Struggling to figure out an idea for a blog post? Sometimes you just have to think differently.

In a blog post for Inbound.org, writer Jimmy Daly (the editor of the popular newsletter Swipe File) talks about a few of the unconventional strategies he uses to form new blog posts. Perhaps the most unusual? Ghostwrite for yourself.

“One of the easiest ways to do this is to ghost write for your own blog. Yep, I know that sounds trite, but it really works,” Daly explains. “Put yourself in the shoes of your CEO or one of your developers. Write on a topic from their perspective, in their voice.”

The idea here is to think of writing outside of the strategy and direction you usually would take, something Daly calls “a fun creative change of pace” and “a great way to gain perspective and empathy for your coworkers.”

That’s just one of many ideas Daly brings up—check out his post for the complete list.

Choosing the Right Tool

What do shovels have to do with choosing an AMS?!? https://t.co/mqyplXR2c8 #assnchat

— Wes Trochlil (@westrochlil) October 26, 2016

Association management systems are tough to discuss in the association space—and a topic that even longtime pros struggle with. Wes Trochlil of Effective Database Management finds himself dealing with this issue often—specifically, why can’t there just be one AMS that works for every association?

To that end, Trochlil points to shovels. Check his latest blog post to see the connection.

(In case you’d like to see this point made another way, Aptify compares the process to buying a house.)

Other Links of Note

Whether you’re trying to reach lawmakers in DC or readers in a local market, op-eds are useful tools for pushing an advocacy message forward. At Kivi’s Nonprofit Communications Blog, media relations pro Peter Panepento breaks down the strategy for placing that op-ed where it’s going to get read.

Stressful task in front of you? The “2-minute rule,” a concept conceived by a former Marine, can help you get past it. Business Insider explains how the concept works.

This week, Microsoft and Apple had big product releases. What should you make of them? This Fast Company piece offers a useful compare-contrast.

(markusspiske/Pixabay)