What you say goes
These days, blogging is becoming ever popular and it’s easy to discover popular categories such as ‘fashion blogger’, ‘make up blogger’, ‘book blogger’ or a mix of all three and more! If you’re just starting out, you might be looking around for a rule book, or guidelines on how to be a good blogger. Seek them out if you wish, but the point of being a blogger is that you are master of your own creation, and you choose what you want your blog to be about, what language you use, who you want to address. You are the rule-maker and rule breaker, because it’s easier to start if you make it up as you go. An idea and yourself is all you need to get going. Don’t worry about what other people think just yet, just make it is want you want it to be, and go from there!
You can find a community of like-minded people
It is inevitable that your blog will get attention by way of using tags so people can find you, and even if it is slow to start, make sure you engage and integrate yourself into the community of bloggers. Your interests are their interests, and if you show appreciation for them, they will (hopefully) return the favour.
The possibilities are endless
Just finished reading an amazing book? Just overheard an unbelievable conversation on the bus? Just discovered a new app that has you screaming internally? Just tasted a new kind of food? Just had a really bad day? Or a really good one? Write about it. Who cares if you’re a excitable mess, or a ball of tears. Put these feelings into words and share them with the world, but if you don’t, who will know? Write a review of that book, or film. Recommend that new restaurant, and tell everyone why you think it’s the bees knees. If not for your adoring fans, then for yourself.
Showcase your passion
My passion is reading and writing. I share this with millions of other people, and the only difference is that I have my own interpretations of what makes a good book, and only I have my writing style. My dream job is pretty humble. I’m not massively career driven, and I would be quite content to work in a bookshop for the rest of my life. But it’s not good enough to read lots of books and assume that will get me a job that aligns perfectly with my passion. If I write a review of every book I read, then I have hard evidence of my passion, and I can point people in the direction of my book review blog and I might have a better chance. They say that the key to happiness is to do what you love, and a blog is the perfect place to do exactly that. It’s not so much about waiting for that opportune moment to come along for you to embrace your passion, it’s about making the present moment count and handing yourself that opportunity. Dedicate your blog to your biggest passion, and watch it grow.
I wanted nothing more than to be a published writer. So I made a blog and published it on there instead. In any case, it’s a step in the right direction.
Develop your writing
We’re all used to essay writing, and in some cases report writing. But what about blog writing? That’s just as important. On one of my uni modules, our assessment is to write a critical blog post. This gives us the chance to have a more casual approach, and to be more journalistic rather than plain old essayistic. It’s always good to have variety in our lives, and writing is no different. Embracing different forms all helps to develop your style and this can help improve your writing in other assignments. Potential employers will be impressed, too.
Conversation starter
You’ve just met someone new, and the conversation is a bit dry and lifeless. If only you had a blog, you could tell them about it, peak their interest and give them the URL and offer them the chance to check it out. They’ll see a whole new side to you, and they might like it. They might have a blog too, and finding out about someone through their choice of blog and their interests will surely mean an end to those awkward silences the next time you meet.
Something to make you stand out
This is one for the CV and job interviews. If your blog becomes popular and is relevant to the sort of career you want, then mention it on your CV so your potential employer can see that you are driven, passionate, and committed. Running a blog can sometimes feel like a full-time job, and this demonstrates you as a dedicated and hard-working individual, and that can only be a good thing.
Get the attention you want
This goes hand in hand with showcasing your passion. If you want to work in fashion, publishing, journalism, or any number of careers, then prove to people why you’re perfect for it. Put your opinions out there, and the right people will see them. Maintain your blog at a standard you’d expect from your chosen career, and it could be the difference that gets you there.
Opportunity knocks
As a writer, I was reluctant at first to post my writing online, because I thought it wasn’t very good. But since then, I’ve had comments that argue otherwise. One blogger read a poem I’d written, and told me it would be an ideal entry for a competition she was running. So, I entered it and I won! Now, this other blogger and I are working together on a project that was inspired by the original poem I wrote. That would never have happened if I hadn’t started my blog in the first place. You can’t predict what opportunities might come your way, but if you don’t try, you won’t find out.
Have fun!
The most important thing is to have fun at the same time. There’s no point creating a blog if it isn’t something you look forward to updating and maintaining. So make it fun for yourself, write what you want, say what you want and embrace all that blogging has to offer!
Here are what other bloggers have to say about how blogging has been beneficial to them:
Michelle from The Becoming of M.T.B said: I started my blog as part of a self-healing expedition. Writing helped….my tears were merely words waiting to be written….I accidentally discovered my own creativity in writing, especially poetry. A new venture, such as creating a blog, gave me hope and something to look forward to.
B.G. from Getting Through Anxiety said: I’ve learned through blogging just how similar so many of us are and how supportive all of us can be. I love sharing my writing and experiences with others and hearing their thoughts on what I write. I’ve learned about the importance of consistency and what I have to do to make progress.
Carla Louise from The Melodramatic Confessions of Carla Louise said: I want to be a writer, and so many writing jobs say you need to be familiar with WordPress. You need to be able to manage WP, and work it, and generate interest. I’ve now been published on two different sites; and five more articles have been accepted and are waiting to be published. My dream of being a published writer is coming true (even if it’s in the most basic sense) and I LOVE that. What I strove for, what I dreamed for, is happening because I made it happen.
Kassi Allcock from KassiElla said: Blogging has shone happiness upon my life in several different ways. It is a creative outlet for my writing, as well as a (not so) valid excuse to treat myself to new products ‘because it’s for the blog’, but most of all, I cherish the friends that I have found. Whether fellow bloggers or simply readers of my blog, my little corner of the internet is to thank for some of my favourite friendships.
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