Photography: Filing cabinet by alexstaubo

I first encountered the idea of a ’swipe file’ through a guest-post by Chris Garret (who also runs a wonderful blog in his own right) over at Brian Clark’s CopyBlogger. He defines it as such:

A swipe file is simply a folder, real or electronic, containing examples of good copy. You might save a collection of killer headlines, several examples of powerful openings, a funny turn of phrase, a powerful call to action, and so on.

Later when you are stuck, you can turn to your swipe file for inspiration.

For a few days I’ve been maintaining my own swipe file with the help of Tumblr. It’s a rather random collection of inspiring and useful content. Some items sparked ideas I want to share. Hence the concept of the Weekly Swipe file — speedlinks to content that inspired me and will, hopefully, inspire you.

I’ll also explain some ways the content could be used as a spring-board for unique creations on your own website or blog. This week’s swipe file contains four items.

MakeShift

A great idea from a site devoted to DIY. The puzzle provides readers with a scenario (keys stuck down a canyon) and a limited number of objects which need to be combined to retrieve them. The most ingenious answer wins a MAKE sweatshirt.

A reader challenged is a reader engaged. Let your readers show off their ingenuity.

The Hipster PDA

Researching a post this week (Lifehack Your Niche) I came across a simple lifehack which went viral, meaning the idea began to travel from person to person almost by-itself. The idea was the hipster PDA — an ‘anti-PDA’ constructed from index cards and a bulldog clip which reportedly works just as well.

The ingredients for this hack’s success are its simplicity, its easy to replicate nature, and the statement it made — a rejection of gadgets in favor of human ingenuity. How can you add these ingredients to your own lifehack-style content?

Best of Phirebrush.com

A patchwork-quilt of beautiful images. Though the artwork is not consistently astounding the overall effect is a visual banquet.

Only a tiny percent of internet users are still clinging to dial-up, and trust me, they’re used of waiting. Don’t shy away from using high-quality images in your design (as long as they have a purpose).

What if each image at the Best of Phirebrush page was a doorway to unique content? What if that patchwork quilt of images was the navigational hub of your site? Navigational conventions have their roots firmly planted in a time when text alone was King. Now, images are not shiny baubles, they’re building blocks.

What’s the other “R” in reputation?

Valeria Maltoni’s article on becoming a blogger worthy of respect is, not only incredibly useful in its own right, but also a demonstration of the best kind of advice writing. It’s clear, thought-provoking, crisply written and carefully crafted.

Outstanding advice not only encourages new ways of doing things, but new ways of thinking.

See more examples at Skellie’s Swipe file

My Tumblr page will be updated live as I browse the web and dig up inspiring content. It contains a number of extra links not mentioned here which you might find equally interesting.