Most of you might assume that because I’m a writer, blogging ideas pour forth from my brain like Mt. Vesuvius erupting all over ill-fated Pompeii. I will admit it’s difficult sometimes to curb my unruly thoughts. But I still require the proper stimulation to conjure up my perfect storm of creativity and business-appropriate subject matter.
Like you, I’m always on the prowl for online resources that give me a good reason to disappear for 15 or 20 minutes (or longer) in the name of blogging research. Here’s a sampling of the virtual places currently causing me to get “No Sleep till Brooklyn”:
Mental Floss Is Available in Original and Mint Flavors: I think the title tag for this magazine’s website says it all: “Random, Interesting, Amazing Facts…” As I’m typing, on Thursday, September 26, Mental Floss is sharing with me a random fact (#32261) that says “The sum of all the numbers on a roulette wheel is 666.”
From this little factoid, I can generate the following possible blog post topics: “Bizarre Numerical Sums to Beware in Casinos”; “Gambling Is the Numerical Root of All Evil”; and so on.
The Lists feature is a brainstorming bonanza that includes History, Science, Geek, Pop Culture, and Words categories. If you’re not diligent enough to stimulate your gums by flossing daily, at least you can floss your brain…
There’s a Reason This Science Magazine Is So D@mn Popular: How can you resist enhancing your blogging creativity via a revered magazine’s website offering articles such as “What Is the Point of the Female Orgasm?” and “What Our Eyes Say About Our Sexual Preferences”?
Popsci.com’s Galleries resource offers amazing photos that are visually stimulating (ex: “7 Fantastic Vintage Anatomy Drawings”). These particular images made me think about transforming the classic Operation board game into a version for business people (“Operation: Chief Executive Officer Edition”). See, geeky science information does lead to blogging creativity!
Everything You Need to Know about “How Stuff Works” from TLC: I have to thank my husband and son for this newly added gem to my blog research bookmark collection. I never realized this Discovery/The Learning Channel show was also an onion-like website with endless layers of articles.
I’m not quite sure how I would convert this one into a By All Writes blog post, but surely some blogger out there can “springboard” from “Why does orange juice taste bad after you brush your teeth?” Scroll all the way to the bottom of the Home page to discover just how much other stuff you don’t know! As a smart-ass business blogger, I’m partial to the “Stuff to Blow Your Mind” videos…
Hongkiat.com Was Born and Bred in Malaysia: If you’re a blogger who writes about technology or design issues, this is the brainstorming resource for you. I stumbled upon it via one of my many Google searches – I was intrigued by the story of Hongkiat Lim, the site’s proud parent.
Hongkiat.com also publishes irresistible images that will cause your brain to percolate faster than a Keurig single-cup brewer. Before you go, check out this post regarding origami created from dollar bills. Yes, I’m serious.
Use IMDb to Fact Check Movie Quotes and More: By now my repeat readers have figured out that I am a film buff. I enjoy weaving both famous and obscure movie lines into my blog posts. While I tend to watch a wide variety of movies on the Turner Classic Movies channel (especially when folding laundry), I get my true blogging inspiration for movie trivia and quotes from IMDb.com.
IMDb claims to be “the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content,” and I believe it. Whether you need to source famous movie scenes or little-known quotes for your blog posts, this site’s search engine is a wondrous tool.
If you blog for your business, what websites or other online resources are your favorite brainstorming tools? Were any of my suggestions new to you? If so, which of these websites might you sample to fill in your blog’s editorial calendar? Any other idea-generating resources you’re willing to share would be appreciated – keep on blogging!
Lori Shapiro is the owner of By All Writes LLC, a business-to-business (B2B) writing, editing, and research company in Marlton, New Jersey. She revels in shielding her clients from the pain of writing their own print and web marketing copy. Call her (856-810-9764) or email her (lori@byallwrites.biz) for a no-obligation project quote today!
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