Maybe your New Year’s resolution was to start a blog. That’s pretty easy. The hard part comes when you have to think up a topic on a regular basis. I post on Tuesdays (usually), so Monday night I’m cramming to write something witty, brilliant, unforgettable, quote-worthy or hysterical. But I give up pretty quick, and end up vomit-typing a blog at the last minute.

So where do you turn when you’ve run out of blog ideas? Here are some money-back-guaranteed ways to fill your blog with brilliance:

Write What You Love: If you love reading, chocolate, exercising (liar), or beauty–don’t write about that, because there are already BILLIONS of writers filling the blogosphere about that. What else do you love? Eating all the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms cereal, leaving only the frosted “oat” shapes for the rest of family? Hiding your spouse’s keys and watching him scramble to find them when he’s late for a meeting? (Hilarious. I suggest doing it at least once a week.) If you love torturing small creatures, don’t write about that. Get help.

Steal Ideas: Read what other people write, and then write something similar–with your own special twist. Example: If you Google “How to Roast a Chicken” you’ll find several blogs written by chicken-roasting experts. Add a twist to that and write “How to Roast A Chicken that Your Child Raised for 4H.”

Write About Your Strengths: No one wants to read about how freaking perfect you are. When I say “strengths” I mean things like, How I Found the Strength To Not Strangle My Husband After He Watched Golf All Weekend. Or How I Found the Strength to Act Like I Was Listening to My 4-Year-Old. (These are actually great topics. Don’t steal those. I might use them later.)

(Have a lucky talisman nearby. Some people have a rabbit’s foot. I hold a grandson.)

Write About Your Mistakes/Failures: Did you make oatmeal cookies using salt instead of sugar? And then did you take them to your 7th grade party? And then did your friends take a bite and throw them over the fence to the neighbor’s dog? And were you afraid to admit you made the cookies, because then your friends would think you were stupid? And did you vow to never a) make cookies, b) have friends, c) return to school? Yeah, write about that.

Make Lists: Lists are a super-easy, no-talent-required way to write a blog. (Maybe you’ve noticed most of my blogs include a list.) With lists, you can:

• Give several examples
• Take up space
• Refer back to #1
• Refer to previous blogs
• Make a list of your favorite things (See first example)

Now your creative juices should be flowing. At least I hope that’s creative juice.