer's reference books, there are two tools that I've used to great result for my fiction and article/essay writing: The Writer's Block and The Observation Deck. The first, by Jason Rekulak, is published by Running Press and is a near-cube shaped block that touts itself as "786 Ideas To Jump-Start Your Imagination". It has little anecdotes and suggested exercises designed to get your creative juices flowing. The second tool, by Naomi Epel, is a boxed set of a deck of cards and a book on how to use the cards. The cards have brief, cryptic instructions, which when you read the instructions, also help you spark writing ideas.

Both items are designed to be used at random, rather than systematically. While these tools are geared towards creative writing in essay form or fiction, I find that on days when my creative juices are flowing, using them also gives me numerous ideas for articles. Whether or not these tools can be used for professional blogging remains to be seen.

(c) Copyright 2005-present, Raj Kumar Dash, http://blogspinner.blogspot.com

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