During this past year, several friends have asked me — how to get started with blogging. This is my reply to those friends. Hopefully it will help others who did not ask me but want to blog.
Here is what I have learned about blogging during past 2 years.
1. Blogging starts with writing. As a blogger you write and publish your words online. My blogging journey started with scribbling words in my notebook. Once I had written enough (more than 20 articles) in my notebook I set about to publish these for others to see.
2. You need to show it to world. If you are only writing in your notebook and not sharing it with anyone then you are not blogging. Do not worry about the platform and technology. Just write, edit and share. My first casual blog post was just a picture and few words. Later, I restarted with posting a new article as a note on Facebook.
3. Blogger’s mindset. A blogger is always looking for topics to write about. Ask yourself questions like,
– What am I good at?
– What do I enjoy doing?
– Can I write about something that I already know, in order to help / teach others? (This blog post is an example of this.)
4. Find your why? It is best done with a purpose. Better to know what you want to achieve through blogging. My reason to start was to share with my friends to get their feedback, so that I can get better and be known as a good writer. Writing is so important these days in whatever field you enter, so it made sense to get good at it. I also wanted to look cool ☺ who doesn’t. My brother (who is also my guide / mentor) told me it always helps in one’s career to have a showcase of your work. My blog posts are part of my portfolio. Young and Shining is also part of my portfolio.
5. It may not be your cup of tea. It is easy to read, not that easy to write. You need to be keen to do it. It is fine to be a hobby blogger who writes whenever she is in the right kind of mood but if you want to attract reader who will read everything you write you need to put in time and efforts as if it is a part time job for you. I am currently someplace between a hobby blogger and a serious blogger; but i believe in its value and know that it’s my cup of tea and coffee both.
6. Don’t worry about the right start. If you are crystal clear about what you want to write, then it’s great. But it rarely happens. A start is more important than the “right start”. If you are not sure — start with sharing some interesting stories from your life. Men and women both love to know about what is going on the lives of their friends — given that you do not make it too boring. If this was not the case, Facebook would not reached a billion plus users. As the time passes, and if you be at it — you will find clarity and get better at it. Until then any theme / topic is OK. Remember your goal is to become a better writer.
7. Titles matter… a lot. Think a lot about your title because a title is what entices the reader to read in first place. If your title can’t excite a reader then you will barely have anyone reading what you write. First, I wanted to use following as a title for this post — “10 ways to start and maintain a blog”. Now it is for you to decide which one is better.
8. Don’t think too much. When you start writing, it is natural to think whether I am writing well or will people laugh at what I write. Don’t think and just write. First, write for your own self so write what you feel. Write as many articles as you can and day by day you will improve and then you (and later others) will get to see the magic.
9. Choose the platform. This is where most people get stuck. It does not matter too much, at least in the beginning. Start with Medium.com or WordPress.com. I have used both. Medium is simple, WordPress has more bells and whistles.
10. Embrace social media. If your post something on your blog, share it on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google plus to showcase your work there and ask people for their feedback. If they like it, they will share with their friends. Also use their feedback to improve.
11. Maintain a blogging schedule. Do it once a week at least. If you do it less, your writing muscles atrophy. It is same as going to the gym for a month and then not working out for two months. If you don’t blog for a month nothing will change, except that you will have to put more effort to start again. Better to keep the rhythm and move ahead. If you be at it, you will go places in a short period of time.
12. Add info to your about page. Spend some time on your about page. People want to know who is behind the writing and they get this info on your about page.
13. Be honest. It is important to be honest with yourself. If you don’t write honestly, the readers will not connect with you. If you want to make a bond with your readers, you have to write your blog from the heart.
Now, I guess, you know all important bits about blogging and are ready to start. Any more questions, just ask me ☺.