How to beat Blogger's Block...

First of all, apologies for the lack of posts last week! I didn't intend to take a week off, but I was actually taking a bit of my own advice, and dealing with a bout of Blogger's Block! That's what actually inspired me to write today's post: a few tips which I have found to be useful when dealing with writer's block, to get yourself back on track.

1. First and foremost, I find that reading other people's blogs is a good place to start if you're feeling stuck for inspiration! I love reading blogs, and they are obviously one of the main reasons I started my own. If you're feeling a bit lost, step away from the keyboard as a writer, and look at some blogs as a reader instead. Think about what you like to read, and what you like about these blogs. Obviously plagiarism is never a good idea! But inspiration might just come a-knocking when you are looking at things from the other side, so to speak!. Also, reading magazines or scrolling through Instagram or Twitter can be a brilliant source of inspiration - you might just see a few photos or articles which catch your eye and your imagination.
2. Have a browse through your existing makeup/beauty collection – you might see something you have forgotten about, or something you actually really love and just haven’t written about yet. Think about the items in there that you would tell your mates about, or the ones you use everyday. Alternatively, if you are heading out to buy something new, that can be prime blogging fodder – sparkly new products look great in photographs after all!
3. In the longer term, I always find it’s handy to keep a notepad around for writing down any ideas you have for blog posts, whenever and wherever you have them. You never know when inspiration might strike, and I don’t know about you but if I don’t write down my ideas straightaway, I will have forgotten all about them on the double. This means that, when you’re stuck for ideas, you can read back through your notebook to find any that you haven’t blogged about yet! Personally I prefer notebooks, just because I have a thing about pretty stationary! But the notes app on your phone comes in just as handy.
4. Try your hand at writing about something a little different. You can still keep to your blog’s theme, but have a think about some other things surrounding your theme that you might not already blog about. For example, Lip Gloss Rebel is primarily a makeup and skincare focussed blog. But that’s not all there is in the “Beauty” category. What about hair care, hair styling, body care, even perfume, and fashion - they can all go hand in hand with your blog, but give you some different sources to work from. This can stop boredom creeping in, and keep things fresh and more exciting to write – and read! - about.
5. Take a break - don't force it! If nothing is happening for you, it's sometimes really good to just have a break from blogging. Turn your laptop and phone off, and just get out there. A refreshed mind can really help when you sit down to write again, and I often find that inspiration can come when you aren't trying or thinking about it.

I hope you find these useful! It can be really frustrating when you sit down to write and nothing will seem to come out, but hopefully these tips will help you along a bit.