1. Decide on a platform
There are lots of platforms out there for your blog, but my favourite is still www.blogger.com. It’s google’s interface, and is really quite simple to use. Other popular platforms are www.wordpress.com and www.tumblr.com
2. Create a space you love to write in.
When you first sign up for a blog, with say, blogger, you’re given a simple, straightforward template to work with. But to be honest, the aesthetic of it isn’t really very inspiring, and you probably won’t be as stoked to write as you could be if your blog really reflected you, your energy, and your flava! Here are your options:
- DIY it. This is how I learned. I googled everything. ‘How to add an image with HTML’, ‘How to remove the blogger bar’, etc etc etc. To be fair, I started learning basic HTML when I was 14, so I was ahead of the game. This route takes a long time, but for those of you who like to learn, and do things your own way, this might be for you. The plus is that once you teach yourself basic computer lingo, you can do it for other people too! - Here's a great resource for you DIYers.
- Hire a designer/coder to create a custom spot for you. For a simple blog design, you’re looking at around $150 - $500 depending on who you work with. This is the way to go if you’re serious about writing, and hope to go professional with your work. The plus to this is you get exactly what you want. For example, I just designed a blog for my client, Carlee. I turned her visions of flowers, oranges, pinks, turquoises, and her distinctly feminine + juicy essence into a design. You can see it here. In my opinion, the design fits her like a glove, and I know it's made a difference in how inspired she feels to create. - Here's a great resource to find designers ( I usually only take on design projects for longtime clients + friends )
- Purchase a ready made template. And some of them are free. (Like on this site) This means that you will get something called a CSS template. All you have to do is install it to your account, and the simple template is replaced by something much prettier. If you’re just starting off in the blog world, I would recommend this out of all the options as the way to go. Once you get clearer on your voice, your message, and where you’d like to go with your blog, you can invest more time and money into it. - Here are a ton of premade blog templates for you to choose from!
3. Get inspired by other bloggers.
Everyone writes differently, and there are multiple ways to outline your posts. For example, when I first started writing, I was really inspired by Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere. I loved the simplicity of her posts (usually only a paragraph long), and her use of photography. That inspiration served as a launching pad for my writing, and while I no longer use that template to create, it served as a great start to play around with how I liked to create my posts.
4. Observe when it feels best to write.
For me, I find writing comes most easily in the morning, when I’m full of energy, and it’s light outside. This doesn’t always mean that’s when I write (in fact, right now I’m pretty mellow and it’s dark outside!) - but I do know that that’s when it flows the best. Work around that.
5. Try different things.
This is all about playing. I’ve written about everything from criticism of the justifications for the Alberta Oilsands, to my feelings after being broken up with, to how to make raw bagels. Give yourself permission to play around, it takes a while to find your voice, and to know what feels best to write about. A tip on deciding what you’re going to write is to sit down at your computer (or journal) - and ask yourself “What would feel amazing to write about right now? What am I most excited about expressing?”
6. Do it because it feels good.
Why are you writing a blog? There could be an enormous amount of reasons. You want to teach. You just need somewhere to get your thoughts out. You love cooking and want to share your recipes. You’re going traveling and want to share your stories with loved ones. But at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is that what you write feels GOOD to write. This is similar to the what I said above. “What would feel amazing to write about?” Write from a place of passion, (ie. Wow, that casserole was amazing today, I want to write about it!) not a place of ‘shoulds’ (ie. I should write about meditating because it’s in line with the spiritual vibe of the site.)
7. Photography is an eye catcher.
Having great photos that resonate with your writing is key. Photos instantly draw someone to your posts in a way that just won’t happen if all they see is words. {Ironically, this post has the least photogrphy in recent memory! Harhar} For most of my blogging, I’ve used only photography that I’ve taken, because I didn’t think it was fair to use someone else’s work. But I’ve actually changed my mind. There are so many amazing photos and pieces of art out there, that are simply begging to be shared! I decided I don’t have to do it all. Now, I credit whenever I can track down the source of the picture, and am just grateful there are so many creative humans on this planet. ( I get most of the photos I currently use on Pinterest)
8. Share your work!
We all have doubts. Thats just how it is. Occasionally thoughts like ‘What if the post isn’t good enough?’ ‘What if it offends somebody?’ ‘What if they think I’m crazy?’ might pop up, especially when you’re new to blogging and sharing your work. I’m going to be blunt here. You just gotta get over it. Haha! Just rip the bandaid off and share your soul work people! Be present with the fears that come up, use them as tools to grow, and get sharing your unique, beautiful voice. You are never going to please everybody.
It’s also important to keep the Law of Attraction in mind. Sometimes, some of my clients will say - but anyone will be able to see my work! Let’s be serious. Joe Blow on Wall Street who only cares about the dolla billz probably isn’t going to click on your post entitled ‘Why Meditating with Your Friends Might Bring you Closer!’. a) His vibration isn’t in alignment, so he won’t be drawn to the post. And b) That’s not what he’s interested in. 9 times our of 10, the people clicking on your article will actually be super interested in what you have to say.
Do you have a friend that would benefit from this information? Make sure to share it with her!