I know, I know, it’s just that time of year again. I haven’t forgotten about you all, (Ya’ll where I live); I’ve just been so busy that I haven’t had time to finish anything. I have a lot of good stuff coming in the New Year and I am looking forward to it. My intention is to get one more”blogcast” out before the end of the year, BUT, it depends on how things go. I have been so busy I am already three days into the New Year, (and that is highly unusual for me at this time of year), and have a lot of stuff to get out before the end of this week. I hope you all have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!, (just in case you don’t hear from me before then.)
General
Having Laugh Or Two With My Podcast Out-Takes
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
I seriously thought about calling this audio blog/article, “And you thought this was easy,” but I was afraid you wouldn’t hang around and listen to the out-takes I have for you and then you would miss out on having a good laugh or two.
Well, for some this may be easy, but for others, (myself included), it only seems that way. Even if you didn’t think it to be so, take comfort in the fact that you too, with a little editing practice and expertise, can make your podcast flow with the best of them and sound as professional as anyone’s.
Today, I wanted you to have a little fun today at my expense. I am going to take you behind the scenes of my podcast before it is edited. Unfortunately, I am sure this may be something I will someday regret, BUT, I wanted you to see that you don’t have to be even close to perfect to make something happen out of what may originally seem like a disaster. (Take heart good friend, this is all about editing out the stuff you don’t want people to hear. )
This is why I like to pre-record my instructional podcasts and why I know — absolutely — “You Can Do This!”
Things To Consider For The Main Body Of Your Production
(Click Here for the podcast version of this article)
Now we come to the main body of your audio podcast. I can’t really tell you too much about the body of your podcast. It is up to you, your subject matter and the format you decide to use with your podcasting idea. What I can tell you is that there are several ways in which you can present it.
The choice is naturally, up to you in how you want to present your information or interviews. I personally like a couple of ways. One is without a music floor and one is with. For those of you that are totally new to some of this, I offer this short explanation as my interpretation of a ‘music floor’.
A ‘music floor’ is some kind of music, usually instrumental, playing beneath your talking or reading of your scripted material. My musical choices are very likely going to be different than yours. Some of you really like to “rock out” and some of you are really into that “head bangin” stuff. Those are fine if that is your taste and choice. Others will choose “heavy metal” while still others will choose some more laid back types such as “easy listening”, “jazz” or even “classical.”
Any of these are reasonable choices because it doesn’t really matter that much what type you choose, but there are a few things to consider while you make your choices in types or styles.
One of the most important things to consider is to make completely sure that the music you choose is not overpowering what you say and the second most important is right there with it.
Getting Started With Your Podcast Productions
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
Okay, I know you’ve noticed some differences in my podcasts of the articles lately. I’ve been trying a few different things over the last several weeks. Most of what I have done is for demonstration purposes and helping you see what you can do as a beginner podcaster. I know I’ve enjoyed making them and I hope you have enjoyed listening also. Just in case you’re new to the site or might have missed the subtle differences, I would like to point out a few of them now.
First, I would like to talk about a few of the things I am featuring in the podcasts these days. I want to say right up front that I have acquired even more respect and appreciation for Mike Stewart, ‘theinternetaudioguy’. He has some great things available to you for making your audio or video podcasts ‘as good as any and better than many’.
Just a short while ago, I mentioned in one of my blogs that I was not going to use any music that I had to pay for. I said I was going to use my own stuff and I was fully intending to do so. The reason I wanted to use my own stuff was because it was free and my budget for frills such as that was, and is, limited. I had tried other free music clips and was usually disappointed in their quality or style. What I mean is, if I don’t like the way they sound or I can’t listen to them, I’m not going to put them in my audio work. It’s just the way I am.
Then, I visited Mike Stewart’s site again. That’s not uncommon because I do visit it often for several reasons. This time I found that I could take advantage of some free music to use for spots if only I would sign up for his newsletter. Do you have to ask? Yes, of course I took advantage of the special offer and I cannot tell you how pleasantly surprised I was at the quality of the productions. I should have expected it to be good because it is easy to tell the type person Mike is especially if you go by the quality of the productions he turns out.
I guess I was just gun-shy at first. I mean, these days so many people offer you some mediocre product just to whet your appetite so they can really soak you for the good stuff. Not so with Mike Stewart. He has proven to me more than once that he is quality through and through.
Although I have never met him, I can tell he thinks along the same paths I do. He is interested in people being able to turn out the best quality audio or video product that they can and turn it out without investing an arm and a leg with nothing to show for the investment. Now, that does not mean that everything he offers is inexpensive, but, in my experience, he does give you great value for the money you invest. He has some great software and hardware packages available at great prices. These are things he uses himself and will often demonstrate them as he talks about them and how to use them. (Did I mention he does this at great prices?) He is a great source for getting started with audio or video podcasting and I highly recommend his sites.
Now lets get back to what I started out with in the title, “Getting Started with Your Podcast Productions”. This is about you as a beginner getting a great start in making a professional sounding podcast. It may not happen without spending some work and time in editing, but it will happen and probably sooner than you ever thought possible. My plan over the next few audio blog/articles is to show you some simple things that make a big difference in the sound and feel of your podcast.
“Take the time for a few minutes to go back and read/listen to, “Can’t See the Forest for the Trees“. Listen to the opening and then the body of the article. Take note of what you hear as you listen.
After that, go and check out, “Failure Is Not an Option Unless You Make It One“. Listen to the opening and the body of the article also. You will notice a subtle difference between the two. Although the openings are the same, what I did with, (or should I say in the background of), the body of the article is different. Yes, that’s right, I added music underneath the reading of the body of the article. It does make a difference in the over-all feel of the article itself and it is subtle, yet effective.
If you really want to hear a difference in those that I did first and the ones I do now check out, “episode #0012“. I’m not saying the first ones are bad, I am merely saying they are different and demonstrate different ways and techniques of accomplishing these productions. I think they are good examples of the possible modes of presenting material for consumption by those that are interested.
In the audio blog/articles to come in the very near future, we will discuss these techniques even more. I hope you will be here for them. I think you will find them very interesting. In fact, I have some really great plans for the up and coming articles and can’t wait to share them with you.
See ya next time . . .
Failure Is Not An Option Unless You Make It One
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
Okay, I think I’m actually leaving the forest behind me for now, at least for the moment, while we move on to the actual preparation for a podcast. I think we’ve spent enough time in discussion and it is time to consider action. In other words, it’s time to quit talking about it and start doing it.
With all of the neat technology available to us these days, there is absolutely no reason why we can’t turn out a great podcast and have it sound as if we have been doing it for years. Even if you are an absolute beginner, one that has never done even one podcast before, or possibly, never even talked into a microphone at some time or other, you can make a successful podcast and you can do it sooner than later. Why, I would even venture a guess that you can even surprize yourself with the production you can turn out using the tricks, techniques, software and hardware I’ve mentioned here numerous times over the last six months or so.
Now that I have said all of that, let’s not forget that there are still a few important things we need to remember. If you have been along for at least part of the ride we’ve taken so far over the last several months, you know one of my main complaints and objectives has been to not neglect the details. I know you’ve heard people say ‘the devil is in the details’, but I totally disagree. Paying attention to small details can make a big difference between a mediocre and fantastic podcast. There are certain things you need to work on as far as technique goes, and then there is the fact that you need to relax and get comfortable behind the microphone. Let’s talk a little bit about that, now.
I know I’m pretty opinionated when it comes to certain procedures and the resulting final products people turn out, but, and I know I’ve said it before, if something is worth doing I think it is worth doing well. Why in the world would anyone want to waste their time turning out a podcast that is full of poor production techniques and sloppy mistakes that could have been avoided with just a little forethought, practice and preparation. I’ll even borrow line from the ‘audio generator’ folks and say, “If you can talk on the phone” you can make an audio blog, podcast or whatever. All you have to do is talk to the microphone as if you are talking to a friend. I know that sounds too easy, but it is true (at least to get you started) and it could very well be that that concept is what it takes for you to be able to relax and just let your conversation flow. Don’t think of yourself as speaking in front of hundreds of people that you don’t know. Think of it as speaking to someone you’ve known for years and you are very comfortable sharing your thoughts and knowledge with.
Why not write out your script? I know that requires extra effort, but it can make you more effective in delivering your message. I realize there are some of you out there that just like to fly by the seat of your pants. If you can do it, great! However, not many can and even those that can will have at least some form of an outline of what they want to talk about. Listen. There is no shame in having your topics written down in outline form. Doing this can definitely help you stay on track.
You’re the one that makes the choice of what you need as far as this procedure is concerned. I have a friend that makes outlines from his thoughts when he is preparing to speak with one or two words per thought. I have heard him speak and I have seen his notes. I am amazed at how much he can say with so little written down. Myself, I am just the opposite. I like to write out my podcast word for word in article form, but, I am in no way bound to every word it contains. I can, and do , edit on the fly. That means I can add to it, or subtract from it, as I go.
So what does all this mean? It simply means that I have a fairly well organized script to follow that I have taken the time to research and write. That means I feel pretty confident as I talk. It allows me to concentrate on getting my point across and not have to concentrate so hard on what I want to say.
That’s why I say it is well worth taking the time to prepare. If you are doing a solo webcast, I think it is even more important to have that preparation. It makes your presentation flow.
If you have two or more hosts, your job can be quite a bit easier. Talk does come a little easier between two people. Even though I still think it is a good idea to have at least and outline with multiple hosts, it probably isn’t as necessary to have a full script. Usually, the outline gives direction when the flow of ideas reaches a lull.
So, now you need to decide several things if you want to get started successfully with your podcast:
- You need to decide what software you want to use. There are many to choose from and some are easier to use than others. I still recommend ‘Audacity’ for several reasons. It is free, it is easy to use and, as if that is not enough, it does a great job.
- Make an outline or write a script, once you have decided on a subject.
- Practice reading through your script. This will help you become more comfortable when you actually ‘Go Live’ in front of the mic (or audience.) The more you read, (or talk), in front of the mic, the more you learn about how to make your talk interesting and the easier it becomes to sound natural and confident. In general, you learn learn your craft better.
- Practice recording with your software program. This will give you the chance to check your levels and be sure you are able to capture your production. (There is nothing worse than finding you have just made something that is unusable and having to do it over.)
If you will take the time to prepare your equipment, your production and yourself, there is very little room for failure. Thus, the title of this article; “Failure is not an option unless you make it one.”
By taking the time to prepare all of the above, you will just about guarantee the success of your production. If you decide to ‘wing it’, there is no guarantee you will fail, but, it could very likely be the result should you choose that option.
See ya next time . . .
Can’t see the forest for the trees . . .
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
I can’t tell you why I’m so hung up with this forest stuff at the present. I guess the images in my mind just fit for the moment. Every once-in-a-while, it seems I just have to spout off a little and make my position known and, I guess this is one of those times.
As I look out at the podcast landscape, I see many things available, and yet, so little of what I am looking for. When I do find something I am looking for, I either get excited or disappointed. I get excited when I find someone has actually put a little thought into their production and turned out a decent podcast and, believe me, that happens quite often. The disappointment comes for several reasons, one of them being, either they just don’t get it or I don’t.
Please don’t misunderstand me; there is some really great stuff out there in both the audio and video areas. Many are very professional technically and extremely excellent in production and content. I guess I just get weary sometimes with what some call being creative. (Of course, there is always that inattention to detail thing I harp on a lot.)
Now, admittedly, I am more oriented toward the educational side and less toward the entertainment side, but, both require a few things to be done right for them to be effective, at least in my opinion. These few things have very little to do with the way a person talks, (or looks, if we are talking video), and a lot to do with how they want to be perceived by those that will be listening or watching. It has to do with making a production that is worth seeing or listening to. It has to do with choosing the right equipment and software; maybe even in choosing the right format to get their point across to their audience in the most effective way.
I am not criticizing, nor minimizing, a person’s ability or freedom to be creative. I just think there is more than enough junk out there that keeps people from seeing the beauty of the forest. Some podcasts are nothing more than trees and have nothing at all to do with the forest because they don’t fit. The vision for them is so limited, they really ‘can’t see the forest for the trees.’ I know podcasting is still in it’s infancy, but some don’t understand they are helping lay the groundwork for the future of the industry as a whole and what peoples’ impression of it will be.
Another of the main reasons I get disappointed is poor production techniques that could easily be improved upon with a little bit more of ‘paying attention to detail’. I guess one thing I notice the most these days is how disinterested some people are in doing a good job. It seems to me they think it is cool to just get their podcast on the net and shock people with their new found freedom. They don’t have much to say and what they do say is filled with with lots of coarse language and very little content. Mostly, this type will fade pretty quickly, but it makes me wonder what their original vision was.
And then there are those that could do one or two things differently and have a much better production. I know I am a bit picky when it comes to certain things, but, things like room ambience and echos distract me. I know those little detail things don’t bother some at all, but I know I am not alone when it comes to being distracted by them.
Now bear with me for a few moments while I ride out this rant I’m on. I know that you, as a beginner podcaster, can do better than others. You’re taking the time to do a little research and planning. You have something to say and it needs to be said. Go ahead … the microphone is yours … make your point, show you’re creativity, get those laughs or enter into the land of “oohs and aahs”. But don’t forget to pay attention to those little things that can make your good podcast, great!
Hey, I like to laugh as much as anyone and I can be moved to tears without embarrassment when the message is right. Just show me that you can do it without taking the easy way out. Show me you’re creative enough to make your point, and make it well, without all of the cheap shots. And while you’re at it, do it without taking the short cuts. Take the time it takes to do it right! Taking that time doesn’t always mean hours … it could just be minutes or seconds that can make a positive difference.
In the same way that people can’t see the forest for the trees, many can’t see the value in putting forth a little more effort to create a better podcast and therefore making it more successful. There is more to it than just getting it out. Make it good … make it happen … look at the big picture. See the forest … not just the trees.
See ya next time . . .
Why Is Podcasting Sometimes Like A Tree Falling In The Forest???
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
There is an old saying people use and it goes something like this: “If a tree falls in the forest, does it make any sound if no one is there to hear it?”
That’s a good question even if it does sound a little dumb. If the falling tree does make a sound and no one is there to hear it does it make any difference whether it happened at all? Will anyone even know or care that it happened?
I think we all know the sound is there, it just takes someone to be there to experience it to be sure of the fact, or at least, share the experience with others so they will know that it happened.
I think that’s the way it is with podcasting also. There are many existing and brand new podcasts being put out every minute of everyday. Some are heard and some are out there just waiting to be heard. Some are great, some are good and other’s … well … they’re there, but … who knows why? (Sorry, sometimes those editorial comments just kinda slip out.)
If the sites and sounds are there but no one is there to see or hear them, that’s as if they aren’t there at all, isn’t it? No one knows about them. No matter how good or bad they may be, without an audience, they are just background noise that is ignored and goes completely unnoticed. To a beginner, that can be somewhat discouraging. To an advanced user, it is a challenge. The challenge to both being how to get someone, or many someones, to hear and see the sites and sounds and share the experience with others.
Now, I don’t want to go into a big discussion on how to get or grow an audience at this point, but I will say this. The better the quality of the material and the way it is presented, the better chance it has of being recognized in a positive way and becoming a successful venture.
Why would anyone care if their podcast is successful or not? Isn’t it enough that they produce it and it is there for someone to listen to?
You don’t have to look very far to see the answer to the first question. Podcasting, whether audio or video, is becoming one of the most important means of communicating ideas between people. Some are there just to make us laugh and some are there to help us understand what is going on in the world around us. Even others are there to inform us of our favorite past-time, hobby or interest, or, educate us in any number of subjects. If someone produces one and no one knows it exists, the information is sitting there with no audience and no hope of becoming effective or successful in any way. So, simply producing one doesn’t mean that the information it contains will ever be heard or seen.
It is important to remember the reason why you want to produce yours if you want to see your audience grow. What is the reason you wanted to do one in the first place? Was it to communicate an idea or raise the awareness of some injustice or concern? Was it to make people laugh at certain situations, or, themselves? Perhaps you wanted to generate an income, or help others generate one, and you use the medium to sell the products, share the information and the process. Whatever the reason, there must have been something about it you thought was important enough to spend time in producing it.
At some time or other, you will want to be sure that the message you have for others is going to be heard. There are ways to accomplish this and we will discuss them along the way over the next few weeks. In the mean time, just remember the reason a podcast can sometimes be like a tree falling in the forest is because no one is there to hear it.
See ya next time . . .
Beginner Podcaster — What Path Will You Take From Here?
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Okay, so you’re a beginner podcaster and you are ready to get started. That is a great thing and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t. There are so many different types of podcasts that you can choose from and … since it is your decision … what will you decide? What kind will you pursue? In this matter of your choice, it could all be in the name (or type) you choose. Will it be audio or video or both? Whatever you decide, it could well be quite dependent on whether you call it a podcast, webcast, netcast, video blog, audio blog or any number of other things. (At least that is the buzz around the industry these days).
As for me, I want to take a slightly different approach in the very near future. Actually, I really think it will be very much like it is right now but, I am going to be organizing things a little differently and I want to be more sytematic in some ways. I want you to be able to start at the beginning and go right through every article and so you can “Get Started Right”. (How many times have I said that in the last several weeks? Does anyone besides me really care? I thought not.)
I haven’t decided yet, but I am planning to re-do some things and subjects I have hit along the way. This will mean I am going to repeat some earlier subjects, at least as far as my plan for weekly podcasts is concerned, and I intend to combine several things to make a longer podcast. Instead of the 4-6 minute casts, (audio blogs), I am planning for at least 30 minute versions and a little more sophisticated. I will only be writing blogs once or twice a week, at least on this site, (which I have already started), and trying to put together a couple of more for other subjects I am interested in. All in all, it will keep me quite busy.
You see, we all come to crossroads in our journeys through this life and I think I have reached one personally. I have spent a lot of time over the last several months trying to help people that are brand new to podcasting get a good start. It has been my intention to help you get a good start without spending a lot of money, at least to begin with, until you can decide what it is you want to do and how you want to do it. With just a little forethought, you can take your idea and set it up, record it and see if it is something you can do and do well and then, after you have done a few, you can find out if you still enjoy doing it.
Not only can you can get started easily, but, with today’s technologies, you can also do it cheaply (I guess you could insert the word, free) and you can do it as professionally as anyone. As you pursue your podcasting dream, remember that quality is going to be extremely important in the near and distant future. Does that mean you have to sound like everyone else? Of course not. It means that you should consider a few things before you jump in. You need to consider what type and the expense of the software and hardware you will use. If you have questions about this kind of stuff, don’t worry, there has been and still will be plenty of suggestions available here and links to other places I can point you to.
There is no substitute for good information and you know as well as I that there is plenty available. I hope you will take advantage of some of the things that will be available here and the places I have, and will, mention. In no way do I claim to know it all, but, I do recognize good information and leadership when I see and hear it.
So, go ahead and get started. If you will take the time to read some of the things I have written over the last several months and visit some of the sites I have mentioned during that time, I know you will get started right. I’m not worried about that and I do know you will be ahead of the game if you do.
Your future in podcasting is in your hands now. Where you go from here is your decision and choice. Just don’t be afraid to listen to input from some of the pros out there. Even if you don’t think so now, you will appreciate their input later. Their experience will help you advance more quickly along the path you choose to follow.
See ya next time . . .
“Good as any and better than many . . .”
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
It was several years ago when I used to race stock cars on Saturday night at the local track in the area where I still live. Now, I have to admit, it was quite a while ago, but, I still remember it as though it was yesterday. A good friend of mine, Peter M, who was also a racer, put little sign on the dashboard of his stock car, saying, “Good as any and better than many.” I thought it was a great thought and, I guess, since I still remember it, you could say it was indelibly stamped on my mind. That’s the way it is with some things — they’re just unforgettable. Another interesting thing about the saying is it applies to more than racing. (Oh, I guess you knew that already, huh?)
I remember when I was racing, there were people that just wanted to show up and be seen on the track in their cars with people that raced and won. They didn’t have the desire to do well and probably lacked the money to run at the front. It seemed as though they were content to just show up and say they were racers so they could possibly be thought of as important or special people simply because they ran with “the big dogs”. The truth be told, they were the people we were lapping every few laps and, in a twenty lap race, they would finish as many as six laps down. To me, that’s not racing. That’s just driving around in a circle, getting in the way of those that are trying to win the race or accomplish something other than just showing up and being heard or seen.
When I could afford to do it, I loved racing. I still do and would still race if it were more affordable to run competitively (and I do stress the word, ‘competitively’). You see, I just don’t like to go and try to run second or worse in a race. I want to be at the front, fighting for the lead. I want to have the opportunity to finish first. I want to win!! I don’t want to just be seen on the track running with the others, I want to be leading the race and taking the checkered flag, if possible.
Yeah, that pretty much seals the deal on my competitive nature when it comes to racing. To tell the truth, that pretty much seals the deal when it comes to podcasting and other things I do, too.
I have a tendency to take what I am interested in, and do, very seriously. Now honestly, I try not to take myself too seriously, but, I want to do the best I can at whatever I put my hand to do. You see, I feel that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing well and it is worth taking the time it takes to do it right. To me there is no reason to do something if a person can’t put their heart and soul into it and do it well. It just seems like such a waste to me. I mean, why would anyone want to take their most precious commodity –their time –and spend it on something important to them, and yet do it half-heartedly?
That’s why I believe it is so important to get started right and to take the talent and equipment you have to work with and use it to turn out, or make, the absolute best possible product you can. Otherwise, why waste your time and the time of others?If you are always trying to do your best, sooner or later, your best will come out.
Does that mean that everything I turn out is flawless and mistake free? No, but when it does happen, I learn from it and try not to let it happen again. I have made recordings and never heard the mistakes until it is too late to do anything about it. Once I put it out on the net and it is there for a while before I notice it, I leave it out there in that form for a while because I figure many people have already heard it and formed their opinion, but, it will definitely bother me until I fix it.
I fervently believe in the addage, “Strive for excellence, not perfection.” Striving for excellence will inevitably allow you to turn out a great product. Striving for perfection could absolutely drive you crazy. I have noticed many don’t recognize, or at least they find it easier to overlook, certain mistakes if everything else is done right, (or, at least, the mistakes don’t seem to stand out quite so much.) If I notice an overlooked mistake of my own or someone else’s, I have to admit it bothers me every time I listen to it. To some, it won’t make any difference. To others, it will constantly stand out to them and I am sure they will form an opinion of my work (or your’s) based on that imperfection. Unfortunately, I cannot blame them because I feel the same way, also. I guess that’s the price I have to pay for being put together the way I am, and, if I expect it of others, I should expect it of myself. (Remember, we are talking about striving for excellence, not attaining perfection.)
So, how do you feel about your podcast or production? Is it something you work at to make better all the time, or, is it something you just throw together time after time and hope that people will be impressed by the fact that you show up with the rest of them? I hope it’s more than that. I hope you are doing everything you can to make it, “Good as any and better than many.”
See ya next time . . .
What To Do In Case Of Being Uninspired…
(Click Here) for the podcast version of this article
It happens to us all at some time or other. You just flat run out of things to talk about with your podcast, or, at least you think you do. You struggle and strain your brain, trying to come up with something worth talking about, but it seems the harder you try the more blank your mind goes. No matter what you come up with, nothing seems to germinate into an idea worth spending any amount of time on.
So, what do you do . . . ?
You begin to write. That’s right, you take the first things that come to mind and do your darndest to expound on them. You work at them until one of them catches fire within you and you begin to notice that it has captured your interest. After that, the rest is following the flow. Yes, you heard me, “you follow the flow.”
So, what does that mean? It means, you have just forced your way through a bout with ‘podcaster block’ and the creative juices begin to flow once again.
Sometimes, it takes forcing yourself to think about subjects you want to talk about, write them down and then, after you have some fresh ideas before you, your mind begins to work on those ideas. Somewhere along the way, your mind takes the hint that you aren’t going to stop bothering it until you have something to focus on so it begins letting the ideas flow. (At least that’s one way of looking at it.)
If that sounds strange, maybe you haven’t actually experienced it yet. But don’t worry, you will. “Writer’s block”, “podcasters block”, or whatever you want to call it, does happen and it happens to everyone, (somewhere in their journey through this life).
When I run across those times that I just don’t have the ideas readily available, here’s what I do.
- I take the time to write down some titles of some subjects I want to talk about.
- After I have written down a few, I go back and begin writing a sentence or two to remind me of the specifics I want to talk about.
- After I have written down those ideas, I walk away from them for a period of time. That’s right, I walk away from them and let them gel a bit.
- Either a few minutes, or possibly even a day or so later, I go back and read over them again.
- I take the one that captures my attention and begin to write more about it. If it doesn’t begin to flow, I save it and go back and grab another one and do the same.
As I continue reading and writing on them, I find I have several good ideas, and possibly, even a few finished articles. Then I go do the same thing all over again. Usually, I find I have enough to keep me busy for a while. Some of them even get combined together to become one article.
If all of the above things don’t seem to work, I go check out a few of the sites I like to frequent and see what they are talking about. In doing this, I hope to get inspired by an idea or two, or, at least a new angle on an old idea to discuss. With all of the available information out there, I know there just has to be something I haven’t been able to think of and it helps to get other people’s input and viewpoint. Their input may or may not be exactly what you want to talk about, but, it could quite possibly be something that inspires you in a whole new direction and gives you an abundance of things to talk, or write, about.
See ya next time . . .