When you first start blogging, you feel as if you’re standing before a well of endless Money making ideas. After all, you love writing, you love your topic, and you love sharing what you know. You foresee weeks and months and even years of hosting a popular, prosperous blog. 

Except the well runs dry. Not just the occasional dry spell that occurs when you’re tired, and magically resolves itself when “the muse” visits you in the shower. No, a drought of the imagination that wears on and on, manifesting itself in boring writing, skipped weeks, and a gradual exodus of all but your most loyal Readers. There’s only one solution – to drill another well!

Here are suggestions on where to start….

1.  Charging Your Imagination 

All writers experience some form of block eventually. If yours doesn’t lift within a few days, chances are you need to recharge your life in general. Try these methods for getting out of your funk: 

• Exercise: We writers are often sedentary creatures. However, for some reason, words flow best when your blood is flowing, too. When you’re hard-pressed by everyday concerns, it’s hard to find time for activity, but you’ll quickly see the benefits. You don’t need to join a gym.  Take a walk, ride a bike, dance around in your underwear. Make it simple, but keep it consistent, and don’t be surprised if the words start flowing mid-step!

•Read: The best writers are also the best readers. Read what you love, and don’t feel guilty. You’re not wasting time, you’re refueling!

•Get Crazy: Take a few sheets of paper, a pen, and brainstorm. What is the most insane topic you can think of? The silliest? Scariest? Happiest? Ask yourself what if? Nothing is off limits! Will most of it be useless? Sure, but you’ll find some good money making ideas, and get your mind moving.

2.  The Big Wide World 

It’s easy for writers to get overly attached to their desks. Problem is, not much happens there. So get out! Go to the store, the park, the library! Anywhere you find people. Then listen to them. What are they talking about? How? Why? Look around and don’t just watch – observe!

3.  The Interwebz

Can’t get out? Well you can via the Internet. Only this time, don’t just look at your go-to surfing sites. Wander a little.  Read your competition. Can you do them one better? Get caught up on current events. Browse Wikipedia. For more directed inspiration, search for articles about your niche or subjects. Scout keywords on wordtracker.com. Spend some time on niche-related forums to see what money making ideas people are looking for–or what they think they know, but don’t. Then provide it.

4.  Learn Something New

The wisest blogger is the one who knows they don’t know it all. When you believe you’ve shared all you know – learn more! You may not find it online. Go to the library. Explore journals, newspapers, magazines. Enroll in a class. Interview an expert in your field, and post it on your blog (the interview and resulting discussions could provide weeks of blog-fodder). Stimulate your brain; you’ll be surprised at how many ideas just a little new information will create.

5.  The Big Event 

One way to learn a lot of new things in a very short amount of time is to attend a conference. No matter what your niche, chances are there’s a conference or other large-scale event targeting you.  If at all possible, get there! Not only will you learn more about your niche or business by attending lectures and browsing the presentation booths, you’ll meet people who share your interests, network, make friends and contacts. You’ll visit a new city, see new sights, breathe new air and come back invigorated, full of new passion for money making ideas you already love.

6.  Book Reviews

You might already keep on the books, articles, and programs that deal with your niche – or with business itself. Let your reading do double-duty by reviewing those materials for your blog audience. What should they read? Buy for their “keeper shelves”? Avoid entirely? Unsure of what to include in a review? Check out examples in the literary sections of larger newspapers, often available online.

7.  Reconnect With Your Readers

We sometimes get caught blogging for ourselves. We write about what we’re thinking, what interests us, and forget that, unlike a private diary, our blogs are supposed to provide content our readers can use. How can you find out what your audience wants and needs? Go through your back posts. Which attracted the most comments? What questions have readers asked? What experiences have they shared? Better yet, just ask, via survey or open-ended question, then pay attention to the results.

8.  Oh No You Didn’t!

If you generally love to make people happy, look for the compromise, usually avoid religion and politics, then this tactic is for you. Court controversy! Say something outrageous, then back up your opinion. You don’t have to be obnoxious, just provocative. Sometimes people need to debate the Big Questions. Let them do it on your blog. Just keep it civil and remember, it’s ok to moderate. You want a discussion, not a civil war.

9.  The Tour

Everyone runs out of ideas. Everyone gets bored. Your fellow bloggers are no exception. So propose a change of scenery and organize a “blog tour,” with several of your colleagues. Trade posts, conduct interviews, offer product giveaways, and promote the heck out of it! You’ll all meet new audiences, gain new followers, and perhaps some new money making ideas.

10. Best Laid Plans

If you try a few of these strategies, you’ll likely find yourself happily blogging again. We hate to break it to you, but this won’t last. Eventually you’ll find yourself again wondering if you’ll ever write another word. Now is the time to insure yourself against another dry spell by writing ahead.

Keep a list of great money making ideas, topics you wish to explore, the information your readers want. Don’t fall into the trap of writing procrastination. Write several posts ahead, building up a bank of good writing you can turn to when you hit a slump or run out of time.

Like all worthwhile pursuits, blogging isn’t as easy as it looks. Still, with some go-to writer’s block remedies, you can make it look effortless.