Starting a Blog

Starting a Blog & Keeping the Momentum

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BlaugustRebornLogo2018Happy blogging day to you all!!!

First of all I just want to say what an amazing job everyone has been doing during the kickoff of Blaugust.  Great job on stepping out and participating this year as you all have been posting some crazy cool material!

This post is all about that first decision of why blog, and why should I put myself out there like that.  Between the thoughts of should I really do this, or the why would people ever read what I write, or just the question of what the heck do I write have probably popped into your head at some point and time.  Don’t worry, that is all very normal and that is exactly why Blaugust exists and why we have mentors here to help kick start that initial “Hump” phase of your blog.

We live in a digital world of almost everything now days and blogging / writing is no different.  The way we bring content to readers / viewers isn’t any different other than we have fancy technology to help us reach the world in seconds.  We live in a blogging world as just earlier this month I was looking through WordPress stats and tens of millions of posts have been made just this year around the world.  People love to blog, write, connect, and whether that be some digital form of social media, a novel they are working on, or even just setting down to have a good old cup of coffee to work on the next blog post.

Why start a blog? 

  • To share your passion of writing with the world
  • Making your name or brand visible with an online presence
  • Connecting with people through content you enjoy creating
  • Writing about games
  • Podcasting
  • Your a writer and need an outlet for telling stories

This list could go on an on, but basically the ideas are limitless as to why you can and would start a blog.

Today, just about anyone can get up and running in a few minutes using free services that make adding a post as easy as writing email. Knowing how to get your content out there is no longer a barrier — if you have something to say, saying it is easy.

Getting Started

There are several services that offer free blogs to anyone who wants one. The most popular services are WordPress.org, WordPress.com and Blogger, although a quick search in google will probably turn up a ton of other “free blog” options as well. Personally I prefer WordPress.com, mainly because it’s what I started with, but the foundation work is already built-in for you.  They offer stat tracking, built-in spam protection, a selection of really nice themes, a word processor-like text entry system (no coding necessary), and a lot more.

What to Blog About? 

Your blog is only limited by your passions — what do you have to say?  What purpose will this blog serve as?  Do you want a place to promote your writing, artwork, game play? The topics are limitless but you have to find something you are passionate about and a niche you enjoy writing about.

There are a few things you should know about writing a blog, though. While there are examples of every conceivable style of writing on blogs across the Web, there are a few qualities which blog writing tends to share:

Blogging for the most part is short: Reading on the screen isn’t as enjoyable as reading on paper, so people tend to shy away from really long pieces. 2,000 words is long for a blog post; 1,000 words is a pretty good goal, but it comes down to personal preference and what you enjoy.  I tend to get long winded at times and I write longer posts for the most part.  I’m a writer, what can I say?!?

Paragraphs tend to be shorter: Because you have to scroll a lot when reading on a screen, paragraphs tend to be shorter so a whole thought can fit in a browser window.
Important points are usually highlighted, as readers tend to skim through pieces a lot so the bold helps those keywords stand out easier.

It’s got a personal tone: Blogging tends to be a little more personal than most writing. What readers usually respond to is the writer’s unique voice, their personality as expressed through their writing.

Get the Momentum Going

Now comes the fun part! You’ve got the blog up, and you’ve got topics to write about. Getting the momentum to write on a schedule takes a bit of time and planning, but once you get it figured out….it’s pretty much smooth sailing from there on.

Create a posting schedule: When you start your blog, look at the schedule you want to have.  Do you post daily, once a week, twice a week, etc?  This will take some time structure and getting used to setting down and just doing it.  Block some time out in your schedule to do that. Start with something easy and work your way into more frequent posting. If you find you have enough time to post more, it will be a pleasant surprise for your readers (as opposed to the disappointment of readers used to seeing you post every day when you start posting every two weeks).  Personally I post a few times a week depending on my schedule and mood.

You could take the planning of the blog to whatever extreme you like and write posts in advance.  I have a few blogging friends that build up a backlog of four to five posts in advance so they have a cushion in case their schedules get to busy.  Basically you have to find what works for you, as it all boils down to what you find comfortable and enjoyable. Make it fun, make it personal, and make it enjoyable and you will find the blogging experience to be quite an amazing journey.

Don’t let the process of blogging be something that constrains your imagination, instead let it be the freedom you enjoy while writing what you love!

Happy Writing!

Cheers,

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Newbie Blogger Initiative 2016 – Writing With Focus

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Starting a blog is easy for the most part as the tools you can get now days makes the startup pretty seamless.  What isn’t so easy is staying focused while writing as it takes time, and time is the killer for most writers.  Either we don’t have enough of it, or we lose focus over a period of time and get frustrated with what we were trying to accomplish.  I’ve been down these paths quite a lot before but over the years it’s helped me learn how to stay focused, or at least narrow it down so I can enjoy writing.

One of the questions I hear a lot from new bloggers is am I doing this blog thing correctly?

That question is very broad but when you break all those pieces down into why you started your blog and even why you started writing…..that question becomes pretty easy to answer.

Doing this blog thing comes down to personal preference overall but be willing to focus your material and niche so you can reach an audience.

These are just a few things I’ve stumbled over and even sometimes fallen on my face while writing and blogging.  I’m no professional by any means, but I enjoy what I get to do with my little corner of the internet and I want to make it the best I can.

One of the ways to improve your blog is step back and examine all of the aspects of what your blog brings for readers.  Do you have a vision for the blog, or at least an idea of the direction you want to go?

The more you narrow your focus, the more you broaden your audience.  This is where vision and an idea of where and what the blog will look like helps.

Before you begin writing, consider your subject (what you want to write about), then figure out the the theme (your angle and area of focus), then put it into action and figure out what you want to accomplish.

What subject or subjects are you writing about, and what are you passionate about?  If you can bring those two ideas together then you’ve made a huge step as that’s something most writers struggle with for years.

Take a look at the theme of your site and writing style as well.  Think of it as a subset of your main topics and figure out what that looks like for you.  Ask yourself: What will my writing “VOICE” be? Will it be tackling the humorous side of things, or maybe you take a more practical approach to writing.

Lastly, take a look at what you want your blog to accomplish overall.  This is the main goal of this little exercise so take some time and look at what impressions you want to leave the readers with.  Ultimately the question is why am I blogging and how does it bring enjoyment to my life?

For me writing is a passion but connecting with people is a bigger passion and that is where my enjoyment and focus comes from.

One of my writing mentors gave me this little nugget years ago and quickly became a favorite quote and one I stuck to when I was struggling with writing.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”         – Louis L’Amour