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“I want to start a blog, but I’m not a writer.”
“I need a blog for my business, but writing hates me.”
Sound like you? Well, here’s a shocker: you’re probably exaggerating.
Writing may not be your thing – at least not right now – but don’t let it stop you from blogging. You can, in fact, start a successful blog with the right attitude and tools.
In this article, we’ll cover different tips on how to make writing your thing:
Mindset is everything, and if you have the wrong one, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
So let’s fix that first.
First off, understand that writing and blogging are 2 different ball games.
Blogging is a distinct kind of writing.
Blogging is about sharing ideas, answering questions, and communicating with your customers. That’s very different from writing essays or books.
When you blog, it doesn’t matter as much that you’re using amazing wordplay. What matters more is that you’re helping the reader solve a problem by giving them actionable steps and solutions.
In fact, being a great writer doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a great blogger. There’s more to blogging than writing, as we’ll explain.
Don’t believe the voice in your head that says you’re not a good writer or that writing is not meant for you. Just don’t!
The first step in achieving anything is believing you can.
Writing is a skill that everyone can learn. It just takes practice.
Always go back to the reason why you want to start blogging.
Ask yourself: why do I want to start a blog and why do I want my blog to be successful? Think hard and well about your answer to this.
For example, want to increase your brand’s reach? Are you trying to earn a living blogging? Whatever your why, reminding yourself of it every time you don’t feel like writing will help motivate you.
Your “why” could be anything, but your “why” needs to matter to you.
If you want to be a great blogger, you need to have a habit of practicing writing consistently.
How?
Absolutely no distractions! No writer ever accomplished anything by being interrupted every minute or so. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb if you have to.
You can also try and use music to get you in the zone – probably nothing of the rock n’ roll kind, though, unless that’s your jam. Put on some of your favorite tracks that you can concentrate to and soon you’ll feel like writing.
If nothing works, change your scenery by going somewhere else, like a quiet cafe or co-working space – sometimes just doing this inspires you to write.
Practice, practice, practice. There is no shortcut but to keep practicing, and keep practicing consistently. All great writers started from zero, but just kept at it consistently by practicing regularly (every day if possible).
Try using a habit tracker to motivate you to be consistent, whether a mobile app like Momentum Habit Tracker or just a notebook and pen.
Ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique? Simply set a timer for 25 minutes then write, then take a break. It might seem a lot of time at first, but you’ll probably find that 25 minutes flew by.
Maybe it won’t be even enough time for you. But by just committing to 25 minutes, you’ll find yourself thinking that “Hey, it isn’t so hard!” Here’s a tip for you: it really isn’t.
Blogging is a long-term thing. In fact, most of the time, the results are not immediate. Just trust and enjoy the process. Every time you feel like quitting, remember that most successful bloggers don’t make it until after their first year of blogging.
You can’t become a better writer if you don’t read other people’s work.
Read other blogs, especially ones that are related to your niche. You might also want to follow great bloggers on social media and even engage with them. Here’s a list of 43 great blogs to get you started.
You’ll find that you will be inspired to write just by consuming other people’s work. You’ll also learn new things like what to do and what not to when it comes to writing blog posts.
If you don’t like what you’re writing, it shows in your writing. So choose a topic that interests you or find an angle that does. Don’t limit yourself to the typical angles that are written about in your niche.
Even the most boring subject in the world can be made interesting. All it takes is someone invested in doing so. Try to think outside the box – you’ll be surprised at what you can come up with.
If you absolutely have to write about something you’re not interested in, try creative workarounds. For example, do words tire you out? You can use a variety of formats like adding video or infographics or even GIFs.
Note
Choosing the right web host or blogging site is another key to creating a succesful blog. Check out why we think Hostinger is the best option for most bloggers.
Writing an outline first makes writing easier. Writing a 1,000-word blog post sounds like a lot. That is, until you write an outline, and realize it’s actually doable.
It also helps clarify your thinking. That way, your writing will actually go somewhere versus going around in circles.
See how you can make an outline by reading our guide to writing a blog post in 5 steps.
Writing for an online audience requires a distinct writing style that you’ll most likely enjoy, because it involves making it easy for them to read your blog post.
How?
No one on the internet wants to read a blog post that sounds boring. No one. So instead of piling on the jargon and the highfalutin words, write as if you’re talking to one of your friends.
For effective website content writing, remember that when you talk to your friends, you don’t need to impress them, but you do need to engage them.
This will not only make it enjoyable for your readers, but for yourself, too.
Part of writing for the internet means making your content as accessible as possible. For example, try to:
Proofreading and editing are important too. After all, no one gets it right on the first draft. When you proofread and edit your work, it’ll make you feel more self-assured about your writing skills.
You’ll realize that yes, your writing can be improved, but no, it’s not irredeemable.
The internet is full of resources that can help improve your writing, so use them!
Know that you’re not alone in this. People can help you. After all, you’re not the first beginner blogger in the world (and you won’t be the last).
Take a writing class. Masterclass, for example, has classes from the greats like David Sedaris. If you prefer learning offline, try searching for one in your community. Taking a writing class will help your self-esteem as a blogger, not to mention improve your writing skills.
If you don’t have one, network! Blogging means having your work read by other people, so it helps if you have friends or peers who can give you feedback and share their own lessons with you.
The best part is you get support from people who understand what you’re going through.
Blogging also requires skills that writers don’t always have.
Just because you publish a blog post doesn’t mean you’ll automatically get readers. You will need to do some marketing in order to get people to read it. There are numerous ways to do this, like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and social media marketing.
Taking time to leverage and get better at those skills will help make you a better blogger.
It also gives you a chance to mix it up a little and take a bit of a break from just writing. This makes it more fun for you.
As a last resort, you can actually just hire content writers to help write for you. If you have the budget and maybe none of the time, this is something to consider.
There are tons of freelance writers in services like Upwork and Fiverr. Just remember to hire ones with good reviews.
By now, you should feel amped up and ready to start blogging. By overcoming your limiting beliefs about writing, you’re well on your way to becoming a better blogger.
We’ve written up lots of resources on how to start a blog, and the best tools to use. Be sure to dive into the rest of our content – starting with our ultimate guide to starting a blog.
Happy blogging!
Crystal Camarao is a blogger, writer and digital marketer from the Philippines. She loves to travel as much as possible, drink IPAs, and geek out about tech. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
