What would I recommend to an aspiring blogger/writer?

Before I give the list of what I would recommend, there is one little detail.

Mindset

That has to shift. The minute I started calling myself a writer, I went from posting once in a blue moon to now weekly. For those who have followed closely this long, thank you for sticking around over three years of bare postings. Once I called myself a writer, it’s been a few months of consistent writing and now across several sites at that. not saying you should spread yourself as thinly as I did, no… stick to one blog first

Now. Once you’ve accepted that you’re a writer and the medium of choice is a blog… here are the launch sequence I’ve learned works… for me anyway

1- Pick a topic you want to write about. One you care about. One you’ll write about even if no one is really reading it besides your mom who loves you and thinks you’re a best seller.

2- Create a list of five names you’d like for that blog that lets folks know what you’re writing about. Clever isn’t going to win you bonus points and might confuse many who don’t live near enough to you to know what your cleverness is about. You also need back up names in case someone already took your main name.

3-Register the domain. (wordpress.com has a lot of tutorial on this, won’t reinvent the wheel)

4-Figure the platform you’ll be using. (this can be done with part three also). Find out how to post on that platform so you can start writing and sharing. Understand, no one really will see your first post unless you draw attention to it. You can always learn the craft as you go along

5-Write anything… preferably on your topic. Get going. Start scheduling when you’ll write and when you’ll post. Just blog! Yes, you can delete posts later. Yes, you can modify later. Right now, you want to start while the excitement and enthusiasm is high… to start the habit of writing and posting.

6- Keep writing. Keep posting. Start sharing. Rinse and repeat.

7- Explore the platform. Every couple of months, make an update. Do something new. Push your boundaries. Or. Just write more and keep the platform simple. It is yours. Just go!

Where am I today?

So far, the journey has been pretty cool. I have a few people who regularly read what I write and I’m not related to them… so that tells me that my writing is not bad. I’m slowly experimenting with free ways to get folks to notice that I’ve blogged something. That is the next chapter and evolution of this project.

Oh do I ever love writing. Had no idea I would. I’m also glad I’m sticking through with this because of the love of it, not because I get anything tangible from it.

Would it be nice to make money off my blogs, yes it would. But I’m not there yet. Being that this is the first and oldest blog I have, it has the largest following… a few regulars. While it is over three years old, I’ve been seriously blogging for only a few months.

If I can tell you anything, be patient with the process. Tackle small things and work your way up. Most bloggers tell you that it takes a good three years to get big enough to be influential if you’re good. I say it takes that long to get good enough to be noticed by enough to be influential.

I’m having fun. That is what matters to me. And as I get better with writing, I notice more people paying attention. So, I’m on the right path.

this post is in response to a few fans on social media who have asked how I got about blogging to get as good as I’ve gotten so far… thank you for the idea… keep them coming… together, we’ll find that topic formula that will take this blog next level

I’m no rookie at blogging anymore. I’m no veteran either. So, I’ll settle for a sophomore at blogging. Whatever you’re working on, keep taking these baby steps to move yourself forward. The journey is as fun as you want it to be. And the destination can be a moving target, and that’s OK. So long as you’re learning and trying to grow, you’ll see results.