If You Want to Be a Blogger, It’s Time to Start Writing

I’ve been trying to write blogs for years but have always struggled to find the motivation and my voice. Recently, I’ve learnt some new techniques that have helped me devote the time I need to say what I feel and, as a result, feel more confident. I wanted to share them with you.

Make The Time:

It used to be easy for me to let my blog writing slip to the bottom of my to-do-list, because I didn’t view it as essential to my 9 to 5 work life and it wasn’t something I’d done for a long while. Yet I also knew how important it was to develop my personal brand and how much I loved sharing my experiences and knowledge with others.

Set two hours a week to write:

As I start to write this it’s Sunday morning, I’ve had breakfast, the dogs have had a walk and are now snoozing in bed. I could go to the gym or trawl social media but, instead, I’m thinking about how I can give advice about blogging. By keeping to the same time each week, it quickly turns it into a routine and knowing it’s coming, allows me to prepare and play around with ideas in advance.

Use Medium:

https://medium.com/@NaomiEasson

Medium is an incredible source of inspiration and a great platform to share your content. It’s completely free and if what you’re writing doesn’t relate to your job it might be an alternative option to posting on LinkedIn.

Don’t be afraid of criticism:

I used to be intimidated by what people would think and scared of their feedback. Now I believe that if you’re true to your own voice you needn’t worry about criticism, as everyone’s entitled to their own opinion and if you write from the heart you will always be able to justify yours

Share valuable knowledge:

Giving the reader something valuable to take away is a great way to engage with an audience. If your reader finishes your blog with a new technique, insight or even by feeling challenged, reading your work will have given them a worthwhile experience.

Spellcheck and ask for help:

www.grammarly.com

As someone with dyslexia, I’ve always been apprehensive to write because I often make mistakes. Using Grammarly and other tools has been essential to check that my spelling and grammar are correct. Asking a friend to give your blog a quick edit is also a good idea. Not only will they ensure your writing is fluid and well structured but they can also cast their analytical eyes over your blog before you hit the all defining ‘Post’ button.

Enjoy the release:

I find writing very cathartic. Because it’s not often that we’re asked: “what do you know about…?” it’s a great opportunity to share your thoughts. If, like me, you love to feel like you’re helping people, writing is highly rewarding.

Writing a blog is a bit like going for a massage. It’s a process, where you’re bound to come up against some knotted and constricted pain points. Keep going and you’ll work your way through to something smooth and flowing and the feeling of release and completion will more than compensate for those initial challenges.

Happy Blogging!

Big thanks to Andrew Fisher for being my extra set of eyes and for all his support with my writing, https://fishfolio.carbonmade.com/