HOW TO GET INSPIRED

. HOW TO GET INSPIRED. THE TIME IS NOW .

Following on from yesterdays post about ‘what makes content good‘, I thought i’d take a step backwards and start thinking about content ideas, the inspiration for editorials & the creation of the blog schedule. It’s all well and good having the tools to make the best editorial features in the world, but unless you have an idea of what you want to write about … you’re a little stuck.

These days there’s a million and one places to go to gather ideas for posts, but I like to be a purist, and instead think about inspiration, rather than ready made topics to write about. Inspiration is the stimulus to that great feature, it’s the things that trigger ideas & those sparks that go off in your head when you come up with a  great thought piece.

Inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere, so today I thought i’d share some super easy ways or places or things you can do / see / look at to get inspired. And I bet before you know it you’ll be flowing with ideas (just make sure you capture them all – read tips on turning ideas into features here).

. 10 PLACES & WAYS TO FIND INSPIRATION .

#1 BE AT ONE WITH NATURE

The idea from this post came from my sunflowers. They’ve been sat in my house all week & yesterday I thought i’d take a few pictures of them before they drop completely … as soon as I started editing the pictures I came up with the idea for this post. Feeling inspired.

It’s amazing how flowers, nature & just the outdoors can fill you with stimulus and ideas in an instant. Of course there’s something about being relaxed when you’re out enjoying the scenery, but even just a simple flower can trigger some great thoughts.

#2 FLICK THROUGH MAGAZINES

Magazines have always been one of my favourite sources of inspiration … just a flick through my favourite titles can fill me with ideas, inspiration & thoughts on editorials I too could create. It doesn’t even need to be a new issue … an old mag or your favourite book can fill you with inspiration and ideas. I love books for inspiration, I always flick through them and feel immediately full of new ideas for future features.

#3 SIMPLY, PEOPLE

Spending time with people is always a good way to get creative … even just asking your friends for their ideas is a really simple way to get tons of thoughts and concepts without even really trying.

#4 LISTEN TO MUSIC

This one isn’t for me … but often listening to music, your favourite artists or even watching a movie can be a great source of inspiration.

#5 READ BLOGS

One of my absolutely favourite ways to get inspired is by reading other blogs, just seeing the types of content out there, finding features that I really enjoy reading or simply looking at imagery to get ideas for how I might like to shoot my own imagery. The inspiration to be had from bloggers is in abundance … bloglovin is a great place to browse to find new blogs, new content & new inspiration too.

#6 BROWSE PINTEREST

Much like blogging, pinterest is another favourite source of inspiration for me, whether it’s reading motivational quotes, browsing beautiful images or just a random image that might trigger a new idea, whatever it is, I always leave feeling full of new ideas. Instagram is another good platform to browse if you’re seeking a little bit of inspiration.

#7 VISIT MUSEUMS

Museums, galleries, exhibitions … what better source of creative inspiration. Spend a day gallery hopping, take your camera, and guaranteed you’ll leave bursting with ideas. For starters …a new gallery guide feature!

#8 JUST RELAX

Run yourself a bath, grab a cup of tea, snuggle up on the sofa … and just BE. The best ideas come when you’re in a relaxed state of mind (more on the science behind that here), and so just giving yourself a little TLC, a little down time, a little time to relax is a really great way of setting yourself up to get inspired. Let your brain just run, and before you know it you’ll be jotting down ideas for new features.

#9 ESCAPE TO THE SEASIDE

There’s nothing like the seaside to inspire me. It’s just the sea, the relaxed state of mind, the beautiful lighting & the instagram worthy scenery … it’s one of my favourite places to just go to clear my mind, and once the mind is clear … the ideas start flowing.

#10 GO THROUGH YOUR ARCHIVES

I actually do this quite a lot … but getting inspiration from your own content is another great way to get ideas flowing. You’ll be surprised about all the work you’ve done, all the amazing features you’ve written & i’m sure all the work, imagery & editorial you’ve produced will inspire new content in a moment.

How do you get inspired & where do you seek your inspiration? What do you do to generate ideas for your blogs or work? I’d love to hear your ideas and tips in the comments!