The process of creating that very first sentence can be excruciating and that first post may very well be a total flop. It is easy to get frustrated, feel like you don’t have what it takes and maybe even decide to give up totally on this whole notion of having a blog and of distributing your content to the world.
Don’t give up so fast though. There are things that will help this process and keep you encouraged and moving forward.
BE REALISTIC
Be realistic and keep in mind that you are just getting started. Finding your voice is not going to happen in your very first (or second or even third) shot. Take your time to gather your thoughts and haphazardly write them down. This will get your creative juices flowing and you will be amazed at the additional ideas that start to flow once you’ve gotten to this point.
START WITH WHAT COMES EASY
Don’t start by blogging on a topic that is not a natural fit for you. Start with what you love and what you know. By doing this, you are giving yourself a gift. Trust me. When diving into a topic that you are not totally sold on, you are only making the entire process that much harder. There will be times that you will face this obstacle, but do not put yourself in that position from the get go.
SHUT OUT THE WORLD
Find yourself a quiet, relaxing environment to write. Distractions will distract. (Clearly, right?) Sit down with a your favorite drink (you may be there a while) and turn off the noise around you. Do you find you work better with muted lighting? Shut the blinds or dim the lights; whatever works best for you. This may also be one of those things that you learn as you go and one of those things that may not be as important once you’ve found your voice and your comfort level with writing.
BE NICE TO YOURSELF
Don’t beat yourself up if your first, second and third drafts stink. Odds are, they just might. Creating more stress for yourself over it won’t help so just chalk it up as part of the process and move on. If you find that this particular topic does not flow after a few drafts, move onto something new. Don’t discard this topic; just put it on hold and find a new direction knowing you can always come back to this one at another time.
Don’t lose sight during this start up time that you are just getting your feet wet and getting your start. Even if you’ve blogged in the past; getting a new start after a time of inactivity can be just as challenging as if you’ve never written before. Soon though, your writing will flow and topics that would have once been impossible will soon be the norm giving you that added boost of confidence we all need from time to time.
Do you have any additional beginner blogging tips we’ve missed? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
