When Writer’s Block Strikes – What to Write About
One of the most common complaints I hear from real estate agents who have a blog or want to blog (other than, “I don’t have time“), is the difficulty of coming up with topics to write about.
What to write about . . . What to write about . . . ?
The easiest way to combat writer’s block is to keep a running list of possible topics — topics that you can turn to in order to produce a quick blog post when you’re truly at a loss. Personally, I keep a running list of topics in the notebook that I keep with me at all times. I’m a list-maker, and I love pen-and-paper lists, but you can keep a list in your smartphone or on your tablet, especially if you use apps like Evernote or to-do apps like Trello.
My list runs the gamut over a wide range of topics. Here’s a sampling:
- FAQs (frequently answered questions) — those questions you find yourself answering almost daily: how many houses should I look at before I buy one? why does my lender require me to pay for an appraisal? is a home inspection worth the money? what is earnest money? what are closing costs? etc.
- Communities and/or neighborhoods that I want to highlight — posts that are community- and neighborhood-centric, perhaps focusing on the amenities, homes for sale, market statistics, etc. for communities and neighborhoods in which we work
- Highlighting a specific situation — if I’ve encountered a specific scenario in a transaction that I want to highlight/write about
- Community events
- Favorite places — restaurants, shops, parks, and other places I want to highlight — look at it as helping to put a spotlight on other small business owners in your community
Really, my list consists of pretty much any idea that pops into my head that I may want to cover later.
Writer’s block happens . . . ask any professional writer, which most of us agents are not. Creating a habit of keeping a list means there’s less of a chance that it will strike you when you are ready to write!
