For those of you who are new around here, maybe due to miss Jackie at Jade and Oak, here are the other two posts I have written in the So You Want to Start A Blog Series.
Week 1 - Before you write your first word
Week 2 - Basic Blog Design
So You Want To Start A Blog - Content Is Key
This week I am talking about the most important part of blogging - content. Without actually having words in a post that you push publish on you really are not blogging, you are talking about blogging. It can be scary to type a post and let the world read it, but it can also be exhilarating. Below are some of my tips for figuring out what your content will be and how to figure out what to write about when you have run out of ideas.
1. Just write
When you are first starting out I just advise that you write what ever you can. Fill out some posts, get a month or so of your ideas out there for others to read, and figure out what works for you. Most of us bloggers did not have the clearest of ideas as to what it would be like to write a blog post 3-5 times a week and it takes time to orient yourself with everything that is available for your posts. Take it slow and have fun. I am pretty sure very few people will actually happen upon those first posts (sorry if you thought they were going to make you famous, it takes a while to gain attention and readers) so work it out and have some fun.
2. Write about what makes you happy
After you have written out your posts that made you want to start a blog in the first place you might be struggling for content. If you like the whole blogging deal I recommend you figure out what makes you happy and find ways to blog about that.
One of my favorite things to do is make others laugh so I try to write posts that are funny, even if they involve way to many K9 bowel movements. I would say that finding the light and joyful parts of life and coming up with a way to convey that with my readers is my first goal when I write for my blog. I guess I made it a little bit of a comedy blog (please don't laugh at that.)
I also love to do things like travel, go to concerts, read books, and watch too many movies and share what I loved about these things with others. doing things and sharing how others can do it is my secondary goal for my writing on my blog.
One last thing I like to do is get to know others. I have spent a little time connecting with other bloggers and this has really shaped where I want my blog to go in the future. I have some ideas in the works that would involve a lot more collaboration for bloggers which I would like to parlay into a book or magazine article, eek I have said too much!
All of that was to say, take time to figure out what you like and what you like to write about. Try your hand crafty blogging, music blogging, sports blogging, comedy blogging, mommy blogging, animal blogging, travel blogging, fashion blogging. Try it all and see what clicks and resonates with others. If you love it then keep doing it. If others happen to love it to I call that a win win.
3. Find your voice
Figuring out what you want to say and how you want to say it takes time. Once you know what you like to write about your voice will become more clear. Like figuring out what you want to say figuring out how to say it takes time and practice. Do not be afraid to try something new and see where it lands you. Maybe you can write from a sarcastic point of view and others will get it. Maybe you will write in mostly hashtags. Maybe you will write formal reviews of films. Whatever it is you have to keep trying and refining.
The largest thing that worked for me was to think about how I spoke when I told stories I was going to share on my blog. Sometimes when I write I under explain a situation and it leave readers confused. I realized when I tell a story i share a lot more details to help paint a fuller picture. I describe where I am, what the mood was, develop the characters etc.
Writing like I am talking to a friend was one of the things that helped me the most. I honestly think I am still finding my voice in my writing every day.
4. Proofread
Perhaps my biggest downfall is proofreading. I drove all my professors crazy because I would proof the first page of each paper and then get bored. Yes, editing is a pain in the butt! But the proof is in the details, if your writing flows and people do not get tripped up on your spelling, grammar, duplicate, or omitted words you will be more successful.
In order to be taken seriously I spend the extra 10 minutes to reread my work and make sure it is what I want to be sending out to the world. I promise it is one of the most effective ways you can help your blog and your writing overall.
5. Take risks
Try some thing new whenever you can. The first time I wrote from Penny's point of view I was sure I was going to be laughed off the internet. However, I received a lot of positive responses and I was encouraged to try it again. Now the posts that Penny writes are some of my favorites and my readers favorite too. I think it is because it is so easy for me to write in Penny's voice. She says all the sassy things I want to say. She can get away with it because she is a dog.
I know it is a little scary to take a risk. What if someone doesn't like it? What if my mom texts me to tell me it was to risqué? What if no one comments on my post? Those are all questions and situation I have been in when I took a risk. I have had people not like my post. My mom has texted me and told me she didn't like something I wrote. I have many posts with no comments on them. You know what it is cool. You are going to write another post in a day or so and all is forgotten. I love that blogging gives me a chance to fail publicly now and then and to come back the next day and try again.
6. Be Interesting
I think this is the most important one of all. If you love what you are writing about then others will love what you are writing about…. but you have to present it in an interesting way. Add a photo or two hundred, tell a joke, talk like a pirate, do something that makes your post about The Bachelor (etc.) the one people want to read. The only advice I can give to do this is to be yourself. You are different than any other person blog or no blog. Only you know what makes you you and why you love it. Figure it out and share it with us.
7. Ask for input
I mentioned that my mom has texted me and told me that my post was off or there was a typo that needed fixing. I also have friends at work that read my blog and obviously Penny reads it too. Although, I am going to do what I want to do I love the input that I get from others. I can get very "in my own head" and miss somethings that are important or not clarify things very clearly and it helps when others point out what they were confused with or thought was not good.
The bottom line when it comes to your content is that it is YOUR content. There is no right or wrong way to blog and there is no right or wrong thing to write. I share just what I have found works for me. At the end of the day you are doing something that I think is incredibly brave and sharing your story with others because you recognize that your story and other's stories are worth telling. Keep on typing and keep on sharing.
8. Be Relentless
Do not give up. If your post that you spent five hours writing only got a few reads, do not quit. Just get back at it and try again tomorrow. Promote yourself and love what you are putting out there. If you, the writer and originator of you content do not believe in it it is never going to reach many people.
Whenever I feel down about writing or that I am just not hitting things the way I want to I think of the following quote and remember that my story is important and so is yours.
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