By Barb Sawyers » I'm one of those lucky writers who always has more ideas than time. But from what I read, it's obvious some people aren't so fortunate.

Let me share my five top tips:

1. Express your opinions about what you read, hear and observe 

2. Recycle current content 

3. Update older content 

4. Respond to observations and questions you receive in your comments and other forums 

5. Draw inspiration from your work and personal life.

Express your opinion about what you read, hear and observe

I'm assuming you try to stay up to date on your area of expertise. I'm also assuming you have opinions. Of course, you're not always at the computer when they strike, so carry around a notebook or someplace else to jot them down. If you're one of those people who does not have strong opinions or the confidence to share them, you will have difficulty with this tip. You can't be shy.

Recycle your current content

I also write a blog, an email newsletter and articles for different sites and clients, so I go back and forth, revising the content to better reflect what works best in each medium and the different target readers. If you're producing content in another format, whether it's updates to your website or tweets, consider how you can recycle it.

Update older content

I've written on related topics for a number of publications and clients. If I need to do a quick post and I'm stuck, I review past material and update it, to reflect developments, as well as the needs of this medium and its audiences. I also find that after I've had some distance from some content, I can always think of ways to improve it. So dust off that old filing cabinet or external drive and see what's in there. You may rediscover all sorts of magic content in your vault.

Respond to others

This article was inspired by a blogger who quoted me on the importance of quality over quantity. The writer also expressed frustration with the need to keep coming up with ideas, a concern I have heard again and again. 
Recently I've been responding to feedback to the question I posted on my blog, newsletter and other forums, What's your biggest writing challenge? What better way to start a conversation than to ask and answer questions.

Draw inspiration from your work and personal life

I often share what I have learned from working on a project. It's very satisfying. I also post about words that annoy me, making a mental or written note when I come across them, then drafting the post when I'm in one of those moods when venting is fun. I will reference my personal life when it backs up the point I'm trying to make. If something happens that your target readers may be interested in, then it's an idea you can use.

If you've tried these tips and you're still not coming up with enough ideas, maybe you need to write or speak less often. Quality trumps quantity every time.

• A member of IABC/Toronto, Barb Sawyers is past chair of the Alliance of Independent Practitioners, a large group of independent communicators. She writes articles, newsletters, announcements, scripts and other communication that are read and remembered. With a masters in journalism and more than 25 years' experience, Barb has enabled many corporations, small businesses, government agencies and nonprofits to communicate more effectively. She's working on an e-book called Write Like You Talk - Only Better. For more information, visit stickycommunication.ca or barbsawyers.wordpress.com