7 Blog Post Formats to Banish Writer’s Block

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Woman sitting staring at her computer and chewing on a pen. She may have bloggers block.

Every blogger runs out of ideas from time to time. When that happens, instead of staring at your computer screen for hours or leaving a big gap in your blogging schedule, why not beat writer’s block by tryiing one of these proven article formats? When written well, your readers will love them!

Common Questions and Answers

On your blog, share the most common questions you get asked, along with your answers.

For an example, read What does a professional organizer do? by Julie Stobbe.

This process can be repeated again and again with different questions and themes of questions.

Why X Popular Sentiment Is Wrong

Write an interesting blog post by taking the opposite view of a popular opinion. Then, of course, you have to be able to back up your position!

5 Counter-Intuitive Productivity Tips by Jiri Novotny is a great example of this type of post.

Share a Personal Story with a Lesson

Tell your blog readers a personal story that ends in an educational lesson.

Linda Samuels is one blogger who does this often, and well. For an example, read her post, Decisions, Clutter & Tag Sales.

X Signs of Y

For a twist on the traditional list post, share any number of signs that something is true.

Ten Early Signs that Your Loved One May Have a Hoarding Problem by Dr. Michael A. Tompkins is a good example.

An In-Depth Analysis of X Technique or Theory

Capitalize on a popular theory by discussing its strengths and weaknesses on your blog.

Point out things your readers may not have realized. That’s basically what Yolanda V. Acree did in Pros and Cons of Minimalism.

Make your post even more valuable by giving extra tips for people who want to use the technique.

Make a Prediction about the Future

Everyone wants to know what’s going to happen next! Tell your blog readers what you think will happen in the future, and what this means for them.

Although this type of post is particularly popular at the beginning of a new year, it can be used any time.

For an example, see The Busy Bee’s Organization Trends in 2023

How to …

The how-to article is a very popular blog post format for a good reason.

When seeking a solution to a particular problem, most Internet users will go to Google or some other search engine and enter a phrase such as “how to organize your closet” or “how to save space.” If your post not only provides the information they need, but includes that exact phrase, your chances of being found are very good.

Here are some examples:

You can use these seven blog article formats any time, not just when you’re facing writer’s block. Some of them can even be reused time and again, so long as you change the title and the theme.

This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated.
Photo by Ivan Samkov.

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Janet Barclay

A former professional organizer, I now eliminate stress for my clients by hosting, monitoring, and maintaining their WordPress sites so they don’t have to worry about security, downtime or performance issues. When I’m away from my desk, I enjoy reading, photography, watching movies, and cooking.

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25 Comments

  1. Linda Samuels Linda Samuels on June 5, 2013 at 9:01 am

    Janet- You’ve done it again! What a fantastic list not only of great blog posts, but the concepts behind them. I like how you’ve defined the types of posts that can be written

    I keep a blog folder. When ideas pop into my head, I write them down and toss them in. If I get stuck, I look through my folder to find something that might work. I’ll be adding a copy of this post to the folder.

    Thank you for including me in this piece. It’s an honor to be among such a wonderful group. Just curious. Of the seven types of posts you described, do you have a favorite one that you prefer to use the most?

  2. Avatar Janet Barclay on June 5, 2013 at 10:09 am

    Great question, Linda! Of these seven, I probably write more “How to” posts than anything else, but I’ve also shared personal stories, disagreeing with a popular opinion, and Q&A. I came across the other ideas while researching this post, and am hoping to find a way to use them.

    I’m pleased that you found this helpful and honored that you’ve added it to your blog folder.

    • Linda Samuels Linda Samuels on June 5, 2013 at 7:26 pm

      Printed and filed! This will be a great resource. Thanks again.

      You’re right that I tend to write about personal stories but relate it to the larger experience. But I also do a lot of tips/strategy type posts. I suppose those fall more into the “How to” category. And with the “Ask the Expert” feature (like the one you were featured in), it’s the Q&A format. I’ll be reviewing your list to see if any of the other formats might work too. What is it they say? “Variety is the spice of life.”

      • Avatar Janet Barclay on June 6, 2013 at 10:00 am

        Agreed! Variety is good for us as bloggers, because it stretches our thinking and writing abilities, and it’s good for our readers, because it keeps things interesting.

  3. Avatar Chrissy Halton on June 17, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    Hi Janet – great post! I really try and vary what kind of posts I write and this is great inspiration. I find that top 10 list style posts are also a good idea as people tend to then comment on these and add their own favourites.

  4. Avatar Jacquie Ross on July 20, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    Great tips! Thanks for sharing my article, Janet!

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on July 21, 2013 at 10:37 am

      Always happy to share good stuff, Jacquie!

  5. Avatar Sabrina Quairoli on November 10, 2015 at 5:45 am

    What a great resource for ideas! I love that you add real examples links that other have used. I am going to bookmark this for inspiration later. Thanks for sharing! Always a pleasure to read!

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 10, 2015 at 8:50 am

      Always happy to inspire! If you try one of the formats suggested in the article, feel free to come back and share a link here.

  6. Avatar Seana Turner on November 10, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    Wow, you’ve inspired me with a couple of styles I haven’t been trying. I’m always looking for something new! Like Linda, I keep track of blog ideas as they pop into my head, but there are some approaches here that I’d like to give more thought to… keep your eyes open for one of your ideas on my blog:)

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 10, 2015 at 2:39 pm

      I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

  7. Avatar Jill Robson on November 14, 2015 at 8:32 am

    I love that you have examples of each category Janet, very helpful. I know I have been using Headline Analyzer a lot lately and that has playing around with titles and that can be very inspirational in itself.

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 14, 2015 at 9:13 am

      Yes! Sometimes we start with an idea, and develop a title to go with it, and other times we start with an interesting title and run with that.

  8. Avatar Andi Willis on November 14, 2015 at 8:56 am

    Great ideas as always, Janet! With all the big projects I have been working on lately, I have been neglecting my blog. This gives me some good ideas on how to restart my mojo! Thanks!

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 14, 2015 at 9:14 am

      Always happy to inspire other bloggers!

  9. Hazel Thornton Hazel Thornton on November 14, 2015 at 9:54 am

    Nice list, Janet. I see a couple of ideas there I haven’t tried!

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 14, 2015 at 3:07 pm

      I’m looking forward to seeing your spin on these ideas. 🙂

  10. Avatar Sarah Soboleski on November 14, 2015 at 7:38 pm

    I like that idea about taking the opposite view of a popular opinion. Filing this for a future idea! I think I could definitely have some fun with it. Thanks for the great suggestions, Janet!

  11. Deb Lee Deb Lee on November 16, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    I really like How To’s with images or videos. I don’t think I’ve written a prediction post yet, so I must add that to my list. Thanks, Janet. =)

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on November 17, 2015 at 6:13 am

      I consider you a thought leader, so I’d be very interested in reading your predictions.

  12. Julie Bestry Julie Bestry on May 5, 2023 at 1:07 am

    These are all fabulous. I think I tend to combine these elements in a lot of my posts. Like, “Why X is wrong” combined with “How to” or “Personal Story” + “X Signs of Y” + “How to.” And I think I mix the in-depth analysis with everything. But I don’t often try predicting the future, and that sounds like a lot of fun!

    • Avatar Janet Barclay on May 5, 2023 at 9:12 am

      That’s what makes your posts so interesting, Julie! You leave no stone uncovered – except maybe predicting the future. I’ll be interested in seeing what you come up with there!

  13. Avatar Janet Schiesl on May 10, 2023 at 11:35 am

    The perfect post for inspiration. It can feel draining to try to come up with ideas all the time. Saving these for inspiration, thanks!

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