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We've all had days where we just didn't feel ready to write or speak. Here are ten tips for how to blog or podcast when you don't feel like it.
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1. Refocus
Most of the reason we feel like skipping is because we are focusing on something else. It could be technical problems, relationship issues, unmet expectations, or any other number of legitimate and maybe even important distractions.
Without focus, you'll never get any good quality out.
Here are some quick tips to help you refocus.
- Step away for a moment
- Meditate
- Take a walk
- Deal with the distraction
- Dump your thoughts into writing
- Make a task list for addressing the distraction later
- Relax
- Try a short, complete distraction
2. Go back to your list of ideas
You do have a list of ideas, right? If you don't have one, make one now!
Look at your list and pick something you can address at this time. Some ideas may require a lot more preparation than you can afford, so you could either split it up or try a different idea.
3. Don't try to do as much
It's okay to have a shorter-than-normal episode if that's all you can put out at this time. As long as it's still quality content, the length doesn't matter.
It's a greater “podcasting sin” to force your episode to be too long when you only have enough content for a short episode.
4. Cover recent news
There's almost always something going on in every industry. Find a new story to report and give your perspective.
5. Answer questions
Check forums, communities, and other online groups for questions that you can answer with your podcast. These can sometimes be your greatest content because usually more than one person has that same question, and you can create a timeless resource to share.
6. Curate and comment on others' content
Look at others in your niche. Represent what they say, don't duplicate it. You could consider sharing a list of what others have been saying and add your own opinions.
7. Ask for ideas and use feedback
If you have time, ask your followers or post online somewhere to ask for ideas. Good questions to ask would be “What do you want to know about _____?” “What are your top frustrations with _____?” “What's your favorite [tool/app/game/resource/person] for _____?”
You can easily get a new list of ideas from asking this one question.
8. Give
This will sound weird. Sometimes, we don't want to blog or podcast because we don't feel like giving. We're essentially being selfish.
The best way to overcome selfishness is to give more! So if you're having trouble giving with your podcast, try finding another place where you can give.
9. Revisit or rerun old content
Timeless content is hard to make in a constantly changing world. Perhaps you have old content that you could revisit, update, and share again. For example, I plan to revisit stats, bare minimums, and live-streaming. This usually works best if the content is more than a year old and you actually have new information.
Alternatively, you may have timeless content buried in your archive. Consider rerunning this content, but at least update the episode number and tack on an opening and closing that reminds your audience that this is a rerun or “best of” episode.
Reruns are a little “cheap,” but they can work in tough times.
10. Skip
As a last result, maybe you should go ahead and skip. Sometimes, no content is better than bad content.
Consistency is important, but your audience will be understanding if you have good reasons for skipping.
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Disclosure
This post may contain links to products or services with which I have an affiliate relationship and may receive compensation from your actions through such links. However, I don't let that corrupt my perspective and I don't recommend only affiliates.
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Will you ever be doing a episode where you don’t assume that all who podcast aren’t doing a Talk podcast? You seem to limit what you are talking about just to the one type of genre done.
Perhaps we define “talk podcast” differently. What other kinds are you thinking of?Faithfully,
Daniel J. Lewis
Grow your podcast from average to amazing! http://PodcastMasterClass.com
I was thinking more on the line of music and other types of podcast where very little talking is used by the host. For example I do a poetry podcast where I play recorded poetry with very little talk. When I started it 4 years ago, I figured that I would be lucky if I got 5 followers of the show, but the last time that I checked I now have almost 26,000. From time to time I will do a “shout out” of some of the listeners, and how people can send me their works, but other than that outside of the beginning and end, one never hears my voice.
What I seem to of noticed with Audacity To Podcasting, your focus seems to be on more on those who more the traditional radio type “talk show” style & genre, for people who are looking to make a living podcasting or trying to grow their business, not towards the hobbyist like myself. Now don’t get me wrong, I have learned from listening, but on one episode you gave a list of like 10 things one should do or not do, and of those 8 were totally unrelated to anyone not doing a “talk show” style podcast.
I do recommend to some folks who do either Audio or/and Video podcast to give your podcast a listen to, and they do say that they find listening to them to be very helpful.
Shalom
I’ll keep this in mind. But your examples are still “talk” content, just a different approach.