Last week I was talking to a researcher about blogging. I think I talked to her for a total of four hours. Because I can talk and talk and talk and when it’s about blogging I can talk some more.
But the last question was about what would my advice be for someone who wants to start a blog. And I could rattle off a whole bunch of stuff about domain names and twitter and commenting and community and blog buddies (all of which I did!) But you know what you really need to do?
Write your way into your own blog. Don’t think about it, just write. You will probably end up a million miles away from where you thought you were going or what you thought your blog was going to be. But the only way* to start writing a blog is to write yourself into your voice, into your community and into yourself.
*That is poetic licence because it sounds better. I’m sure there are a million ways to start a blog.
This week Singular Insanity wrote about personal blogs and blogging advice in much more detail than I did.
I love the way you phrased that, Zoey – “Write yourself into your voice”. That is so true. You can’t know what your voice is until you start writing and write and write and write.
Love it!
Thanks Dorothy! I don’t know anyone who’s blog ended up on the path they first chose for it!
Totally agree. You can plan and plan (and plan and plan) but if you just DO it you’ll work your way through it.
It’s almost been 3 years of blogging, and I STILL don’t know if I’ve found my voice. Maybe I will never find it or maybe I just don’t recognise that I’ve indeed found it.
No matter. Will keep on keeping on, because it’s fun most of the time, and that’s why we do it.
I agree – I have a friend who was talking about starting a his own blog when I started mine. Two months down the track I’ve got 25 posts written, and he’s still thinking about widgets and counters, and hasn’t written a thing. Just getting it off the ground and writing was EXACTLY what I did, and I couldn’t be happier!
I love the comment, “write yourself into your voice”. I’m a new blogger and am loving the journey and the amazing people I am meeting along the way. I just jumped and I’m still learning to fly.
This was the most beautifully expressed piece of sound advice I have ever read. I agree wholeheartedly, and after six months of blogging myself, I feel as though I too have finally written myself into my voice. I have found that being completely honest in everything I say has opened my heart, and grown my blog in ways I never dared imagine
Well said Zoey!My blog has changed direction several times over the past 2 years…and probably will more into the future. Coz like me, it’s growing & changing & learning & keeping up with the times.
x
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