Comments on: 20 Tips for Coming Up with Fresh Ideas

By: Frank

Frank — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:09:44 +0000

I am a blogger on PowerPoint tips and tracks. Sometimes I feel confused to get up with something fresh and fun. I find these 20 tips very enlightening for me to make a break.
Thank you!

By: Outer Banks Revealed

Outer Banks Revealed — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:58:54 +0000

This is a great list. But is it “Be Real Grumpy” or “What makes you real grumpy”? Gets to the same end, I suppose. Thanks for the thought provoking column.

— Dan

By: Surveys For Money

Surveys For Money — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:21:46 +0000

You metioned some great points but two I’d have to agree with the most are listening to your customers and readers, and focusing on the problem, and not the solution. Listening to your readers tells you what you need to improve and will inspire new ideas. It is better to focus on the problems as that is a way of also attracting the reader.

By: ATP

ATP — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 01:47:14 +0000

You should also include mind mapping.
It helps you so when you have an idea, you can build on it, improve and refine it.
It’s very useful in my blog, where I and others post stories.

By: Joe Wallace

Joe Wallace — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 23:15:47 +0000

Be Really Grumpy has always worked for me. If you can’t stop being so damned optimistic, try staying up most of the night, then hit your blog on about 3 hours of sleep. Works every time.

In addition to the “learn from your mistakes” advice, I’d also add “turn your mistakes into blog posts.”

By: Stefan | StudySuccessful.com

Stefan | StudySuccessful.com — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:23:02 +0000

I like to watch people!
I get a lot of inspiration when I am in the train, the ideas just flow in!
That is why I always carry paper and pen!

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:28:36 +0000

Love this list!

Also, change something external: stand on your head, write or think in the middle of the night by candle, write with marker, do your brainstorming outside in a park…

By: Liane YoungBlogger

Liane YoungBlogger — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:14:12 +0000

Wow, I didn’t realize I’ve been using most of the tricks you’ve mentioned. My additional trick, always bring your mobile everywhere (thus the purpose of a mobile phone in the first place). I had lots of ideas just writing up random stuffs on my notepad app.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:26:15 +0000

Grumpy grumpy works great for getting ideas, but the posts don’t always do good traffic wise.

By: Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:26:40 +0000

Great tips – the big problem for me is getting organized. Ideas tend to come at the least convenient moments – so I end up with lots of scraps of paper – so the notebook tip is very useful.

Another source of inspiration is blogs like this one – and using Google Reader ensures that I get posts like this automatically (in fact it is how I arrived here!)

By: Jannie Funster

Jannie Funster — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:39:33 +0000

If I had any untattooed skin left on me, this post would be on it.

Totally! THANK YOU for the inspiration. I like the people-watching one best.

By: Stephanie D.

Stephanie D. — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:13:25 +0000

This is awesome advice, just when I needed help for new topics to blog about. Thanks!

By: Laura

Laura — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:12:34 +0000

Great tips, I always carry my iPod to take notes. Yesterday I was able to jot a big post in 20 minutes, just because I had something to take it down.

I also keep some half finish posts in my stable, so I can complete them in 10-15 minutes with a personal experience.

By: Dan Harrison

Dan Harrison — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:27:59 +0000

Thank you all for the compliments.

@Steve

Even if you’re happy and positive, there will be things that annoy you. My point about being grumpy is more about taking note of things that irritate you but still need fixing. The solution is often a novel idea.

By: Blog Ebooks - Claus D Jensen

Blog Ebooks - Claus D Jensen — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:39:13 +0000

Very useful post and advice!

I got one or two new inspirations!

😀

Greetings,
Claus D Jensen

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 05:21:07 +0000

I like #1. It’s important to take note of “problems”…so that solutions can be created.

By: Walter

Walter — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 02:52:42 +0000

I have established my own blog and I’m doing some of your good advice. Your Tip # 16 is what I do best. I’ll keep on going. See us all on top. 🙂

By: Boerne Search

Boerne Search — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:58:38 +0000

That’s perfect. I’m always grumpy! 🙂

Great read. Retweeted!

Kane

By: iGoMogul

iGoMogul — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:43:37 +0000

One of the best tips on this list is #11–Go People Watching.

And for that I recommend going to the airport.

You get everything from love stories to funerals, reunions to group travelers. You see the inner workings of the employees and the frustrations of customers. Letting your mind imagine what all these people are doing is fodder for your next post!

Sara @ iGoMogul

By: Steve Baik

Steve Baik — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:20:15 +0000

I definitely like #20, but all great tips for coming up with new ideas!

By: Odum

Odum — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:20:03 +0000

I always keep a notepad handy because more often than not something comes into my mind at the strangest of times.

It is so satisfying looking back at my notebook when I’m stuck for inspiration and I come across a gem that I had written down 6 months ago but had since completely forgotten about.

I’ve been a freelance web designer for over 2 years now but I have just started blogging very recently and these tips are helpful for both venues.

Thanks!

By: Joshua Elliot

Joshua Elliot — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:15:12 +0000

I must say that business is about solving problems and giving what they want.

Its always good to expose ourselves to more things, so we can see more and have more greater ideas.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:34:44 +0000

I like the first ideal, to be grumpy. But is it OK to be all positive and happy in your writing about the solution to your grumpiness. Seems like most of the best sites remain positive 95% of the time.

By: Susan Young

Susan Young — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Great list Dan! By paying attention to the news and people around us, there is endless “fodder” for us to leverage. My theory is if you got out of bed in the morning,SOMETHING has happened that you can springboard off of. Your list encourages us to open up the flow of creativity. Nice job!

Susan

By: Alvin Tan

Alvin Tan — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:14:53 +0000

This post is awesome! These 20 tips are really great for coming up with fresh ideas!

By: excITingIP.com

excITingIP.com — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:33:26 +0000

The last one is a good point, we lose a lot of ideas because we have not noted them down somewhere. Another good way to write is to challenge the basic concepts which have been taken for granted by people. Some things like – why it is better to type from a keyboard on the screen than the computer. Sounds absurd, but if it is convincing enough, there would be a lot of people coming in to dis-prove it. That is a lot of fun 🙂

excITingIP.com

By: Dan Harrison

Dan Harrison — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:15:27 +0000

Thank you for all the compliments, I’m glad that the article is useful!

@odtaa Searching for badly written articles around your niche… That’s a great tip for coming up with article ideas.

Dan

By: odtaa

odtaa — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:20:17 +0000

One tip

Go to one of the free article databases – just google it.

Go to their search form and type in your blog’s niche or something you want to write about.

Press the Go or Search button

And there you are – there’s about twenty per cent good articles and loads of bad ones.

Find a bad article that’s appropriate for your niche and totally rewrite it.

Generally find that when you’ve written your article you’ll find ideas for more.

Then look around for other articles. You should then generate lots of ideas.

A friend I know uses this technique to research topics. He’s actually writing up a full blown business course from looking at free articles.

They’ve given him the structure and ideas – he just totally rewrites into his own style.

By: Tom Bradshaw

Tom Bradshaw — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:42:37 +0000

Great tips, coming up with new ideas can be a real challenge. I find ideas come when your not looking so hard, so I always make a note in a notebook whenever one jumps into my mind.

By: hanging lamps

hanging lamps — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:36:16 +0000

great! thanks for this fresh n useful post! it makes me keeping the spirit of blogging…

By: Ganesh

Ganesh — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:33:46 +0000

Good almost exhaustive list. Thanks.

Sometimes, thinking like an UNDERDOG helps.

Also, negating your contemporary ideas also helps, say if you are selling coffee in your restaurant – giving them for free and what impact it has on your business kind of thinking makes your business special.

Again, the article was a good read. :)… happy writing

By: Nicholas Z. Cardot

Nicholas Z. Cardot — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:11:17 +0000

I think reading is a very important topic. I read tons of blogs in my niche to come up with ideas and topics that I haven’t covered or that I need to cover more of. Great list here.

By: Sudeep

Sudeep — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:17:17 +0000

Hmmm…. nice one .. covers so much of topics .. Like it .. My personal favorite is the spy on people and see what they like when you people watch . I write lot of my post when looking at the people in the mall .. what they eat , what they speak and stuff ..
Regards
Sdueep

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:06:59 +0000

This is really insightful, thank you. I especially like the “think like a child” tip 🙂

By: car dolly

car dolly — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:20:25 +0000

thanks for those tips…i often have no idea what to do in myblogs n business generally…those simple things may give a different result for my next activity

By: Yogesh Malik

Yogesh Malik — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:59:48 +0000

Extensive list, very use full too.

If you have a fresh idea play with it until–
1) you break it
2) it breaks you
3) you figure it out
4) you discover more interesting idea to play with

By: Harson

Harson — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:17:10 +0000

i see this 20-big list is something that covers the entire process of being a resourceful person. some of those are also the teachings that i had in my personality development class long time ago. thanks Dan for surfacing these points. it’s always good to be reminded, a human thing.

By: Chester

Chester — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:00:35 +0000

Those are useful post. Constant research is the key. keep post interesting at all times. This way, you’ll have a lot of followers.