Staying Creative Over the Long Haul

By guest contributor Rebecca Beach.

I write this post not as someone who has mastered the art of "staying creative over the long haul," but rather as someone who has to remind herself of it every day. Staying creative is one of those ever-present challenges for bloggers. Sure, we're especially inspired from time-to-time. Sure, we love spending hours on Pinterest and the feeling of being creative that gives us. Yet, we fall into ruts. We see others' work and get discouraged, or fall into the comparison trap. We feel like plunking our head down and taking a nice long break. But, it is possible to stay creative over the long haul, and here are a few tips to do it!

1) Step away from the computer and look elsewhere for inspiration
Two of my favorite places to find inspiration are the hardware store and thrift shops. Why a hardware store? I love thinking outside the box and coming up with non-traditional (yet practical) uses for hardware, lumber, and plumbing supplies. There are so many possibilities, and it’s actually quite affordable. Why thrift stores? Thrifting requires that I take an object placed on a messy shelf, and imagine it in my home, on my prop shelf, used in a photo shoot, etc. Even if I just roam the aisles of my local hardware or thrift stores without actually buying anything, I find myself inspired. Stepping away from the computer and stretching my imagination are wonderful methods to stay creative. Just find your places of inspiration!

2) Don't compare yourself
It's wonderful to look at others' work and appreciate what they've done. But, when I start to compare myself, there comes a point when my creativity is stifled and I find myself feeling inadequate. I’ve been learning how to draw the line between a healthy dose of admiration and an unhealthy comparison. Remember, you have your own niche and your own voice, and your readers follow you because of that.

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Chat with Meg Keene

By Monica Lee.

Everyone is looking for publicity, but how do you really land that great feature? Meg Keene shares with us her tips and plans for moving forward in todays competitive PR world.

The Juggle- Creating Content For Other Sites, While Growing Your Own

By Jenny Batt and guest contributor Brittni Mehlhoff. Photography by Meredith.

We all have a seemingly never-ending list of to-dos. So how do you cram in content for others while maintaining and growing your site (and your sanity)? Very carefully. Here are some tips for juggling content for others while growing your own site.

1) Plan ahead
Plan out your contributed and personal content well in advance, and create designated times to work on each. If you contribute to multiple sites, be sure to vary the due dates. You don’t want everything due at the same time of each month.

2) Don’t get overwhelmed
This happens to all of us sometimes. Set aside a day on a weekend, and produce as much content as possible. This will get you ahead of schedule and back on track to producing great content with less stress.

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Simple Ways to Build an Online Community

By guest contributor Disney.

Give to Get

Admit it - you love to be around generous people. We all do. A big part of why we love being around them is that we feel like that person really cares about us. In the same way, a generous blog author builds a devoted readership.

Provide Free Content

Giveaways are a great way to give back to your readership, and most companies are excited to participate in them. Do make sure that the giveaway product is relative to your blog’s regular content, and try to avoid making readers jump through too many hoops to enter. (i.e. Liking you on Facebook, becoming a Google follower, etc.). Readers also love to receive products that you make as well.

Prioritize readers

When your blog becomes all about your own opportunities, readers will recognize it quickly. We’ve all seen it: a blog we started out loving turns into something drab, overrun with advertising, guest posts, and sponsored content. Your readers need to know that they are more important to you than a $50 store gift card. Keep the sponsored posts under control, and remember that instructional or personal posts are what will bring people back again.

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The Perfect Dress For A Sponsor Meeting or A Blogger Meet-Up

By guest contributor Tori Bowman.

Sponsor meetings are already a little stressful and daunting. Throw in needing to look put together and professional while showing off a little personality, and one can become quite overwhelmed.

Just like all other difficult tasks in the blogging world, Alt has your back on this one. Here you have it ladies - the perfect dress to wear to a sponsor meeting.

To look professional when meeting with those big sponsors, pair this dress with a neutral cardigan that has subtle, feminine details. Add a bit of personality with accessories, like these gold bangles and floral loafers.

cardigan / bangles / the perfect dress / floral loafers

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