Number 20 of my '50 Things to do this Summer' was "Start a blog". I already have one but if you don't and you enjoy reading mine or think that you could do a better job, then let's start now!
I suppose that I could say that I write this post by popular demand. I have had a few of my friends come to me in recent days telling me that they like what I write and fancy having a go. I absolutely LOVE the fact that I can be an inspiration in this way but I'm not too good with straight advice. So I've had a little think and here's the product of my thoughts.
I'd like to give you my top tips for starting your very own blog!
Here you are: The 10 P's of blogging! (Not quite sure I chose the letter 'P' but it just happened on it's own)
Top tip no. 1: PASSION
It wouldn't make sense to continually stab at something you know you don't like doing and neglect your strengths and talents. Needless to say, passion ought to be the reason for you to start blogging.
But when I talk about passion, it doesn't necessarily have to be a passion for a particular subject but rather a passion for writing or having your voice heard. Mine lies with writing which is why I can nearly always find the motivation to do posts.
So, have a think about what you're going to write but remember, don't chose something that you think other people want you to write about. Write about what you want. If you're bored with what you write, it'll show. So, keep it "you" and not only will you enjoy it more, but you'll get more people hooked!
Top tip no. 2: PRIDE
As with above, you need to have pride about what you write. But the word "pride" stretches to further crevices than gaining a humongous ego!
When I refer to pride, I mean it in the sense of having self-confidence and not being afraid. Before Turning Old Pages became what it is today, I had another blog in which I attempted to do what this blog has done. But after publishing 2 posts, I deleted it because I wasn't confident enough. I felt too embarrassed and didn't think people would like what I wrote. I didn't want to publish the things I'd written on Facebook because I was scared.
I thought that I had failed and that I would never do it. But, I ran Blogger up again some months later and began what has become my biggest achievement yet!
*N.B. The only thing I would say on this point is that I never publish anything on my blog that I am slightly nervous about.
I've had episodes where I've re-read what I've written, shivered and felt flushed. Then after I've clicked the publish button, I've felt cautious and taken the post down.
My Point: If you don't feel comfortable about publishing something, think once, think twice and think three hundred times. No-one is forcing you to publish anything. It's all up to you!*
Top tip no. 3: PACK IN A PUNCH
Of course, this point really depends on the way you write. But you don't, necessarily, have to be a good writer if you want to write.
What you need is to be quirky and have a good enthusiastic manner about how you write. On the other hand, writing as comically as Karl Pilkington simply because that's who you are, also sells.
The main point is just to make it punchy. Re-read what you write. Do you laugh? Are you amused? Do you want to read on? Does it flow?
These are the things to think about when you start.
Top tip no. 4: PLANNING
Now, sometimes my best posts are those where I haven't planned anything at all. I think of a sentence and let the flow grip me. Personally, when I plan a post I can't write it - which is why I'm not all that brilliant at article writing.
It's probably worth thinking about what writer you are. If you need to plan, do it. If you don't, then lucky you!
Top tip no. 5: PEOPLE
It's quite important to think of who your audience might be. That way you can tailor what you write to suit your audience, allowing them to get more enjoyment out of what you write!
The great thing about Pages on Facebook, is that it lets you know who your main readers are, so if you're not sure, it'll let you know!
Top tip no. 6: PUNCTUALITY
This isn't so much about teachers standing in the corridor telling you how late you are to their lesson but more about deciding when you are going to post. Deciding that makes you more aware about keeping going with your 'little' project and also lets readers know when to expect posts. If they've missed one, they can track back and realise that there are some unread gems waiting for them on your blog.
I'm not very good at this. I post sporadically, and you can always tell when I'm on holiday from the surge of posts that hit Facebook and Blogger. But if there is one thing I would like to get better at, it's the reliability of my posts.
Top tip no. 7: PICTURES
Now I am, like you perhaps are, a MASSIVE reader! I love books and my head spins everyday with words, words, words. One of my favourite games is scrabble and I got out - ALL. THE. TIME. - with a device upon which I can write my thoughts.
It's unfortunate that I have a brain like a wrung sponge when it comes to remembering!
But not everyone is so keen on words. Other people prefer pictures. At the start of this year, I tried my hardest to include a photo with every post that I do. I often put pictures up that I've taken myself but I taking other from the internet should work just as well. But after a year at uni, the last thing I want to be doing with my free time is referencing pictures!!!
Pictures in your blog make it more likely for what you write to appeal to everyone and it catches their eye. I know I often just scroll through news articles to look at the pictures - perhaps the reason why the Daily Mail has caught me as a reader!
Top tip no. 8: PROFESSIONALISM/ PLATFORM
When I set up my blog, Blogger was the first thing that came up in Google. So I just picked it and started my blog. It wasn't until I looked at other people's blogs that I realised that there were potentially better platforms for blogging.
Have a think about how you want your blog to look like. This is purely for aesthetic purposes. Of course, it's what you write that really matters!
Top tip no. 9: PUBLISHING
For me, this pointer is THE most important thing after you've sourced the creative aspect of your blog: how are you going to publish it?
When I set up my Facebook page and linked my Twitter account to my blog, I suddenly began to get ALOT more readers and it boosted my confidence alot. It gave me the opportunity to see that I wasn't taking a stab in the dark but allowed me to produce things that other people seemed to like based on likes and people engaging with my posts.
Social media is an amazing tool to use for anyone, whether a business or a simple blog. Get yourself out there on the internet and you can almost expect success!
Top tip no. 10: PATIENCE
Sometimes it's easy to get disheartened when you don't get the number of readers that you expected. But every new day presents a new opportunity to get more readers. Keep writing, publish yourself all over social media and remain patient! :D
Off you GO! GOOD LUCK!!
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