How to Write a Blog

If you’ve ever thought about writing a blog, this is a great time to start! Blogs are quicker to read than books, you can express your views in a personal and unique way, and people love to repost blogs that they “connect” with. If you don’t have a website, there are many companies that provide templates which are already set up for blogging (I use WordPress). You can start blogging right away! What can you blog about? Answer the following two questions, and you’ll be ready to go. 🙂

1. What am I an expert at, have a talent in, or enjoy?

EXPERT: Are you proficient at or knowledgeable about something? If so, you can share your expertise with those who are interested in learning more. Since I’m a professional editor, I write blogs to help writers improve their skills based on my editing experience.

TALENT: Are you funny? Inventive? Do you have a talent to share or tips to help others hone their talents? You can write humorous posts, share photography tips or juggling skills, teach wood carving or voice lessons, or post videos of your child/pet who does something unusual or intriguing.

ENJOY: Do you have a hobby you love? Share your tips on gardening, cooking, origami, collecting rare books or antiques, traveling, or anything else you are passionate about. Others with the same passion will look forward to your posts.

Pick one specific thing that your blogs will be about.

2. Who is my audience?

Typically, your audience is anyone who is interested in your blog topic. But you need to narrow it down to a very specific group of people.

For example, since I have varied interests and experience, my blogs could be about writing, editing, teaching, photography, oil painting, classical piano playing, videos of cats or hummingbirds. First I narrowed my topic down to one specific thing—sharing professional writing tips. Then I needed to choose a target audience. Would my blogs be for novel writers? Journalists? Poets? Businesspeople? Each group would require a distinctively different approach. I’ve chosen my audience as self-published writers of books, articles, or newsletters.

Having a target group gives your blogs focus. But don’t worry—often your actual audience is larger. I have followers who are blog writers, business writers, college students, and many others who can benefit from these lessons and apply them to their own writing. If your blogs are interesting, people who are not in your target audience will also want to read them. 🙂

Important tips:

1. Keep your blogs short. They should take no more than a few minutes to read and be easy to see on a phone.

2. Leave breathing room. When people see pages and pages of words or endless photos, they lose interest quickly. Summarize the important points or the best photos/videos and leave space in between them so your blog is not cluttered. You can write as many blogs as you want, so don’t cram everything into one post.

3. Be focused. Pick a specific topic for each post and make it clear by the title. Don’t go off on tangents. Use additional ideas for future posts.

4. Be consistent. Once you pick a topic and style, continue it in every blog. It will become your “brand.” Also, be consistent in how often you post. Don’t post too often or let too much time go by between posts.

5. Use a proofreader or editor. I’m a professional editor, but even I have my personal editor review my posts. Find a trusted person with a good eye for spotting errors who can also give you suggestions on how to make your blog better. Credibility is extremely important to maintain your following and encourage people to share your blogs.

6. Get started. Answer the two questions above and jot down your ideas. Look at the blogs that you enjoy to identify what attracts you to them. They can be models for you to start with. Then go!

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Savvy Writer Tip:

Do you have an expertise, talent, or hobby to share with others? Blog about it! Pick a specific topic, identify a target audience, and determine how often you will post. Keep your blogs short, concise, interesting, consistent, and accurate. Most of all—have fun! Others will sense your passion and enjoy what you share with them. Blogging can be very rewarding. 🙂