I have noticed that several bloggers have written that the only way to get good at writing is to write everyday, regardless of other commitments. In fact, Ned over at Ned’s Blog went so far as to say that those of us who do not should be spanked (http://nedhickson.com/2013/11/01/regular-writing-can-shape-your-literary-thighs/). While I think this advice has more to do with Ned’s personal preferences than serious advice, the underlying advice is sound. Fortunately, a few others were a little more specific. For example, the Dysfunctional Literate talks about writing on a variety of topics (http://dysfunctionalliteracy.com/2013/10/13/5-rules-for-writing-every-day/).
What no one tells me, though, is what to write about if I really don’t have anything interesting going on in my life. Looking around, I see that some people do short stories/novellas. Since most of my (limited) spare time is spent with literature (yes,that stuff you hated reading in high school) and magazines such as National Geographic and Smithsonian, I am going to guess that my tastes in reading/writing are probably not the key to gaining more readers.
There seem to be a lot of advice columns out there. I could probably do that if I really knew anything about anything. My brain is more like Trivial Pursuit – lots of cool facts without a lot to tie them together. I guess that hasn’t really hurt some of the people I have seen in the newspapers.
There are a lot of cooking blogs. Unfortunately, most of my cooking comes from looking around the kitchen and seeing what we have. I don’t know what it will taste like until I’m done. When I’m done, I have no way to recreate it because I didn’t measure anything and don’t really remember what I put in. I worry that there might be some kind of legal issue if I accidentally poison a stranger (no, it hasn’t happened at home).
I could write about my family. Only problem is that the humans would quit speaking to me and the cats can’t be counted on to be amusing. I could write poetry, but it really stinks. I could make fun of current events, but most of them succeed just fine doing it themselves. Same for politics. I could write about travel, except I don’t go anywhere. I don’t do photography. I draw a little, but how many plant drawings would people want to look at?
I TOLD you I was boring. Now that I think about it – maybe that has some potential.
Adventures in Cheeseland 
I won’t offer advice, but I will tell you what works for me. I read. A lot. And I take a lot of notes. You can write pretty much about anything, believe it or not. In my 10-minute drive home, I saw several things worth writing about: a ‘God Bless John Wayne’ bumper sticker; a pickup truck with 6-ml. plastic as the rear window; and even the art on a train. What possesses people to do these things? Why John Wayne and not Clint Eastwood? Why bother with the plastic? It doesn’t stop the wind and you cannot see through it. And the art — it’s often very intricate. What are the stories behind these pieces of graffiti?
In other words, I always have questions about my observations. Most often, it’s ‘why?’ Write on, my friend.
Thank you so much for your advice and support!
I don’t write everyday and look at me…. Wait, bad example.
I like what you write. Is that a comment on my taste?
Not at all. If you read my stuff, get a good chuckle and go on with your day. That’s a good thing…. However, if you read my stuff and the voices in your head are telling you I said to kill your boss… Then we may have a problem…
OK then, You have a good (Kill your boss) day.
“What no one tells me, though, is what to write about if I really don’t have anything interesting going on in my life.”
I don’t know. I go through that too, and I just don’t write new material on those days. I may edit other stuff, but I just have to accept (for me) that my brain can’t/won’t come up with new material every day. And then I edit, or read, or watch football. That’s what works for me,
thank you!