Guest Post - Our host is Jake Fisher, Jake lists his favorite places to get your creative juices flowing.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

No matter if you're a writer, an artist, an actor, or any other type of creative professional, finding inspiration for your work is crucial to growing in your field. However, running into a creative block can become common if you simply sit at your desk all day.

Lindsey Leesmann, a communication specialist at Grantham University, says that one of the best ways to overcome writer's block, or any creative block for that matter, is to get away from your desk and change the scenery. Expand your creativity and find inspiration at one of the following locations.

1. The Library

Image via Flickr by Tulane Publications
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Guest Post - Our host is Anna Robeson, Anna is looking at some different types of content bloggers can use and readers will love.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

The days of simply writing content and posting it online are long gone. I've heard the phrase „content is king” time and time again, and while I do not disagree with it, hell, I've actually written an article on the subject myself, I have to say that content is not only written. Images, videos info-graphics are also content, visual content, but still, content. The problem with today's internet is the fact that it is over-saturated with information.

Let's be honest, how many of you read articles from start to finish?  I don't. Even if I find something that interests me, I usually skim through the text, and bookmark it for later. Many writers are faced with a major problem: people do not read their blog. Moreover, in most cases, it is the first few seconds that attract a user. You can be sure that a block of text isn't as attractive as a post rich in images or videos. Written content is without a doubt the most popular content creation technique, and it is also one of the most poorly done. Any respected agency will tell you that high-quality content is one of the most powerful business promoters. That being said, let us discover alternative content techniques.
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Guest Post - Our host is Jessica Davis, Jessica is taking an interesting look at Narrative writing styles you can use on your blog.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” -- Maya Angelou. Before you can get your story out and write it down, you need to decide which narrative style you are going to use. You may have vivid memories, amazing plot lines and great ideas but they will not have the desired effect if your narrative style or type is flawed. When you sit down to write a novel, having a clear narrative style can help you keep track of the story and prevent your from straying too much.

There is no hard and fast rule that you have to stick to one narrative style throughout the novel or short story. Many legendary authors like Margaret Atwood have often used third and first person narrative styles in the same book to great effect. This is done when more than one character presents the story. There may be numerous ways to write your story but there are only a few ways to narrate it.

Third person narrative style

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Guest Post - Our host is Nicolas D’Alleva, in this post Nicolas takes a no holds barred look at being an honest blogger.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

As internet use becomes increasingly more ubiquitous, so do our suspicions about the things we see, read, and hear online. Just like your seventh grade social studies teacher told you, people can write and put whatever they want on the internet (so, STOP citing Wikipedia in your term paper).

Internet users are skeptical of what they see online, and bloggers need to respond accordingly. A little honesty can go a long way in increasing your following, not to mention that there are already hundreds of other bloggers claiming to be Morgan Freeman (yes, other people know how to use PhotoShop too).

So, leave the aliases and the pseudonyms at the door, and start writing from the heart. Here are three reasons why it will make people want to read what you’re writing.

1. People can tell when you’re full of it

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Guest Post - Our host is Kevin Demlon, Kevin has some well explained tips for bloggers of all levels.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Although it was coined in 1999, the term “blog” did not enter the dictionary until 2004, when it was Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year. The dictionary defined it as “an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.” Since that time, blogging has become a legitimate and sometimes profitable profession for some scribblers. But like most professions, few bloggers ever achieve wealth or even fame. Most write for a small number of faithful readers who share their interests. There are of course exceptions to this rule.

When the Huffington Post, a news blogging website, was sold to America Online (AOL) for $315 in February of 2011, it sent shockwaves through the blogosphere. Suddenly, everybody and their mother thought they could strike it rich by simply starting their own blogs. As you might expect, most of them fell flat on their proverbial faces. How do we know?
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Guest Post - Our host is Emmanuel Obarhua, who takes an in-dept look into article writing.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

The only way you can make your articles unique and mind boggling is to make a difference in how you write; your writing is the most essential part of blogging. It propounds how good you are, it brings paid writing opportunities, it reputes your blog and a million more... I guess you must have heard the blogosphere’s number 1 adage; “Content is king”. This cannot be attained by the length of an article, instead it either spoil the whole thing or delay the way you update your blog as you only want to write lengthy posts.
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Guest Post - Our host is Cara Aley, Cara has some fresh new ideas on getting those creative juices flowing on your blog.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Writing can be a fabulous avocation, but all writers at times face the inevitable writer’s block. It can be extremely frustrating to feel as though you are fresh out of ideas, especially as a blog writer who is under pressure on a daily basis to write original content.

Here we provide some ideas in for how to get those ideas flowing when you simply feel fresh out.
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Guest Post - Our host is Brianne Walter, here Brianne explains why you don't have to be serious on your blog at all times.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Bloggers, like any other business owner in the world, take their blogs very seriously. Every bit of information they put on there and every post is somber and serious and high on information. Not many would ever want to tamper with the serious image that they have created in front of their audiences. However, as many successful bloggers know, acting goofy on your blog could be a great alternative to always being super serious. Here are a few reasons why you should consider bringing out your goofy side every once in a while on your blog.

1. It helps you and your content team relax

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Guest Post - Our host is Lauren Smith, in this post Lauren tackles the problems faced when writing for niches seen as less exciting or boring.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Hello, my name is Lauren Smith and I'm an online editor for safe retail website, ADCSafes. I have been reading Spice Up For Blog for a little while now, and have been wanting to contribute a blog post for a while, the only thing that has been stopping me so far is not knowing what to blog about. I'm not exactly an expert when it comes to blogging, I'm 19 and have a couple of years experience in SEO and Wordpress, so hardly an online guru, I have, however, had experience of writing for a small variety of niches, some of which have been easier than others.

The content I find easiest to write is content that is relevant to my interests, and maybe not even necessarily my interests, but broader interests of people from my demographic. For example, I don't particularly like Nicki Minaj, but I'm pretty sure that with a little research I could write a killer article on her. Why? Because there are plenty of other people surrounding me who do like her, and know a lot about her, so it's easy to find a target audience and thrive on it.Click Here To View Full Post >>

Guest Post - Our host is Kingsley Agu, in this post Kingsley has some tips for freelance bloggers.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Do you still remember that moment when you check your email or facebook inbox, and you come across a mind boggling email or message, specifically from a soon-to-be prospective client? Yeah, I know how happy you’d be then - especially if this particular message is your first from any client online.

I think I can relate very well with the short remembrance above; since I can still vividly remember how my first ghost writing client contacted me from facebook; asking me to write for him.

This story goes on and on. But it’s not the story I want to tell you about - it’s about the mistakes and glitches which I did as a newbie who just met his very first client.

I also think you can learn from this story as well; because it practically address problems which newbie freelance bloggers encounter, and how they can possibly avoid such problems.

These were the mistakes or should I say - deadly sins which I committed with my very first client-Click Here To View Full Post >>

Guest Post - Our host is Gina Smith, the majority of bloggers are new to writing content but as Gina explains in this post that does not mean they can not write like the pros.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

The thought of writing a Blog intimidates a lot of people. Why? Most often, people think they have to be a professional writer to sound articulate and knowledgeable. While details such as proper grammar, spelling and word use is important with any type of writing, the beauty of Blogs is they can be written in your preferred writing style. In fact, it is actually recommended that Blogs be written using a more “informal” language. Therefore, if you focus more on what you say rather than how you say it, it’s not very difficult for an amateur writer to be viewed an online expert.Below are some great tips for the amateur to write like a professional.
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Guest Post - Our host is Debbie Allen, here Debbie has some great suggestions on choosing headlines for your blog posts.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

The goal of every blogger is for their blog posts to be read by hundreds or thousands of readers. But in most cases, that only happens in a dream world. The reality is that many articles are posted only to gather dust.The reason is not because the posts are poorly written or even because they are not interesting. In most cases, the reasons these posts do nothing more than sit around being unread is because the writer neglected to give the article an effective headline.

Without an effective headline, an article will do little to attract readers, much less get them to read the post. As everyone has heard repeatedly, content is king, but if you can’t get readers to read beyond the headline, they will never know that you have provided quality content for them.In effect, this can create a negative image in their minds, and therefore, it can potentially impact your business  in a negative way. On the other hand, the more readers you have who continue to return to and read your work, the more likely your profile is to soar.

Headline Formats That Work

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Guest Post - Our host is Martha Buckly, in this post Martha takes and in-dept look at mentors in writing and as a bonus look out for the inspirational writing quotes at the foot of the post.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Often times one of the hardest things to deal with as a writer is a blank page. When faced with it you may find yourself looking for inspiration just about anywhere-your neighbors, the kids, the backyard, and of course the Internet. A good Google search can be your best friend when the first paragraph of your piece seems almost impossible to conjure up.

And in addition to these assistants, at some point or another a writer may also crave the support and inspiration of other writers. This is a pretty common occurrence. It may happen just due to the commonality of occupation, similar recounts of obstacles and victories, or just the overall connection that is present when you share the same experiences as someone else.

Likewise, the opportunities to connect are numerous.Sometimes it may be through a circle, group or forum, or a more personal encounter such as a writing buddy, friend, coach or mentor.

Choosing a mentor

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Guest Post - Our host is Cameron Smith, in this post Cameron tackles the obscure yet important subject of bullet points.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Recently I’ve been working on jazzing up my skills when it comes to sales letters and capture pages…

In other words, I’ve been staring at my screen a lot, listening to some pretty cool trainings about how to improve my writing to the point where I can persuade a higher percent of people to buy my stuff.

Pretty much one of the most important skills to learn out there, and I want to share a few insights I’ve had (or at least what other genius people have flat out told me to do!)

One running theme I’ve run across is the importance of being able to write killer bullet points.

I know, that may seem like an obscure topic and skill to work on, but here me out.
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Guest Post - Our host is DCMontreal, in this post he explains how putting smiles on faces can add readers to your blog.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

We’ve all heard it said that laughter is the best medicine. Some studies have even shown that women think that funny men are smarter and more honest than more serious guys, and may even find them more attractive. But while enjoying a good chuckle every so often for our overall well-being, let’s not overlook the fact that humour can also be an effective tool in drawing visitors to your blog.

There is a long history of written word humour; I suspect even some of those cave wall drawings may have been pretty funny all those centuries ago – the cartoon B.C. draws on that theme. Humorous novels, plays, and certainly films abound – the fact is, people like to laugh, some would go so far as to say laughter is essential to being a well-balanced person. Bloggers have several methods and styles at their fingertips to help out with the mirthful posts. Here are two of my favorites.

Good Old Fashioned Prose

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Guest Post - Our host is David Tucker, here David looks at how to best finish your posts and leave readers wanting more.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

In blogging, as in every other type of writing, there needs to be an arc that carries the reader from introduction to conclusion. The ending reminds the reader of the gist of the ideas contained in the previous text, and plants useful cues for further thinking or action. In fact, deficiencies in endings are one of the marks of a mature writer; look at the essays of young children, and you will find ideas trailing off at the bottom of the page, or trivial irrelevancies shoved in at the end, or abrupt, “so there” sorts of closings, to name just a handful of mistakes.

Unfortunately, all too often, many writers with chronological maturity display these amateur failings. Especially since blogging often has a marketing component, whereby the reader is being encouraged to do, feel, or purchase something, the ending of a blog post needs to be just as compelling and engaging as the lead-in. Here are some thoughts on avoiding such weaknesses.
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Guest Post - Our host is Alisa Martin, an experienced guest author on many blogs.Alisa has some good tips on guest blogging.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Guest Posting undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in the context of search engine optimization. The concept of this strategy is quite simple but it yields great results! It is one of the best and most reliable ‘white hat’ SEO techniques that add to the online reputation of your website. In this article we will provide some handy do’s and don’ts of this strategy that will help amateur SEO professionals to get things right.

The Do’s of Guest Posting

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For this post our host is Stephanie Strazinsky, Stephanie here breaks down how to add some emotion to your next blog post.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Growing up we’ve all heard “Don’t be too emotional” a number of times. Even as adults we steel ourselves with phrases such as – “If you don’t want to get hurt, don’t show your feelings”. Perhaps, we’ve even given the advice ourselves? Emotions are bad and must be kept hidden or else, all hell will break loose.

Emotions sell

Advertising experts know that emotions sell. People respond to emotions. We remember commercials that make us cry, laugh and think. To make a campaign ad successful, it has to touch people enough to want to do something, whether it is to pick up the phone to give a donation or to order that delicious-looking pizza you’ve just seen on TV.

If you could translate that into your writing, you won’t have to worry about boring your audience. So yes, this is the time to unearth all that pent-up emotions you’ve been hiding, because guess what, you might actually earn from them!
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Guest Post - Our host is Kavita Jain, in this post Kavita has a unique look at making blog posts easy.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

I have always felt that when we write something in a simple, honest way- it touches someone’s heart. Of all the columns, blogs, articles, books, newspapers, magazines, I have read till today; the ones that touched me the most were the ones that were just complete in themselves. I mean to say they didn’t pretend, they didn’t show off, they accepted their limitations, they were silent yet assertive, they had a dignity and poise of emotions and reality. I know it sounds like I am talking about a person but I am actually talking about articles and blogs. Every piece of column/post has an identity of it’s own. It has a world of it’s own. It captures a life’s moment just like a camera captures a moment and preserves it forever. So I feel, when we are writing something- we should treat it in a very individual way. We should try, as much as possible to give every post a body.

Feel Free And Express

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Guest Post - Our host is Lisa Devereaux, Want to speed up your post writing process ? Lisa has some great tips to help you on the way.See How To Become a guest author on Spice Up Your Blog.

Are you spending too much time chained to your computer trying to pump out just one more blog post ? Is your partner knocking on the door asking when you are coming to bed ? Just one more minute creeps up to midnight. Or are your kids whining at your feet for some attention and your frustration shows as you try to explain to them that mummy is trying to write on her blog. This is a true story as I eagerly started my blogging career trying to learn how to do everything in Internet marketing with that dream of earning money on an Internet lifestyle. It was not working.

Stop and take a breath. Here are my 7 Quick ways to write blog posts fast so you can do the things that are worth more than being chained to the computer. I have trialled and tested the following techniques so I can continue to write great content on my blog, smart and fast. It does not matter what your blogging goals are or if you want to promote affiliate income, write about your family, business or technology, you need to learn how to do it fast so you can do the other things you enjoy besides spending 24 hours a day, a slave to writing, syndicating and social media.

7 Quick Ways to write blog posts FAST

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