#academicblogchallenge

   Whether you just decided to start an academic blog or have been blogging for decades, chances are at some point you have asked yourself, "What should I post about?"
In chatting with some friends in my writing group, I realized I was not the only one with this question. 
   As a knitter, I am fairly active in the Instagram knitting community. (Yes, that is a thing! Surprise!) Because academic life leaves little time for the fiber arts, I rarely have something meaningful to post about. That all changed when I joined the #fiberuarychallenge2021 this year.
   The "fiberuarychallenge" is an activity in which a theme is presented each day of the month in February. For example, today's prompt was "made in 2020." Previous posts include "This day last year," "When I'm not crafting," and "Introduction." Knitters then create fascinating posts using these themes as a guide. This framework not only answers the question of "What should I post about?" but it also provides a foundation for really interesting conversations within the fiber community. Through this challenge, I have made new connections and learned incredible things about my fiber friends.
   I figured there had to be something similar for academic blogs, right? I needed a #academicblogchallenge to get my creative juices flowing! After a few failed Google searches, my quest for academic blog themes was in vain. Rather than hang my head in defeat, I decided to create, the (perhaps) first ever "#academicblogchallenge!" Never again will an academic ask, "What should I post about?" (At least not for a few weeks!)
   This challenge provides 12 themes that academics can use to craft blog posts. Each post can be as broad or narrow as you need, depending on your blog's audience. You can use these 12 themes consecutively every day, once a week for three months, or once a month for a year, depending on your preference. Maybe you just pick one or two themes that fit your blog? It's pretty flexible!
   By referring to the challenge, you give yourself permission to speak about whatever you know about the theme. Hopefully, like my experience with #fiberuarychallenge2021, by accepting this challenge, you make new connections and your audience gets to know you and your work a little better. (And the best part is that each theme has a few additional questions if you need a little extra guidance to get started!)