Blogging for beginners
Recently I was asked about the starting point for writing a blog in a blog comment, so I decided to write a few things that helped me along the way when I began. I hope it helps you out ?
I found that when I first started to write I was so nervous about my content that it took me about 18 months to push publish on my first blog. Now, I see my overthinking hampered my confidence and the sharing of quick thoughts. So, my recommendation which helped keep the pressure off was keeping it real, keeping it short and keeping it positive. So, if I only had 100 words that is what I published. When the thought was done- it was done, and I learnt to be okay with that over time.
I found an easy way to keep momentum was to post via my WordPress App. You, like me probably have your phone with a meter of you about 23 hours of the day ??. It meant that I could quickly draft a thought while out and about. Then I would revisit it a few hours or days later, create a heading, create some images, and press post.
The ease of access actually allows me to write I’m a relaxed mode (don’t tell anyone but I’m currently lying on the couch watching Escape to the Chateau and being chatty with you – multitasking at its best ?).
I have moved focus with writing recently, but at the peak of my blogging I wanted to write a blog every week. While it may not sound like much, in and around the other things I was working on it quickly fell off the priority list without a little bit of planning. So, for me I decided I would post every Thursday regardless of life. So, some weeks I came home from work and quickly jotted down a note which went live within minutes. And others I wrote at leisure earlier and scheduled a post. At the start of that year I spend a few hours working out some possible themes and series for each month and purchased a month to a page planner where I would plan out my blog world. That planner sat on a table by my couch for the entire year, constantly reminding me that I had made myself a commitment to write. And that was what kept me on target.
My last few tips are:
- write what you know
- write what you are passionate about
- write in your style – just do you! It can be a challenge to find your voice. By goal has been to make my writing, consistent with how I am in person, weather it be in a one on one conversation or speaking to a group of 500 people. My hope is that people encounter and engage with the real me. it took time to be confident in that, but you in your own skin is always better than trying to be someone else.
- and write, write, write. If you want to get better, you just need to begin.
- OH, one last thought. We obviously need to proofread – but at times we get so close to our work we miss little errors (okay – just me then lol). What I did to try and combat this was to make a habit to publish my post, share it on Facebook and then revisit it as an outside reader. I would then quickly correct those new issues and move along to the next post I was preparing.
So, I hope this helps those of you where where curious about the process.
Until next time
Happy Pondering xx
