The best way to learn is to learn from the best. Especially when it comes to writing. Whether its an epic novel or a regular blog, the same principals of good storytelling apply. So here are six quotes from some of literature’s greatest figures to inspire you the next time you start writing your blog.

3. Of course it's hard to always have something new to say but
these tricks will help you stay original:
• Plan in advance - Make a content calendar and start filling it in at least a month in
advance. That way you will never find yourself panicking about a deadline, unable
to think of anything to write about. Convince and Convert have a fantastic one you
can download to get you started.
• Use your team - Share your content calendar with everyone in the office so they
can see what you're working on. Once a week, tell them that you've updated it so
they can add their ideas or additions. And ask them what interesting stuff they've
been working on. Perhaps they can write something about it themselves.
• Read! - Read as much as you can. You're bound to find some inspiration in the
thousands of other blogs out there. To discover new blogs, try curation sites like
Alltop, Content Gems or Prismatic. You might find a piece of research that you want
to take in a different direction. Or maybe you'll want to write a reply to a piece you
disagree with.

5. If someone's job is made easier or they have more time on their
hands because of reading your blog - then you've succeeded. So put
yourself in your reader's shoes:
• Before you start writing, try and put down in one sentence what people are
going to take away from your blog.
• Practice what you preach. Try everything out for yourself and make sure it's
useful. Collect some data on your experiments to give your content some extra
depth and impact.
• Play to your strengths. Which problems is your company good at solving? Write
content about that!

7. Creating and sharing great content isn’t always about writing a blog
for your site and then maybe tweeting it to your followers.
You need to be active on as many different platforms and networks as you can to
give your content the best possible chance of taking off. One piece might be popular
on Facebook and another might get people Tweeting. You won’t know until you’ve
tested it.
Edit content and style for each place you’re going to post it:
• Make some powerful visuals and put them here on Slideshare.
• Give it a narrative arc for Storify.
• Go into more depth for Medium.
• And you should always be on the lookout for new platforms. You don’t want to
be left behind when all your readers have moved to somewhere cooler.

9. A blog is not the place for the beautiful yet complex intertwining of
language and ideas. It should be intelligent but also clear and easy
to read. Like Hemmingway:
• Check the language you’ve used. Is there a simpler way to say what you’ve said?
• Ask other people to read it. Make sure they tell you how easily they understood
what you were getting at.
• Watch your sentence lengths. Keep them punchy and packed full of information.
• Don’t be afraid to start again from the beginning. Sometimes your writing finds
its flow once you’ve mulled the ideas a bit but you need a fresh start.
It’s hard work! But it should seem effortless to your readers.

11. You can’t just sit around all day wondering what you’re going to
write about. You will find more inspiration if you keep busy.
• Be inquisitive! Try things out. Share things you’ve come across with your
peers. Apps like Yammer and HipChat are great for doing this without
disturbing everyone.
• Use your own product! The best way to become an advocate for your
product is to use it for yourself. BufferApp write some fantastic blogs about
what they use their own post-scheduling and analytics tools for. At
PeerIndex we’re always excited to be the first people who get to play with
each new PiQ feature. After that, coming up with content is easy!

13. Finally, heed this advice from the wonderful Toni Morrison and
you can’t go wrong. Ask yourself:
• What kind of stuff do I like to read?
• Which headlines draw me in?
• What problems do I wish I could solve?
Which writers have inspired you? Are there any great quotes you would add to
this list?
Let us know!