Riffing To Spark Your Creativity

Riffing To Spark Your Creativity

Sometimes I sit for an hour staring at a blank screen wondering what I should talk about for my next blog post. Does this happen to you too? Maybe just having a general idea, but not really knowing exactly how you want to approach it?

Riffing is a good way to flesh out your thoughts – get your ideas down on paper (or text editor) and see where it takes you. Sure, maybe you’ll end up going off on a tangent… but that may not necessarily be a bad thing! It’s possible that a whole onslaught of interesting and informative things come out of these branches of thought. So don’t fight it!

Just pick a topic. Anything whatsoever. Possibly not even related to your niche.

Then just write. Don’t think. Just write.

Don’t worry about formatting, sentence structure or any outline at all.

Just write whatever comes to your mind.

Once you’ve reached a point where you cannot write any further, go back and read it. Highlight anything that sparks the thought “this would be great to expand on!” and focus in on it. Maybe even riff yet again starting with that idea in mind.

Your first few attempts at riffing may not yield a great deal of usable information. It’s possible that absolutely nothing comes out of it. Now, if you practice enough and hone this skill, it may prove to be a very effective way to inspire new and innovative posts. It can ignite your creative side and open yourself up to sharing unique viewpoints about your niche – then passing this on to your blog readers.

For your information: this post was actually written this exact way – in one stream of thought with no editing. Why don’t you try to do the same for your next blog post? Come back an link it up in the comment section, let’s see how everyone else does!

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  • Thanks to Brian, I come to get familiar with your site. :-) This post is a timely one for me so it didn't doubt me a bit to read it. I actually had the similar feeling today, only it's not caused by a writer's block but a humongous 'internet blockage' due to maintenance work on-going. I know I had to channel the negativity into something positive and encouraging. So, I had my post up today and it was indeed, a spontaneous act. (even the image included, ha.. I know I can't blame my router for this so..)

    I had a blast visiting here. You obviously have a good thing going to be enlisted in Brian's top 5 favorite blogs in 2010. I'm impressed. Keep up the good work!

    @wchingya
    Social/Blogging Tracker
  • bryanallain
    Nice crowd work with the Farmville lady near the end. These people should all be called onto the carpet for their epic time wasting. Aren't their real farms all over the country on the brink of collapsing? Maybe we can get all these farmville addicts in a pair of overalls to turn the economy around.
  • You're preaching to the choir, dude... this is why I never understand what these people have against Twitter. After that show, I had a 10 minute long discussion about it with some of those folks... like most people, they think Twitter is some simple form of FB status updates. But they'll say "it's stupid and a waste of time" yet spend hours playing pointless Facebook games?
  • Any advice for someone who riffs so much in his posts that he/she/me forgets to edit..
  • I think I've done this technique in the past, but somehow forgot about it. I'm gonna give it a go and see what happens. Thanks for the info.

    (this comment could sure use some riffing...it's dull as can be...lol)
  • This is actually one of my secrets of writing fast and awesomely. I do however outline my posts and then let my writing flow. I edit afterwards, but often enough I realize that I don't have to do much editing. Post and let it rock!
  • Ok, for my next post I'm following your advice but I'm doing it with my eyes closed because when I let my thoughts stream unfettered they scare me. ;)
  • "Spit First, Shine Later" - Welcome to blogging Jordan ;)
  • This is pretty much what I do when I email myself. If I get into that blank stare I'll often email myself a question that I know I can answer that would be suited for my blog. For some reason I can get into the 'riff' much easier when replying to an email. Hitting that reply button and writing away, actually answering a question is much easier than looking at a blank new-post canvas in wordpress.

    I'm pretty sure 90% of my posts are written starting with a riff as you mentioned. I just get into this passionate outburst and I just can't stop, sometimes at the most unwanted of times (in the shower for example, the idea just comes and I must get to the computer asap and explode my brain onto the screen)
  • Sarge, the key though is to use it to spark creativity and not to just get the damn thing done. Many times my posts are originally written as a stream of consciousness... then I go back and extrapolate the "best of" what I've written and format that accordingly. It's not about creating filler, but condensing the quality into as small of a space as possible.
  • Jordan,

    Great idea. I've tried writing down titles in advance and that somewhat works but sometimes I feel so lost and can't think of a dang thing to write about.

    Other times I have ideas flowing through my brain so fast I think I'm going to need a personal laptop on me at all times.

    I will try this method. Just write about whatever and then organise. It's creative and pretty basic but if it works that's what counts.

    Re-Tweeting now! :)
  • freelancerant
    I've used more or less the same technique when having those blank moments. I also remember reading some interview with George Carlin where he always had a notebook or post-its on hand to jot down an idea whenever it came to him, no matter where he's at. That helps too.

    I read a good article on Copyblogger that has another way to get that inspiration... reading quotes.
  • Yes, George Carlin was one of the most organized stand-up comics ever... which is probably why he lasted so long and continued to produce fresh quality material for 40+ years. Jot down your thoughts whenever you can no matter what and "file" them accordingly - it's almost impossible to get writer's block plus you'll have a bevy of connected ideas to draw posts from.
  • Funny! I write every single post exactly like this!

    When I started blogging I tried so hard to follow all the advice about pre planning posts, pre writing them and getting ahead of the game by using mind maps and all the other techniques. What I found was that the posts were dull and lifeless, and I soon realized that I can't write that way.
  • I like the idea and will surely use it next time.
  • Hey Jordan with an "A". I think 72.984% of my posts are written this way. Also, it pays to leave the title to last so you can make it fit what you wrote.
  • Many will even say that coming up with a good post title is half the work. Usually though, I'd have a work-in-progress title already in mind and then adjust it if need be.
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