When I don’t plan out my blog topics in advance, I feel as if the blank screen is mocking me, like it’s taunting me in an ominous voice.
My inner critic breaks out the champagne and says, “Told you that you’re completely out of original thoughts. Looks like you’ll be flipping burgers soon.”
And, then I often procrastinate.
Isn’t there laundry that needs to be done? Hmmmm…the dogs look like they could use a treat. I wonder what my parents are up to? Maybe I should call them.
Eventually, I sit my butt in front of my computer and demand that I type something—anything. But, it’s a hassle, a routine I can avoid with a little preparation.
And, I want to help you avoid the ‘blank screen syndrome.’
I’ve brainstormed 52 blog topic ideas perfect for creative entrepreneurs. If you publish a post once a week, that’ll give you an entire year’s worth of content.
Pick the ideas you like the most and copy and paste them into your blog content calendar. That way, you don’t have to waste critical hours staring at a blank screen anytime soon.
1. Share 20 things your readers probably don’t know about you. (And, then add them to your about page. Check out my about page for an example of how I’ve done this.)
2. Share the beginning, middle and end of your creative process in photos.
3. Post a ‘day in the life of’ you to give your readers a peek into what it’s like to be you.
4. Share pictures of your sketchbook or art journal.
5. Host a giveaway.
6. Write a post around one of the best testimonials you’ve received.
7. Share your favorite color palette and examples of your work that you’ve created with that color palette.
8. Write about how to care for your jewelry, art, or insert what you make here.
9. Write about your goals for the year or season.
10. Interview another creative entrepreneur.
11. Share the playlist of music you listen to while creating.
12. Share pictures of your planner or calendar.
13. Write about what you do when you’re blocked creatively.
14. Host a contest.
15. Write a post about the artists that have inspired and influenced you.
16. Survey your readers to find out what they want more of and what they want less of.
17. Explain something that most of your customers don’t understand about your niche.
18. Write about one of your biggest successes.
19. Share a sneak peek of what you’re currently working on.
20. Write a letter to a young creative.
21. Answer a reader’s question.
22. Write about your training—where you went to school, the books you’ve read, the art classes you’ve taken, etc. (You could take pieces of this post and add them to your about page.)
23. Write about the value you provide with your products and services. Remember to move past the features and talk about the benefits.
24. Write about the best art teacher you ever had.
25. Compile a list of resources.
26. Write about a controversial topic in your niche.
27. Write about why your readers should follow you on Instagram.
28. Write about why your readers should follow you on Pinterest.
29. Write about why your readers should follow you on Facebook.
30. Write about a charity that’s near and dear to your heart, especially if you give part of your profits to that charity.
31. Host a blog tour.
32. Compile a list of your favorite blog posts (from other blogs) that month.
33. Share one of your favorite recipes.
34. Share photos of your city or town and why you love living there.
35. Compile a list of your favorite people that you follow on social media.
36. Post a list of things that make you happy.
37. Post photos of your inspiration boards.
38. Share photos of your studio or work space.
39. Compile a list of your favorite blogs.
40. Write about something happening in the news, especially if it relates to your business in some way.
41. Compile a list of your favorite apps.
42. Share pictures of your art displayed or your jewelry being worn or your pottery being used.
43. Compile a list of your favorite DIY projects from around the web.
44. Share photos of your fashion and style.
45. Write about your hobbies and how they influence your work.
46. Write about one of your biggest failures.
47. Post a list of your top ten favorite quotes.
48. List 25 things you love about art, making jewelry or whatever you do.
49. Compare two masters in your niche. What similarities do they share and what are their differences?
50. Review a book.
51. Write about the biggest lessons you’ve learned while in business.
52. Write a letter to your teenage self.
To make this post even better, I’d love for you to share a couple blog topic ideas in the comments below!
If you need even more help with blogging–figuring out who your audience is and how to reach them, getting more comments and interaction, marketing and finding time for blogging–check out my CreativeLive course, Build a Successful Creative Blog.
Here’s some feedback I received from Build a Successful Creative Blog:
“You were amazing! Yours is the first course I’ve purchased on CreativeLive! And I am there a lot. I love how you broke everything down for us and gave us examples.” –Nathifa
“I watched the first video during the livestream, and immediately decided to purchase the course so I could watch it later — since I work and couldn’t stay home all day to watch the complete course. I knew from watching the first video that the course would be high-value, and fill in a lot of blanks for me.” -V.L.
“Watching your 3 days on creativelive opened up so many things to me that I didn’t even think about. I read lots of different kind of blogs but I was just reading them. Since your course I have looked at those blogs in a whole new way and I am so excited about this. I now notice the catching headlines and the engaging and descriptive wording being used.” –Nichole
“I luckily got back on creativelive after a long hiatus just in time to catch the rebroadcast of your class. It was AMAZING! How amazing was it? Well… 1) I bought the class (first one ever that I bought!) 2) I quite literally ‘ran’ to your website to check out your blog and sign up, and 3) I started my own blog. I caught the rebroadcast on Sunday. Made my first blog post today (I even edited! that’s VERY rare for me)! I’ve been meaning to do this for so long and always just felt like I wouldn’t do good at it. Let’s just say the first post was very well received!” –Liz Lane
“I loved your course. I purchased my first CL course as well. I wanted to have the ability to review your material again at any time. You are truly a gifted teacher.” -Angela
“Your workshop was fantastic. You were so engaging the whole time and I filled endless pages in a notepad of notes since I was unable to print out the workbook at the time of the broadcast. I have now created myself a nice little folder full of all the things I have learnt, some more specific goals for my 2 blogs and a whole lot more. Thank you soooo much for the amazing experience.” –Holly
April, you rock! You know EXACTLY what I need, and just at the moment I need it! Thanks <3
You are so very welcome! 🙂
Thank you April! Very helpful! I am going to get started on #26 right now with my blog about chalkboard paint 😉
Bahahahaha…you and your aversion to chalkboard paint…very funny!
Wow April, I am so bookmarking this post!
Maybe another one would be to write about your recent AHA moment.
Or a big one: about your biggest struggle in life and how it has informed your art, your passion… Which is also something that should be added to the About page.
Great additions! Thanks, Anastasia. 🙂
What a wonderful and inspirational post, April! I’m definitely going to use a lot of these topic ideas, thanks so much! I think another great post idea would be to share photos of your solo art show or craft fair booth in action.
It’s so funny, I shared a list of 12 awesome quotes I love recently! Guess I’m on the right track! 😉
Thank you! That’s another great idea. Thanks for adding it, Andrea.
What great timing! I was just meeting with my friend and fellow creative business owner today and we were making goals for the week. One of my goals was to brainstorm blog topics! Thanks for the list and making my “homework” for the week a whole lot easier!
Yay! Love that I could make your homework a little bit easier! 🙂
Cathy–Am I seeing you in the audience at creatLIVE for Kari Chapin’s course? That’s so exciting! I hope you’re having the best time ever.
Yes! And it was all because of you! Literally. I enrolled in your CreativeLive class (which I LOVED!) and then happened to see Kari’s class while I was browsing the site. Then I applied to be in the audience because it was being filmed in Seattle – just 20 minutes from where I live. I am pretty shy/introverted so this was a big step for me. So thank YOU for your help in connecting me with Kari!
I have my blog planned out so each day of the week is meant for something in particular. As it is a photography blog, I have different days for different things. It is a great idea, and it makes it so much easier to blog. Great article April
That can definitely make things easier. I often find when you place small restrictions, you become more creative and have even more ideas.
April, how do you sign up for the Creative Live class and it be free?
Hi Gail! Sorry I couldn’t respond to comment sooner. You just had to “show up” when it was playing. Because it was being rebroadcast, you couldn’t sign up.
I love these, April! I get asked a lot questions about the types of programs, tools, and books I like, so I’m definitely going to write a roundup of my favorite resources. I had the BEST time at your workshop, and I’m glad it will be rebroadcast for free again.
A roundup of resources is always a safe bet. All of my resource posts have been extremely successful. 🙂
April, thank you so much for this list!!! How did you know I was sitting at my computer with a blank steer because I was clueless as to what I wanted to say today!! You are awesome!! I’m so glad I took your class because otherwise I would not have had an opportunity to met you and my fellow classmates, who rock too!!
You’re so very welcome! So glad you’re here and got to know me through creativeLIVE. 🙂
Thanks April! How did you know I was doing my editorial calendar right now? You are so good! I completely agree with you though. I have to think them out ahead of time and then typing them up is quick and easy but if I have to come up with something to write that day it doesn’t happen.
Ha! Didn’t you know that I can read minds…virtually? 😉
Love this list April! Some ideas I’ve already done but others were very much, “now THAT’S a great idea”. 🙂
A variation of #50 which I have done is to review DIY/craft books and handmade business books so that others can get an idea of whether it’s worthwhile purchasing it for themselves.
Awesome! Glad you got some new ideas.
Oh Mama!! This is fantastic, April. I love how genuine a lot of these are – a real ‘telling your story’ kind of jumping off point 🙂
I’m planning on writing a post soon about the precise moment I realized that I had to stop the conveyor belt and start creating my own life, so to speak. It features my wonderfully assertive 11 year old daughter giving me a talking-to 😉
Thanks for a great list of other connection topics. I will be using some of these, for sure.
xo
Kris
Hahahahaha…Oh mama!
I’m looking forward to that post–it sounds like a really good one.
You’re so very welcome.
Oh my! April! You have done it again! this is just the most perfect list and is perfectly timed! I am moving house (our first bought house from renting! ahh!) and with that my Studio and work moves and I am stressed out over trying to keep the blog interesting! I think all of the pressure and the million things going around in my head are overwhelming my normal creative thoughts so this list is sooooooo needed! Thank you so so much, not only have you given me ten minutes to sit down with a coffee and read your post (guilt free) but you have given me time to step out of it all and get that sense of adventure again! These are great ideas for blog posts and I am definitely keeping a close eye on them in the coming month or so to save me from going all crazy pants about it!
It’s so true that sometimes when specific areas of our lives are crazy, we kinda need a little push AND we need to make the other areas easier. Having a plan and being able to create blog posts that come naturally to you during this time will make keeping up with blogging so much easier.
So glad I could provide a little guilt-free fun time. 🙂
Thanks so much April, you’ve done the brain work so I don’t have to. There will always be that week or two or three that you just run out of steam. Loved your Creative Live class by the way!
You’re so very welcome. Thank you for tuning into the creativeLIVE workshop. 🙂
Hi April
I watched your Creative Life seminar and enjoyed it so much. You have a way about you that makes someone feel you are just talking with them.
I just read the 52 Blog post lists and had one of those ‘light bulb’ moments which I had to share. Coming up with topics for a blog had been a struggle, but your list of suggestions jumped out me, it seemed to say Hi this is who I am and you let people into your life and have a dialogue. I hope that makes sense it certainly has me all excited and once my moving is over I will be ready to write
Thank you, Annette! That’s such a wonderful compliment.
YES! Tell your story. Be open. Share your life. That’s what people want to see and that’s how they’ll connect with you. 🙂
Thank you for all the great posts! I found out about you on Creative Live, your teaching style is so relatable and I would recommend the workshop to any creative small business owners. I also have to admit I was already working on #1 on your list, it’s such a clever idea!
Thank you so much! Yay! #1 on the list is soooooooo much fun. I love reading those types of posts.
Great ideas, April! Your tips and advice are always spot-on. Thank you.
Thanks Susan!
Thanks so much for a fantastic post, April! It’s like you’re this little fluttery angel fairy flying around my head, staring at a blank screen, knowing I needed some prompts 😉
I’d love to add the following to your list:
Write a “What’s In My Bag” or “What’s on My Desk/Easel” – sharing what your must-have tools are for your niche! (http://wp.me/p33sLZ-2J6)
Write a post about your Bucket List (http://wp.me/p33sLZ-2Q2)
Write a post about a Pinterest project – success or fail?!
Write a post detailing your perfect creative day!
Hope you don’t mind my additions. Thanks again, April!
/c
Hi There, These are just great. I have one: take one of your pinterest pinboards and blog about the theme of that board and share the photos you have on it. Also, what time is the rebroadcast of your course. I live in the UK and would love to hear it. I came across you from Laura Clempson of Cupcakes for Clara 🙂
Thank you! Love your addition. And, if they like that post, it gives your readers a reason to follow you on Pinterest.
Sorry I didn’t respond until after the rebroadcast. I was away from the computer this past weekend. I hope you were able to tune in.
Isn’t Laura awesome? I just love her.
April, it was like a lightbulb went off when you said bloggers should blog about the topic we are experts in! I’m not a craft person but your course gave me a LOT of useful tips! Wow, this has changed my whole outlook. There are so many things I need to put into place, so thank you!
Thanks Eleanor! So glad you got a ton out of it even though you aren’t a crafter. I tried to make it applicable to other areas, too.
I just figured out from the creative labs calendar that the rebroadcast starts on Saturday 31st 🙂
Hey Christine! I don’t know if they had it wrong, but it started on Friday, the 30th.
As always, useful and fun. 🙂 I’m planning to start doing posts about the Pinterest projects I make, going through the steps and seeing the results as compared with the original project! I did one and it was really fun, people really enjoyed seeing the process on Instagram and Facebook {plus I ended up with some great gifts for people} so I’m thinking I’ll do it more often.
That’s such a fun idea, Tara! I love it.
Those are great ideas, April! Thank you for sharing! One post I will be writing around Father’s Day will be about the letters my dad wrote to me when I was in college.
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April, really great ideas! I love them! Thank you very much! And I feel your energy, you’re great! 🙂 Love, Isabella
I’m gonna do them all!!!
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