Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Blog Improvement Project Week 2

This second week of The Blog Improvement Project has Kim asking us to do a little brainstorming:

People start blogs with lots of content ideas, but as the weeks go by sometimes we start to lose steam (at least, I know I do). That’s why this week’s BIP project is about brainstorming.

Kim then adds some good links where we can find ideas for brainstorming, topics to blog about etc. I have read through most of the articles by now and feel rather inspired. Read some of it here.


One of the things which are mentioned as a way of brainstorming is mind-mapping. I have done a lot of mind-mapping at university and feel quite comfortable with it. However, it so reminds me of a "chore" one needed to do when writing an essay, that I am not sure I will use it as a way of blog-brainstorming. Other things are freewriting and listing. Listing is a bit like mind-mapping, I think, but to me it doesn't feel quite as "academic". I already did some listing (without knowing it though) when I made clear to myself, that this blog was going to be about books and bookrelated topics. Yes I have stepped out of that box from time to time, but it is still my goal to keep posts book-related - in one way or the other. And for that, listing is a great idea.

I discovered that there are many more things I can blog about and still keep it book-related. So I am doing some listing right now ;o)

Freewriting is probably one of the best tools if you are lost for words or topics. I use freewriting a lot in my professional work, but have never used it as a blogger. Freewritten pages or papers are not supposed to be seen by any other person than yourself, but in 9 out of 10 times it really makes the creative blood run and more often than not, you can actually use some of the stuff you freewrote. I am not sure I will use free writing as a tool for blogging, but for brainstorming it is an excellent idea.

I will be back later with some of my brainstorming ideas.

12 comments:

Alessandra said...

I don't like mindmapping either - I've been forced to do it so many times that it's a chore, like you said.

Beth F said...

I can't wait to see what you come up with. I'm usually not very good at mind-mapping and other "fancy" brainstorming techniques. I'm good at making lists!

Anonymous said...

I write tons and tons of lists. I have post-it notes and pads of paper all over my desk with my various lists on the. I have quite a few lists of stuff for the BIP too, so many lists I'm afraid I might lose one :)

I hope you come up with some more book-related posts for your blog :)

Kim

Strumpet said...

I am officially tagging you - sorry!

http://strumpetslife.blogspot.com/2009/01/these-books-were-made-for-walking-new.html

Louise said...

Alessandra, Beth & Kim: I am still working on my ideas and will make a post about them very soon. I am still thinking about pros and cons but perhaps it is better to just post them and see what you all thing about it.

Strumpet: Don't be sorry, I am excited to see what it is all about! Thanks a lot :o)

Rebachin said...

Wowsers! Dual language! I saw your parallel blog in Danish (?) at least I was assuming that was the language since your profile says you're living in Denmark.
Kuddos to you! What was your first language?

Look forward to more to come!

Louise said...

Thanks :-) My first language is Danish, so yes, it was Danish you saw on the other blog. I blog ALMOST all posts both places, although there are some I only blog here and some I only blog there.

Anonymous said...

I'm a big list-maker! Lists help me stay focused on my tasks.

My blog is "all books," too, but like you, I've found I can stretch that if there's something else I want to write about. Somehow I can make it fit :)

I haven't yet written my BIP post for this week's task ... must still be brainstorming about it!

Louise said...

Dawn, I also need to get my post about my brain-storm written. But somehow I think I am still brain-storming a little.

Dorte H said...

Hi Louise.

If you want to see a really interesting crime fiction room (lots of discussion & links to cool crime fiction blogs), you should visit my favourite: http://friendfeed.com/rooms/crime-and-mystery-fiction.
You are hereby invited to join us.

Anonymous said...

Can't wait to see what you come up with! This will be fun. :)

Julia Phillips Smith said...

Mind-mapping...don't think we do much of that out here, way across the ocean...

It sounds completely fascinating to me.