How do you come up with the ideas and how long does it take to write a post?
Ideas for blogposts come in many different ways. One of the best is going on what I call a \”recon mission\”, walking or driving around different parts of town to see what\’s happening and what\’s new and then when I see something that catches my eye, check it out and possibly interview the manager or owner. In reading I get ideas for topics, new products or services to check out, places to visit. Readers, friends, public relations people and business owners are also sources of ideas and tips. I also put myself in the position of the reader, and think about the information I\’d like to know about. That\’s the way topics like Things to Do in Miami and Best Restaurants of the Year came about. Writing a blogpost is a process that can take as much as a full day or more once I have the information (and more to gather the information). The most time consuming hands down are the roundrups where multiple places, events are mentioned. Once it\’s written, it takes time to doublecheck the facts. Sometime I\’m missing information, so then there are calls to be made. Getting good images is also a challenge, and there\’s also work involved in doing the Search Engine Optimization which is the part I like the least. So yes, it is time consuming but I love it. Exploring, making new discoveries, searching for the best, meeting new people in the process, and the actual process of writing are all things I enjoy, so it\’s a labor of love.