1
Try to blog every
day. Even if nothing of note has transpired, it's important to set
aside time to blog. Getting in the rhythm of blogging can be difficult, but
pretty soon you'll be doing it by instinct: Like the first day of school, it
may be a bit awkward at first, but you soon make friends and grow comfortable
in your new environment.
Think about special themed days when posting. If you wanted, for example, you could have "Maniac Mondays," where each Monday, you blog about one person whose crazy ideas changed the world. This lends your blog some structure and helps keep you writing, even when you're not exactly sure what to write about.
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2
Keep posts short. If you're having trouble writing, keep your blog posts short. A
blog can be different from a diary, expose, or news article. It's meant to be
digested quickly, to offer interlocking pieces of evidence and tie them
together concisely. Keep these three guidelines in mind when you start
blogging:
A blog can be a place for reading. Jot things down quickly rather than write extended essays on them. A "Hey, look at this!" seems to be a lot more effective in blog form than a "And these are all the reasons why I'm better than you."
· Use links. Link out to other interesting pieces of content out on the web. For one, it will help you remember interesting sites that you stumble across. Second, it will save you the time to paraphrase what's going on — unless that's what you're trying to do!
· Revisit old themes. Just because you've already written a blog doesn't mean you need to file it away in a musty place. Revisit your feelings about that article in a new article, for example.
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3
Use first letters of
names when writing about others to maintain anonymity.For example, "E
made me very mad today; I've had it up to here with his selfishness." This
ensures that no feelings will be hurt should someone stumble upon your blog.
4
Be truthful. Feelings do not
always make sense! Fortunately, they don't have to. All that matters is that
your emotions end up blogged rather than expressed as an ulcer. Remember that
your blog exists only as an outlet for you. You don't have to worry about
pleasing other people if you don't want to.
5
Learn from your
posts. Once you have
blogged for a while, go back and review. Have you learned the sources of stress
in your life? Can you identify any running themes? Is a particular person toxic
to your emotional health?
6
Interact with your
community of readers and commentors. Even if you are anonymous, your blog may still be enjoyed by
readers and commentors. Often, they leave a comment underneath your article
expressing praise, opinions, or questions. Successful bloggers understand that
interacting with these fans of your work is an important part of spurring
readership.
Respond to most, not all, comments. Often, a reader will leave a comment urging you to keep on writing. A simple "Thank you, appreciated," might be a good way to respond. Other times, people will ramble off-topic or express very controversial opinions. It is not necessary to respond to each and every one of your commenters if you don't wish to.
· Include a call to action at the end of a post (optional). Obviously, if you don't intend to show your blog to other people, a call to action is unnecessary. But if you enjoy the thought of soliciting the opinion of your readers, include something like "What was your favorite Christmas present?" or "What do you think about the Federal stimulus?" in an appropriately themed post.
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7
Share your writing
with close friends and family. The people closest
to you care about your thoughts and feelings. Although you've probably started
a personal blog as a placeholder for your own thoughts and emotions, it can be
powerful to share those experiences with other people. What you're doing is
starting a conversation, and conversation can be enlightening, uplifting, and
powerful.
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Other steps...Method 1 of 3: Choosing Your Blog
Method 2 of 3: Getting Startedgoback to my blog..>>
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