You, yes, you there, just starting out as a blogger I see? Oh, and you wanna be like a pro I see? Have you searched “how to blog” or “how to be a good blogger” through Google? I bet on my precious coffee that you have.
Ever since starting to blog for my writer’s website (because I’ve only ever been on blogger. Cue shameless plug here.) I’ve begun to do things slightly differently. Let’s compare blogging on blogger (which is good if you wanna practice) vs blogging for your own writer’s website. (I say writer’s specifically because blogging for product promotion would certainly be different.)
Blogging for personal funzies
Step 1: Finding a Topic
Whenever you have a question, think something is strange, realize a weird habit of yours’, or find something interesting in your room, write it all down in a notebook or your phone, whichever.
Choose one that you feel like writing. That’s your topic. It’s also your blog title. Write your title in.
Step 2: Writing
Write all your thoughts down about that topic. Doesn’t need to be perfect, this is just a draft and a chance for you to get all your thoughts down before you forget.
While you write, if you notice a joke of yours could be a meme, look up that meme or write “INSERT WOW DOGE MEME HERE” as a note to yourself to put in a pic. Do that for other pics if you come up with something to put in (e.g. write INSERT PIC OF CUTE CAT HERE). If not, don’t fret and keep writing.
Step 3: Edit and Insert Pics
Go back through your writing and edit and insert pics.
Step 4: The final touch
Edit your blog title if you feel you need to. Otherwise, publish that beast.
Step 5: Relax
🙂
Blogging for your writer’s website
Step 1: Finding a Topic
If you’re just starting out, I would highly recommend you write about something you are super comfortable with that is related to writing. The best place to find such a topic is ask yourself what you have been doing in your recent writing endeavors. What you found during research for world-building or just struggles you have been having as a writer.
Step 2: Writing
The same as “Blogging for personal fun”.
Step 3: Edit, Insert Pics, and Format
Edit Your Voice. Be Personable.
When you edit, make sure you aren’t being too essay like. Imagine you are talking to your friend or giving them advice. What you wanna do is break down that formal talking and be a bit more personable.
I love reading articles that are talking directly to me like an old friend, don’t you? 🙂
Break Up That Text. Have Fun.
Now, people HATE reading loooooong texts that seem to go on forever without a pic or a change in font size. Or different colors to just rest their eyes. Looking at text can be tiring for your peepers. Jeepers!
Also to change format.
Center the text, move it to the side of the pic, right and then left. Play around, have fun. Make the article exciting for the reader. But don’t go too overboard. And yes, formatting can take time but I assure you, it’s worth it 🙂
Step 4: The final touch
Re-read your blog article. What is it about? Summarize that. That’s your title.
Do not just take a passage from your article and make it your title. That’s a big no-no in article writing.
Be creative like Darn Us Needy Writers, The Most Unbelievable, Shocking, Crazy Article Ever, or, Catching Fish Mafia Style. Readers be like, da heck are these about? And, hopefully, read it 😛
But don’t go overboard and have a title like, “I saw a real live dragon!” when you’re actually just talking about your cat.
Step 5: More Options => Excerpt
If you are using WordPress, on the right side you’ll see “More Options”. Click that arrow and you’ll see “Excerpt”. Put an excerpt of your article here. It can be part of the first paragraph or somewhere in the middle. Or a combination of the two.
The excerpt might be where your reader decides whether or not they will read your article. So, it’s pretty important.
Now, do a once more over with your peepers, take a deep breath, and publish that beast.
FOXWOOD FOREST 