As most people are aware, I have or write for several blogs spanning a wide range of topics. One of the most common questions I hear is “Where do you find topics and ideas?”

It’s not any great secret because most everything is available for free and actually, it’s right under your nose.

The following are my own personal tools for staying abreast of hot topics and content ideas:

1. Google Alerts – I love Google Alerts! Google tracks the web for topics and sends new Google results by daily email right to my account.

2. Yahoo Answers – This is a great place where people ask each other questions on any topic, and get answers by sharing facts, opinions, and personal experiences. You’re able to see what people are most interested in on a variety of niche topics.

3. Netscape – Netscape keeps a running list of the hottest stories of the day as voted by the people who read them. With channels in the sidebar broken down into just about every topic I cover, it makes finding content super easy and most times, I’m finding new bloggers within my niche that I can buddy up with.

4. Yahoo Buzz – Yahoo Buzz is a day-to-day eye on what the world is searching for. You’ll find a breakdown of actors, sports, video games and much more. Try to incorporate at least one of the top movers into your post. It’s great for the traffic flow!

5. Technorati – I like to keep my eye on Technorati’s Popular list. The entire page is filled with popular videos, news, movies, searches and more. You’re bound to find an idea or two (and some linking options) with the popular list.

Now you know my early morning routine! A couple’a cups of coffee and my top five idea generators and I’m good to go!

Your Turn: Where do your post ideas come from?

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My Comment Commitment: If you leave an approved comment on any of my posts, I will visit your blog and “share it” in some way whether on StumbleUpon, Twitter or Facebook depending on if I can find a nice fit.

Since I began blogging several years ago, I can honestly say, blogging has changed my life in many ways. I could go into the mushy details… but I thought I would take a moment and focus on some of the other ‘perks’ that blogging presents – at least in my world.

• The ability to be an ‘AT HOME MOM’ to my children
• The occasional FREEBIE PRODUCT to review (still hoping to sample diamonds or plasma televisions one day)
• The gift of TIME! I have time to do so many things that I wouldn’t be able to do from the confines of a cubicle.
• The gift of deep, rewarding FRIENDSHIPS that have blossomed out of black and white print. It’s truly amazing the joys technology can bring to our lives.
• A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING of who I am as a person. I feel more informed on local, national and global issues then I ever did before blogging. Since I began working online, I’ve become more active in my local community and local politics as well. It’s as if I suddenly realized that I have a voice and my voice is just as important as anyone else.
• Perhaps the most notable is my INCOME. I can honestly say that as the result of working on line, I am currently making three times the money I was making working in a 9 to 5 job.

What perks have you noticed from your own blogging efforts? And what would you like to see eventually happen as the result of your blogging?

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My Comment Commitment: If you leave an approved comment on any of my posts, I will visit your blog and “share it” in some way whether on StumbleUpon, Twitter or Facebook depending on if I can find a nice fit.