Side Hustle Tips
Writer’s Block sucks. We have all been there. You stare at the page and beg the words to flow.
You may think that you have expended everything on a topic. For example, if you write a Homesteading blog or a Prepping blog, it may seem like “been there, done that”. Do you recycle an article? Do you give in and go to AI to get a head start on your content?
In this article, I will cover my techniques on how I overcome writer’s block.
Tips to Overcome Writer’s Block
Are you a writer or are you an Artist?
Sing in me, Muse, and through me tell the story
the first lines of Homer’s “Odyssey”
of that man skilled in all ways of contending,
the wanderer, harried for years on end,
after he plundered the stronghold
on the proud height of Troy.
Are you reclining at your desk or couch, waiting for the Muse to speak to you?
“Genius doesn’t work on an assembly line basis. You can’t simply say, ‘Today I will be brilliant.’”
Captain James T. Kirk – Star Trek: The Original Series, ‘The Ultimate Computer’.
Write content, even if you don’t feel like it. You may not be able to start your day saying, “Today I will be brilliant!”, but inspiration is more of an exercise than waiting for the Muse to speak.
The best writers or songwriters admit that, on an average day, they write 75% crap. And they may have tens or hundreds of takes on a part of a song as it percolates, evolves, and works its way to the surface. Then a producer or editor gets involved and it may change even more. Some of the best songs in pop culture changed so much in production that they would not have had the impact without them.
Set aside time to work on it. Make it a routine. Every morning I wake up at 5:30 AM. I spend the first 30 minutes working on a blog post or editing a podcast episode. I fill books with notes as I go through my day (now if I can only read my handwriting!).
This article sat on the back burner for over a month! And I reordered it and changed it three times this morning. Yes, you are not the only one. And Yes, it’s OK.
Answer the Public – Keyword Search on Steroids
Answer the Public is a site that shows you “what people are asking about” (searching for) on Google, Bing, YouTube. The thing that stands out, however, is the way it collates and displays the information in a set of graphic wheels that show you:
- Common questions on your topic.
- Statements (it calls them Prepositions) on your topic.
- Comparisons with other topics. This is where it really shines on keyword research.
- Alphabetical listing of the keywords with the search volume for each.
This is a gold mine for keyword research and SEO!
Answer the Public is not AI. It simply shows you search results so you can better research and even better address your audience’s questions.
If you like this content, check out the Thriving the Future Podcast:
Ep. 129 – How to Find Your Side Hustle Niche:
Let’s dive into some of my examples.
Use Answer the Public to Research Common Questions on Your Topic
- Go to AnswerthePublic.com.
- Type in a topic – Homesteading.
- Answer the Public shows the most recently searched questions on the topic.
These are the questions that people are asking Google. If you are a homesteading blogger, podcaster, or content creator these are the “problems” that your content can help solve.
- What does homesteading mean? (good question nowadays)
- How much land do you need to homestead?
- What are homesteading skills?
- Which states are best for homesteading?
Use Answer the Public to Research Statements
Next is the Prepositions section. These are statements based on the search criteria.
These make excellent topic titles!
- Homesteading for Beginners
- Homesteading with Kids
- Homesteading without electricity (Off Grid)
- Homesteading without Land (perhaps renting land or gardening on unused lots like Joseph Lofthouse does).
- Homesteading courses or events near me
Use Answer the Public to Research Comparisons
Comparisons show questions where homesteading is compared to something else.
This is good for keyword research.
This is also a good source of contrarian takes. Justin Welsh on Twitter has a tweeting and content tip that to include a contrarian take as part of your promotion strategy when you release a blog post, podcast, or other content. First you tweet or post about your content. Later in the week, post a contrarian take (a contrasting or the opposite view). And ask questions about it. This increases engagement.
Examples from above:
- How is homesteading different from prepping?
- Homesteading vs. farming
- Homesteading in one word or two
- What does homesteading really mean?
These may seem like simple questions, but they are what people are talking about.
If you really want to stir things up on Homesteading Twitter, ask what homesteading really means! Include your definition and see if people agree. People have been arguing about this for at least a year, as the term “homesteading” is overused, co-opted, and is falling out of favor. (much like “permaculture” and now recently “regenerative”
Answer the Public is just a research tool. It isn’t AI. Use it to jumpstart your idea and to overcome writer’s block. But you still have to write. So:
To Sum it Up – Write, Write, Write!
Win the war with AI. People still admit that they like human written content more than AI-generated content. AI talks around a topic. If it speaks passionately about it, the wording sounds overly effusive, and downright fake.
“Google favors content written in a way that illustrates first-hand knowledge of a topic, so creating and sourcing your own images (i.e., taking the pictures yourself) is becoming pretty damned important.”
John McCoy – JustEnoughSEO.com
Write, Write Write!
